You can watch the sixth Parlour LAB here!
In our sixth Parlour Lab, Ihnji Jon and Nerida Horner discuss their research on climate change, environment, ecology, city planning and design in conversation with Justine Clarke and myself. We began the session with short presentations from the speakers, Inji discussed excerpts from her book Cities in the Anthropocene: New Ecology and Urban Politics coming out in July, and Nerida discussed her work with Darwin Living Lab. Then followed a lively discussion with questions from the audience. Ihnji and Nerida left us with some key takeaways for practitioners to keep in mind while they are designing buildings, public spaces and cities:
Place identity often reflects nonhuman agencies (waterways, hills, mountains, topography, flora, fauna) and our interaction with them - urban design and architecture can celebrate this unique and local identity and shift the idea that people are separate from their environment,
Educate yourself about local ecology so that your designs can incorporate native plants and habitat to situate your design within its ecological context,
Understand the social context in which your project is situated; can a 'green agenda’ be pursued if everyday poverty is more important? how can your project respond to this condition? (e.g. green infrastructure connected with job creation),
Collaborate broadly across disciplines to continue learning and increase the beneficial scope of your project,
In an Australian context, can you rethink carparks, verges, roads, building facades, public spaces and private land to retain water, integrate shading and increase native vegetation to cool our cities and towns?