Rapid development on the Sunshine Coast may be necessary, but developers need to consider the latest research to create the best – and most playful - communities, researchers say.

Ahead of a public forum on the topic this month, urban design academic Dr Greg Mews from The University of the Sunshine Coast can point to numerous examples of where urban design has gone well and not so well.

“We have looked at cities in Australia, South America, Southeast Asia and Europe and there’s a lot to be learned about how we make cities not just liveable, but loveable,” Dr Mews said.

“On the Sunshine Coast, we don’t necessarily do density well, and I can see us making a lot of mistakes that are unfortunately going to be there for the next 30 years.”

Dr Mews is from USC’s Urban Design and Town Planning Program, which seeks to inform better planning and design by taking a human-centred approach and backing it up with evidence.

He is co-founder and director of the Australian Institute of Play and is set to launch his new book Transforming Public Space Through Play.

The public panel NExT Forum will focus on the topic of Transforming Public Spaces and held on Thursday 26 May, from 6-8pm at USC Sunshine Coast, Building I, Lecture Theatre 4. Registrations are required.

Ticket sales will be donated to creating a healthier future for orphaned children and young people in Sierra Leone.

Also on the panel will be urban design and town planning academics Dr Nicholas Stevens, Dr Silvia Tavares as well as Head of School, School of Law and Society Professor Jay Sanderson and a special message from Dr Luisa Bravo, President, City Space Architecture.