U
Underutilisation
When a dwelling has more bedrooms surplus to the household requirements, it is considered underutilised. Based on CNOS measures, a dwelling is said to be underutilised when it consists of 2 or more bedrooms surplus to the household requirements.
Universal design
A set of design principles for housing that is accessible to people who experience forms of disability. Design requirements may include halls and doorways wide enough for wheelchair access; ramps, rather than stairs; shower recesses that don’t have a hob; and height adjustable benchtops.
Urban design
Urban design engages with the production and adaption of the built environment and its appearance and function. Beyond the individual building scale, urban design focuses on the space and relationship between buildings and surroundings. As a creative practice urban design embeds societal and cultural values in configuring the built environment, shaping social behaviour.
Urban form
An urban planning term referring to the physical characteristics of the built environment, including the configuration and function of buildings, the density of housing and their relation to each other and the natural environment.
Urban renewal
A strategic planning intervention to redevelop an established urban area. Its purpose is to regenerate the area and improve neighbourhood amenity in often underutilised or disadvantaged urban areas.