I recently read somewhere the Darwin City Council’s future plan has been produced with the assistance of the Northern Territory and federal governments, and with input from the private sector.

Apparently It’s a 20-year vision, consisting of 72 different proposals to bring new life to the Territory capital. The Ideas range from alternative road corridors into the city, to boardwalks, boulevards and a new swimming lagoon.

I couldn’t believe the amount of attention a recent post on Facebook got about Johnston as one of the ugliest suburbs in Darwin,  “No one looks at the an example of “chaotic ugliness”.  and feels deeply moved by the grace and sweetness of the scene,” it just shows the power of the news to instil a narrative which then becomes lodged in people’s minds.”

Growing up in Darwin and putting my own opinions up on a public forum can reflect badly on others I have grown up with however anyone that knows me, knows Im not about that! That’s why after all that attention I thought it would be best to remove the Facebook post.

The real problem is that people have accepted that everyone will have different views of what is beautiful or ugly, or even affordable.

“We have talked ourselves into the belief that taste is always relative,”

“So even though almost everyone on the planet thinks that either Dubai or Paris is delightful people in Darwin I talk to everyday think that Darwin is a bit of a mess, but we don’t dare to speak.”

“Sorry to disappoint people, but I have no clue who is behind any of the “ugly developments” and absolutely do not care, however the planning authority must be either blind or money really does control everything even common sense!

Is Darwin now becoming one of Australia’s ugly cities? An example of “chaotic ugliness”.

Instead, it comes back to the builder or developer’s preference. “One would hope that people don’t build ugly buildings, but a lot of buildings considered ugly are just cost effective,” Mr Killian said.

“Certain parts of Darwin has been taken over by property developers who have been allowed to run riot for the sake of money,”

Is the Casuarina university accommodation complex the ugliest building in Darwin?

When China International Marine Containers, or CIMC, saw that the mining investment boom had peaked and was settling into the steady extraction phase, it looked around for how it could use its skills at supplying mining accommodation to something a bit longer lasting.It didn’t take long to alight on multi-storey prefabricatated housing. In particular, but not always, hotels. Today the company has about 12 projects on the go.

 

NT Property Council executive director Mark Johnson thought the Kurringal Flats in Fannie Bay were rather untasteful. “They’re derelict and the poor buggers have to live in it. It’s a disgrace,” Mr Johnson said.

The Australian Institute of Architecture’s NT Chapter president Simon Scally has nominated the Woolworths building on Smith St and Whitfield St because of it’s disrespect to the street.

“It just presents a blank facade along Smith St Mall. And along Whitfield St it is just loading bays. It’s probably the most horrible industrial facade in Darwin,” Mr Scally said.

 

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