Kavya Nagpal wants to improve Sydney social life with ‘micropolises’

Social interaction in our growing city would be bolstered under an ingenious plan put forward by the winner of this year’s $10,000-a-year Lendlease Bradfield Urbanisation Scholarship.

Social interaction in our growing city would be bolstered under an ingenious plan put forward by the winner of this year’s $10,000-a-year Lendlease Bradfield Urbanisation Scholarship.

Kavya Nagpal said combating loneliness isn’t about cramming Sydney full of people in apartments like in crowded New Delhi where she spent most of her teenage years.

Clever design techniques are needed to foster social interaction the University of Sydney Law and Economics student said.

Bradfield scholarship winner Kavya Nagpal has a bold plan to create a more social Sydney. Picture: Jonathan Ng

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“Delhi is a city rife with the same problems that we anticipate for Sydney,” she told an audience including Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the Bradfield Oration last night.

“Traffic congestion and pollution are everyday issues, with tangible effects for citizens,” said Nagpal, who moved to Sydney from the Indian capital four years ago.

Central to the 18-year-old student’s plan would be developing “micropolises” — a series of buildings where people live, work and access vital community services all within a two or three kilometre radius.

To further enhance liveability, streets within the micropolises would have speed limits of 15km/h for cars so young and old could walk around and enjoy the area around where they live.

Ms Nagpal’s plan means developing “micropolises where people live, work and access community services all within a two to three kilometre radius. Picture: Toby Zerna

“Low speed limits will make it safer for people to engage in sustainable forms of transport such as walking and cycling as well as driving more economic activity for small businesses because when people travel by foot, they are more likely to mingle and interact with surrounding businesses,” she said.

The buildings themselves would foster interaction between neighbours in their design — a massive turn away from the compartmentalised box design which dominates our suburbs.

Ms Nagpal’s design would see new buildings enveloped by curving balcony edges that allow interactions to occur between neighbours — rather than being blocked off by concrete walls.

They would also overlook grassed areas which would make apartment living more attractive to families.