Living Cities Forum Returns

Melbourne, Australia: The Naomi Milgrom Foundation today announced the return of its Living Cities Forum, an architecture and urban design event. Taking place on Thursday 22 July at The Edge theatre, Federation Square, Living Cities Forum will deliver its fourth program of keynote lectures, with cross-disciplinary talks and workshops over the course of the day. The event will feature keynote addresses from globally renowned thinkers including author Bruce Pascoe, British philosopher Timothy Morton, Indian architect Anupama Kundoo, and Belgian designer Maarten Gielen. Celebrated Torres Strait chef, Nornie Bero, and her team at Mabu Mabu will provide fresh, seasonal, native food for morning tea and lunch.

The 2021 Living Cities Forum theme is ‘The Long View’—a theme that asks how different ways of perceiving and measuring time could help us to better understand, explore and solve design challenges. How is the climate crisis and the pandemic compelling cities to slow their growth, reduce their resources, minimise their footprints, and make us think about life outside of our own lifespans? In examining this and other questions, Living Cities Forum will incorporate different concepts of time, including Australian First Nations perspectives, the deep time of geological processes, and the recursive time of non-human lifeforms. This notion of the interpretations, challenges and opportunities of time will also inform the literal shape of this year’s Forum as it leans into the challenges of time zone differences—panelists will either appear in person at The Edge theatre, or from elsewhere in the world, via a dynamic blend of technologies. A not-to-be-missed opportunity for industry professionals, students and anyone interested in the future of cities to network, share ideas and workshop together.