Maroubra + Views

I was reading Kevin Lynch's The Image of the City (1960) for the project the other day, and was contemplating the sections on views. Views such as favourite views, or short views, or how views terminate etc. 

A little while later I was walking to my bus stop on a sunny morning in Maroubra Beach, thoroughly enjoying the sunshine and comparing it to where I lived in Dublin, Ireland last year. The areas were so different in many different ways, and it made me realise how much I appreciate living where I do now, even though I did enjoy my time in Dublin. 

Above: The location of my apartment in Ranelagh, Dublin 

Above: The location of my house in Maroubra, Sydney

Living in Ranelagh had many advantages. The location of my apartment was a 20 minute walk away from the main city center, or a 5 minute tram (LUAS) ride. The closest supermarket was a 5 min walk away, as were pharmacies, restaurants, bars, and retail shops. The housing was composed primarily of Georgian terraces divided up into apartments and were generally extremely well kept. The suburb has a high walkability, with high levels of infrastructure accessible to residents.  

Living in Maroubra is extremely different with many contrasts. The closest big grocery store was a 15 min bus ride away or a 45 minute walk (to Maroubra Junction). The closest bars and restaurants would be at The Spot in Randwick, which was also a 15 minute busride or 45 minute walk away. Maroubra Beach has a very low amount of shops and restaurants available to residents, and most would go to The Spot, Randwick Junction, or Maroubra Junction for main shopping activities. Streets around Maroubra are generally pleasant with stand alone houses or apartments set back from the street. Areas of Maroubra, just like in Ranelagh, are composed of social housing/community housing and are less aesthetically attractive but generally still safe. 

The main difference between the locations of my house that are apparent immediately, and that had the biggest effect on me when I arrived back home, are the views. The geography of Maroubra is such that it is is very hilly, and the location on the coast means that there are a variety of long to extremely long views. This sense of space and airiness is something that I sorely missed while living in Ranelagh. The parks and long walks along the cliffs at Maroubra enhances these views and provides easy access to areas for exercise and recreation. In Ranelagh, one would often see joggers running on the streets or along the canal that cuts through Dublin next to busy roads, however in Maroubra one has the option to run along the Coastal Walk that runs along the tops of the cliffs. I would say that I have a healthier, more outdoor lifestyle in Maroubra than I did in Ranelagh, and the variety of really beautiful views have a positive significant impact on my psychological wellbeing. 

While I would argue that infrastructure is not as accessible without a car (I do not drive) in Maroubra as it is in Ranelagh, I would still say that I have a better standard of living in Maroubra due to the access to open areas and the beach, as well as the advantages of climate.