Social sustainability has long suffered from perceptions of it being  a somewhat “fluffy” addendum to urban design and masterplanning processes. So it is heartening to see a growing recognition of the positive impact of rigorous and systematic social planning and social impact assessment processes in the development of our urban environments. After all, what are [...]

  Earthships are really quite something. The concept grew from the desert of New Mexico, where then-architect (now “biotect”) Michael Reynolds began experimenting with “radically sustainable” architecture. It’s radical in that it is entirely self-sustaining, including grey and black water reuse, which nourishes plant life of sufficient quantity to feed the household. Without going to [...]

It’s a precious gift to feel supremely energised and inspired at 9am on a Tuesday morning. And that’s the gift the innovative Bike Tank – “a think tank that you cycle to” brought to me and no doubt quite a few other Sydney-siders this sunny spring morning. Wandering into the workshop in the big, fab [...]

Here’s a lovely example of community enagement, courtesy of my partner’s recent trip to his Toronto hometown. The posters inform the community that the neighbourhood is undergoing an “extreme makeover” – no doubt involving construction noise, traffic impacts and disruption in their “favourite neighbourhood.” But the tone is happy and upbeat in its warm appeal: [...]

An inspiring story which has come about through Taronga Zoo’s Green Grants program… it goes something like this: Step one: Take one McMansion Step two: Deconstruct it Step three: Reuse the building materials to build a bunch of smaller, eco-friendly homes on the site. This wonderful Reincarnated McMansion concept by architect and artist Mathieu Gallois [...]

Leadership is a great privilege because it opens the gate to the heart’s journey – it provides us with incentive to embark and remain committed to the hero’s quest. In other words, it provides us with the impetus, challenge and support we need to unlock the key to our own wellbeing, fulfilment, and highest potential.” [...]

A new year is often a time of reflection among businesses on strategic directions and corporate goals. For many firms, sustainability – environmental, social, economic – is fast moving up the agenda. Raised regulatory standards and consumer expectations are today demanding far more from companies than an annual CSR report and a handful of associated [...]

‘The deep association that people have for place constitutes a vital source of both individual and cultural identity and security and acts as a point from which humans can orientate themselves in the world.” (Relph, E., 1981, The Modern Urban Landscape, p.27) Urbanisation.  Historically the product of the industrial revolution and the associated mass in-migration [...]

Sydney’s University of Technology is about to undergo an exciting transformation. With Frank Gehry on board as the starchitect of the new Faculty of Business, the process is underway to design a new high tech library, among other facilities. Speaking with one of the staff who is instrumental in the library design process, the conversation [...]

Sustainable communities–it’s the catchphrase on everyone’s lips as 2010 draws to a close.  Companies are using it in their annual reports, developers are embracing it, the federal government has put out a policy paper on it and now the Green Building Council is not only developing a tool for it, but plans to include the [...]