gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann
@gregvann.bsky.social
1.4K followers 380 following 260 posts
Australian urbanist at large based in Brisbane, 46+ years experience. Founder Urban Mentors Collective. Co founder Ethos Urban, President Queensland Walks. Keen to make cities better and to help those who want to do that.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 1h
Will the car based suburbs of the last 60+ years be looked at in the future as an aberration in the history of human civilization?
3
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 1h
A colleague I spoke to today said they’d done some work a while ago researching how cities and communities worked before cheap land and power happened so as to work out how to plan them after that finishes. great way to describe new urbanism, I’d say!
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 2h
Well, Urban Mentors Collective is off and running. Have started the process with 3 people this week (2 in NZ!) and will be in Tasmania next week working with another senior person there. I find it very energising…

urbanmentorscollective.com.au
Urban Mentors Collective
At Urban Mentors Collective, we connect professionals involved in community building with highly experienced mentors—practitioners who’ve spent decades working in the field.
urbanmentorscollective.com.au
3
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 22h
Some quick brush pen faces of varying quality!
2
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 1d
Australians lose more money on falling per capita than anywhere else in the world. Sports events are awash with gambling ads (which I find corrosive & offensive) & government has ignored recommendations of its own inquiry to stop this.

This 4 Corners tells the story. youtu.be/D4MSHGEw2U8?...
Exposing the honeypot for the world’s biggest betting companies | Four Corners Documentary
YouTube video by ABC News In-depth
youtu.be
1 2
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 2d
It’s grandkids time!
3
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 2d
Today’s incidental urban wildlife spotting was this tawny frogmouth who decided to sit on the road for a while.
3
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 3d
Great to meet up with @uytaelee.bsky.social and show him around Brisbane today. What a great contribution he makes to making city
planning meaningful to the average punter!
4
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 4d
Mind you, I did see this large water dragon so that’s something!
1
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 4d
Got out to my alma mater University of Queensland where the Brisbane signature jacaranda trees usually put on a brilliant purple show in October.
It was a sign that you had to study for end of year exams. The dry spring meant this year’s showing was ordinary. See this year’s and last year’s below.
1 1 5
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 4d
It's quite simple: We need hope, not more of the same:
“It truly isn’t complicated and never has been. If governments ensure people’s basic needs are guaranteed and affordable – then hope doesn’t seem so hopeless.”

www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/politic...
It's really quite simple: We need hope, not more of the same
Politics is not complicated. And anyone who pretends it is, has the luxury of not having spent their lives beholden to it.
www.thenewdaily.com.au
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 4d
SUVs: safer for people with them, way more dangerous to everyone else: youtu.be/nYyutqP48ok?...
1 5
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 5d
1
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 5d
Just spent a week with family at Moffat Beach on the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane. It is really special, tucked away from main roads, with surf & still beaches, parks, playgrounds, cafes & restaurants a short stroll away.

Didn’t wear shoes or use car for a week!
1
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 5d
I’m very grateful to live at Rosalie in Brisbane, a short, easy walk from Rosalie village where I visit my local cafe and lots of other places regularly. Often accompanied by my dog Peanut.

I reckon people don’t quite get walkability till they have it, then they love it.
1 4
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 8d
This map of the incidence of diabetes type 2 in greater Sydney a few years ago demonstrates what some medical people call “walking deficit order” - where unevenly distributed walkability contributes to poor community health.
(Via Tim Williams on LinkedIn)
3
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 8d
Today’s test for ChatGPT was 5-8 actions to address the housing crisis. It gave me a useful list but missed anything on improving our building capacity to deliver housing. So I asked about that & it said the shortage of building capacity is a major bottleneck in responding to the housing crisis!
1
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 8d
You can just tap the link and then hit the follow all button. Is that what you’re after?
1 1
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 9d
Today I asked ChatGPT about the long touted concept of trickle down economics.

It was spot on again:
1 1
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 10d
Since 2015, I’ve spoken often about the need for fairer cities & society due to the corrosive effects of rising inequality.

I asked ChatGPT what the impacts of rising inequality are in western countries.

I’d say it did a good job of it. Urbanists, note the urban & spatial impacts it identifies.
1 2
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 10d
Wanna know how to speak so people will want to listen?

Invest 10 minutes watching this excellent TED talk by Julian Treasure, to learn the 7 deadly sins to avoid & the 4 key aspects to focus on.

You won’t regret it!

youtu.be/eIho2S0ZahI?...
How to Speak So That People Want to Listen | Julian Treasure | TED
YouTube video by TED
youtu.be
1 2
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 10d
Really useful of @brenttoderian.bsky.social to put together this starter urbanism pack. And chuffed to be on the list. Let’s make Bluesky to go to platform for constructive conversations about cities!
go.bsky.app/UG85GL8
1 8 17
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 11d
Here’s today’s Andy Singer classic:
3
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 11d
Anyone bidding higher than 22 benefits of urban street trees? Feel free to add to this list!

sustainablect.org/fileadmin/me...
1
gregvann.bsky.social
Greg Vann @gregvann.bsky.social · 12d
Some classic Andy Singer commentary!
2 34