Above: Fitzroy Townhouses, completed in 2001 by Kerstin Thompson Architects. Image: KTA.


Architects Charles Renfro, Kerstin Thompson, Philip Thalis and Paul Donegan will share their views on various aspects of urban housing as keynote speakers of the inaugural Housing Futures forum in Melbourne.

The symposium, Design Speaks: Housing Futures 2015 will explore new trajectories in residential architecture through three broad themes: the individual family home, apartment living, and future directions in aged, multigenerational and student housing. The Housing Futures forum is co-located with the 2015 Houses Awards announcement.

The international and local keynote speakers participating in the upcoming Housing Futures forum will be joined by several industry thought leaders for two moderated panel discussions. The panel discussions will provide an opportunity for audience members to interact with the panellists.

Design Speaks: Housing Futures 2015 will be held on Friday, 31 July 2015 from 8:45am until 5:00pm at the Clemenger BBDO Auditorium, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

Keynote Speakers

Charles Renfro, Partner at Diller Scofidio + Renfro (New York City); Kerstin Thompson, Principal at Kerstin Thompson Architects (Melbourne); Philip Thalis, Founding Principal at Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects (Sydney); and Paul Donegan, co-author of the Grattan Institute’s first book, City Limits: Why Australia’s cities are broken and how we can fix them (Melbourne)

Panel Members

Eli Giannini, Director at MGS Architects; Marcus Foth, Founder and Director at Urban Informatics Research Lab, Professor in Interactive and Visual Design in the School of Design, Creative Industries Faculty at QUT; Shelley Penn, Director at Shelley Penn Architect, Director of Shelley Penn Architect and past National President of the Australian Institute of Architects; Ben Hewett, Director at Strategic Services NSW GAO and Adjunct Professor of Architecture at UTS.