This revealing research on dangerous building defects in the high rise multi-apartment sector tracks the chronology of building defects cases across Australia and the world. The research remembers the horrors of Grenfell (2017) and our own Bankstown fire (2012) then tracks cases and their key characteristics and causes.
Optimum Search City Research Centre has a deep history in research of cities and their development dynamics. In this case, it is developer dynamics that are shown to be a central cause along with ongoing delivery systems in the creation of high rise multi-apartment building defects. The centre was founded by Dr Jonathan Drane who is an expert in complex development and construction cases in the commercial development sector.
‘As a research group we are tracking this history and building a longitudinal case file analysis to assist researchers, government and practitioners to build a safer future for residents of multi-apartment towers’. Dr Jonathan Drane
A new web site is up and running called The Defects Dilemma which focuses on the terrible state of defects in the multi-apartment sector. The Defects Dilemma is a research iniative which started in 2018 when so many cases of dangerous defects were occuring across Australia and the world. The web site captures the recent history and chronology of this phenomena and also tracks the legislations and guiding studies and reports that have arisen.
The methodology for the ongoing analysis of this space involves two models 1) Delivery Systems focus and 2) Enablement focus.
The Delivery Systems Model reveals the decline in professional systems and practices over several decades leading up to the current examples. A Defects Scenario Model is shown which provides a risk assessment for likely incidence of defects base on the delivery system.
The Enablement Model tracks the various milestones that exist as a precursor to creation of a multi-apartment tower that enable low barriers to entry for poor development practices from $2 land traders and phoenix schemes to rezoning abuse and property developers who show trading interest above long term care.
Foundations of the research include historical knowledge holding of the key eras of property development, construction and strata practices that have conspired to lead the sector to this tragic situation.
Visit the Defects Dilemma web site for more information . Students are welcome as well as our research projects involve mobilisation of student teams alongside professional practitioners in work placements and internships.
For updates go to our social media pages or our free updates see form below.
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External Videos
A Teaching Framework for City Development Processes
Dr Jon Drane provided a framework for understanding City Development Processes and more recently updated this to include the concept of Place Economy and Property Development Dynamics. See youtube video below and his Faster Class offering for professional development in Property Development.
Advocating for Professionalisation of Property Development
The property development industry is experiencing the continued entry of untrained, non professional players. There are very low barriers to entry to the world of property development. The result has been the rise of poor quality buidings and the horrors of the past decade of dangerous defects.
Dr Drane is advocating for the creation of a doctorate in ‘city and property development processes’ that supports the improvement of professional recognition and credentialing of property developers. See our youtube video on A Decade of Dangerous Defects which includes the tragedies of the decade.
Dangerous Defects Chronology Apartment Towers
Dr Jon Drane created the Defects Dilemma research and advocacy programme in 2018 and has been a guest presenter at national and international conferences on the topic of Dangerous Defects in Apartment Towers. This chronology of building defects shows the tragedies and dangers of poor workmanship and process on construction sites that can be deadly.
https://www.jondrane.net/building-defects-chronology-remembering/
The Defects Dilemma. Solving dangerous defects in apartment towers
Dr Jon Drane created the Defects Dilemma research and advocacy programme in 2018 and has been a guest presenter at national and international conferences on the topic of Dangerous Defects in Apartment Towers. This research into building defects shows the tragedies and dangers of poor workmanship and process on construction sites that can be deadly.
https://www.jondrane.net/publications/building-defects-dilemma/
How safe is your apartment tower?
Dr Jon Drane has focussed on the fact that our cities are ageing as well as growing and past construction methods and the economic life of buildings is being challenged. Buildings built in the mid twentieth century were the first modernist constructions using steel and concrete in high rise situations. Dr Jon offers a history check of your apartment tower to identify possible risk factors due to age and decay of building structures and elements.
https://www.jondrane.net/how-safe-is-your-apartment-tower/