National Urban Design Forum

Design is the answer, what is the question? 

There are major changes our cities and towns need to accommodate: a rapidly growing population; demographic and social evolution; accessibility and life-style choices; technology, energy and environmental change; and uncertain economic circumstances. Urban design must be up to the challenge of change. It will require the integrated endeavours of planners, architects, social planners, landscape architects, engineers, property developers and financiers, and government agencies. This forum will be provocative, stimulating and useful for anyone involved in shaping our cities and towns for the decades ahead.

The speakers:

Andrew Holden (Editor in Chief, The Age) will review the historic influence of media on our cities and towns, and expose the future role of both new and old media beyond the headlines

Annette Gillespie (CEO Safe Steps, Family Violence Response Service) will explain the practical importance of safe and healthy environments and how urban design can make them better, or worse

James Brearley (Director Brearley Architects and Urbanists, Melbourne and Shanghai) will explore different cultural approaches to the rapid growth of cities, and look at how governance affects what we do and how we do it

Leanne Hodyl (Manager Urban Strategy City of Melbourne and Churchill Fellow 2014) will address the intensification of urban areas, and reflect on the strategies which lead to liveable big cities.

Michelle Howard (Director Collaborations) will engage everyone in this session, and give examples that illustrate the importance of healthy and effective community engagement in assessing what people and communities want and need

Caroline Stalker (Director Architectus) will explore design thinking, and use examples where critical regionalism, place and identity are important, to tease out common issues and solution and demonstrate that one size does not fit all.

Rob McGauran (Director MGS Architects) will draw on a plethora of built and conceptual projects to demonstrate the importance of creative and innovative design approaches to achieve affordable housing and living

Donnell Davis (Director Envirobusiness) will provide both Australian and international perspectives to illustrate the challenges of climate change and design resilience, governance, and respectful design for a multicultural society.

To top off the forum, Stephen Mayne (Founder of crikey.com