Sydney Design Week 2023 explores urgent social, environmental and ethical issues

When the 2023 Sydney Design Week “Amodern” launched this month, its program of talks, tours, exhibitions, workshops and films, revealed macro and micro ideas, from Eco Systems and Material Cultures to Micro Cycles, uncovering novel research shaping the future of design.

Sydney Design Week 2023 explores urgent social, environmental and ethical issues

When the 2023 Sydney Design Week “Amodern” launched this month, its program of talks, tours, exhibitions, workshops and films, revealed macro and micro ideas, from Eco Systems and Material Cultures to Micro Cycles, uncovering novel research shaping the future of design.

Tradition meets science, the new modus operandi of change-makers at Milan Design Week 2023

This year new releases, installations and talks engaged with leading scientists too, focusing on tradition, circular materials and manufacturing models to reduce the design industry’s impact on the environment.

Tradition meets science, the new modus operandi of change-makers at Milan Design Week 2023

This year new releases, installations and talks engaged with leading scientists too, focusing on tradition, circular materials and manufacturing models to reduce the design industry’s impact on the environment.

How scaling down can offer more joyful ways of living

Curated by Anita Panov and Andrew Scott of Panovscott, A Small Exhibition asks us to question how much space we really need to live comfortably. 

How scaling down can offer more joyful ways of living

Curated by Anita Panov and Andrew Scott of Panovscott, A Small Exhibition asks us to question how much space we really need to live comfortably. 

Architecture meets nature inside Singapore’s thriving urban forest

We caught up with Formwerkz director Gwen Tan to discuss the studio’s love of plants and design experimentation, the impact of narrative in their work, and the testing of design ideas in Tan’s own house that have resulted in a new understanding of the importance of nature in our everyday lives – what the Japanese refer to as “forest bathing”.

Architecture meets nature inside Singapore’s thriving urban forest

We caught up with Formwerkz director Gwen Tan to discuss the studio’s love of plants and design experimentation, the impact of narrative in their work, and the testing of design ideas in Tan’s own house that have resulted in a new understanding of the importance of nature in our everyday lives – what the Japanese refer to as “forest bathing”.

Open House Melbourne opens more than buildings, it also opens conversations about city making

Open House Melbourne has been steadily gaining momentum by drawing the public into conversations about the built environment, asking questions about what we want our cities to look like now and into the future.

Open House Melbourne opens more than buildings, it also opens conversations about city making

Open House Melbourne has been steadily gaining momentum by drawing the public into conversations about the built environment, asking questions about what we want our cities to look like now and into the future.

The future of housing: Architects with vision take the stage in Sydney

Good Habitat was recently invited to report on the Housing Futures conference in Sydney. This is what we learnt.

The future of housing: Architects with vision take the stage in Sydney

Good Habitat was recently invited to report on the Housing Futures conference in Sydney. This is what we learnt.

City as above ground mine

We recently sat down with Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director of the SMaRT Centre at the University of New South Wales, and Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, to find out more about green manufacturing and her vision for cities as mines of the future.

City as above ground mine

We recently sat down with Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director of the SMaRT Centre at the University of New South Wales, and Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, to find out more about green manufacturing and her vision for cities as mines of the future.

Spring in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Grange is one of the world’s largest urban agriculture farms, covering two warehouse rooftops in New York and producing more than 50,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables every year.

Spring in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Grange is one of the world’s largest urban agriculture farms, covering two warehouse rooftops in New York and producing more than 50,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables every year.

Pecha Kucha Night

Pecha Kucha Night (PKN) began in Tokyo in 2003 and is now hosted in cities around the world from Mumbai to Berlin to Sydney. As producers of Pecha Kucha Night Sydney we meet incredibly inspiring and talented people and get the chance to spread the word about their good work.

Pecha Kucha Night

Pecha Kucha Night (PKN) began in Tokyo in 2003 and is now hosted in cities around the world from Mumbai to Berlin to Sydney. As producers of Pecha Kucha Night Sydney we meet incredibly inspiring and talented people and get the chance to spread the word about their good work.

The Shed

Located in the Sydney suburb of Randwick in a back lane hemmed between suburban blocks, The Shed is a 74 square metre industrial building built in 1890 as a farrier’s workshop, turned into a compact home that demonstrates the beauty of living small.

The Shed

Located in the Sydney suburb of Randwick in a back lane hemmed between suburban blocks, The Shed is a 74 square metre industrial building built in 1890 as a farrier’s workshop, turned into a compact home that demonstrates the beauty of living small.

Unlimited: Designing for the Asia Pacific

Uncovering the optimism and inspiration found in our own Asia Pacific backyard, Unlimited: designing for the Asia Pacific was a festival initiated and hosted by the Queensland Government in Brisbane.

Unlimited: Designing for the Asia Pacific

Uncovering the optimism and inspiration found in our own Asia Pacific backyard, Unlimited: designing for the Asia Pacific was a festival initiated and hosted by the Queensland Government in Brisbane.

Garden Post

A newspaper produced from The Newsroom workshops, Garden Post is a new local paper made in collaboration with cub reporters from the City of Randwick. This is the first stage in an ongoing program focusing on the theme ‘know local’.

Garden Post

A newspaper produced from The Newsroom workshops, Garden Post is a new local paper made in collaboration with cub reporters from the City of Randwick. This is the first stage in an ongoing program focusing on the theme ‘know local’.

Turning tyres into steel

The goal of the work that we do is to appreciate the kind of resources we as human beings throw away into landfill sites. We look well and truly beyond a conventional recycling strategy where the goal is to convert plastic into plastic and glass into glass”. – Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director , SMaRT Centre, UNSW

Turning tyres into steel

The goal of the work that we do is to appreciate the kind of resources we as human beings throw away into landfill sites. We look well and truly beyond a conventional recycling strategy where the goal is to convert plastic into plastic and glass into glass”. – Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director , SMaRT Centre, UNSW

The Newsroom

Our ‘know local’ kids’ workshop was the pilot for a continuing program designed to open new ways for children to engage with their local community through storytelling and photography. Our first group of ten budding reporters headed to the Randwick Community Organic Garden.

The Newsroom

Our ‘know local’ kids’ workshop was the pilot for a continuing program designed to open new ways for children to engage with their local community through storytelling and photography. Our first group of ten budding reporters headed to the Randwick Community Organic Garden.

Australian Design Unit

Launched in 2008 with funding from the Australia Council and AusIndustry, the Australian Design Unit‘s (ADU) first program was the Springboard Project, designed to develop the careers of young Australian product designers and to teach business skills specific to sustainable design practice — all connected by an open source website.

Australian Design Unit

Launched in 2008 with funding from the Australia Council and AusIndustry, the Australian Design Unit‘s (ADU) first program was the Springboard Project, designed to develop the careers of young Australian product designers and to teach business skills specific to sustainable design practice — all connected by an open source website.

Walls and Bridges

This picture is from a late 2011 interview I did in Berlin with Matthias Rick from the experimental architecture practice, Raumlaborberlin.

Walls and Bridges

This picture is from a late 2011 interview I did in Berlin with Matthias Rick from the experimental architecture practice, Raumlaborberlin.

Mexico, recycle project

In Puerto Vallarta on the west coast of Mexico, Gabino Sandoval began designing and making with waste materials four years ago, first with plastic bags, old chip packets and sweet wrappers and then with paper and aluminium cans. It took a while for friends to understand what he was doing but now he has a team of six who work with him, collecting, cleaning and preparing ‘components’ ready for the making process.

Mexico, recycle project

In Puerto Vallarta on the west coast of Mexico, Gabino Sandoval began designing and making with waste materials four years ago, first with plastic bags, old chip packets and sweet wrappers and then with paper and aluminium cans. It took a while for friends to understand what he was doing but now he has a team of six who work with him, collecting, cleaning and preparing ‘components’ ready for the making process.

Tokyo Bike

Identifying a back lane in Sydney’s Surry Hills that evoked the hidden laneways of Tokyo, the Tokyo Bike project involved the design of a retail shop, a new brand identity and website, including photography and film making on the streets of Tokyo with Kento Mori.

Tokyo Bike

Identifying a back lane in Sydney’s Surry Hills that evoked the hidden laneways of Tokyo, the Tokyo Bike project involved the design of a retail shop, a new brand identity and website, including photography and film making on the streets of Tokyo with Kento Mori.

City up close

Berlin Haushoch is a magazine designed, edited, photographed and largely written by three people — Ana Lessing, Alexandra Bald and Esra Rotthoff.

City up close

Berlin Haushoch is a magazine designed, edited, photographed and largely written by three people — Ana Lessing, Alexandra Bald and Esra Rotthoff.

Kids’ Design Workshop

The Kids’ Design Workshop program brings children between the ages of 8 and 12 together with architects and designers to openly explore ideas and creativity across a range of projects – from dreaming up new cites to using traditional weaving methods to rethink our homes.

Kids’ Design Workshop

The Kids’ Design Workshop program brings children between the ages of 8 and 12 together with architects and designers to openly explore ideas and creativity across a range of projects – from dreaming up new cites to using traditional weaving methods to rethink our homes.