Practical Solutions for Regenerating Natural Systems in our Cities
Recently, myself and another PhD Student in the ICON Science lab attended an event at the MPavillion initiative. The MPavillion is an annual celebration of architecture and design in Melbourne, coordinated by the Urban Design Forum. Specifically, it focuses on creative collaboration for community art and wellbeing. Each year since its inception in 2014, the […]
Outreach: Why we should shatter Melbourne’s concrete creeks
Cities like Melbourne are increasingly looking to tear up their concrete drains and restore natural waterways. Why is this and how can it best be done to create more natural, healthy and biodiverse cities? Click here
PhD Opportunity: Beyond green facades – integrating natural ecologies and the built environment
PhD Advertisement Title: Beyond green facades – integrating natural ecologies and the built environment Description: This PhD challenges the status quo of ‘green’ architecture by addressing critical research gaps in the fields of natural ecology and the built environment to develop ecologically-driven architectural/landscape/urban design. By integrating ecological knowledge and understanding, designers can produce urban environments […]
PhD Opportunity: Nature as medicine: can a dose of the outdoors cure loneliness?
PhD Advertisement: Nature as medicine: can a dose of the outdoors cure loneliness? Description: This PhD is part of an NHMRC/European Commission funded project exploring the benefits of prescribing nature-based social activities to reduce loneliness and improve mental health. The project aims to better understand the effects of green space and biodiversity on loneliness and […]
From ‘day of the species’ to ‘protecting species every day’
In April, I attended an art exhibition that helps people visualize the biodiversity crisis in Australia. ‘Day of the Species’ is a community art project with contributions from 200+ artists. As a contributing artist, you get to learn about and draw Australian biodiversity under protection by the EPBC Act. As a viewer, you can see […]
Enhancing biodiversity in cities through design
This article is republished from Cities People Love under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. An interview with Professor Sarah Bekessy Sarah Bekessy is a sustainability and urban planning academic at RMIT University in Melbourne and a leading voice in Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD). We interviewed Sarah to understand more about the […]
Outreach: Imagining Lonsdale Park: turning roads into parks could be the renewal our city needs
The pandemic has underlined an important truth of city life: urban nature is essential infrastructure. Life in lockdown reminded us that urban parks don’t just look nice – they also provide valuable social space, and are a key support to our physical and mental health… Read more
In the news: Enhancing biodiversity in cities through design
Catch our own Sarah Bekessy’s interview with Cities People Love talking about the importance and benefits of incorporating biodiversity and nature in the design and planning of our cities. Read more
We don’t need to import rare parrots – there are so many better ways to get close to nature
This is a Scarlet Macaw – one of the many magnificent species of parrot endemic to south and central America. An Australian Government study is considering whether it is appropriate to allow imports of these birds, following pressure from the local pet trade. Importing parrots from overseas has been banned since 1995. This is because importing birds, even when they’re spectacular, is a spectacularly terrible idea. I spoke to the ecologists in our group […]
Invertebrate use of rooftops in Melbourne
Green roofs are a peculiar kind of designed habitat. In already highly urbanised areas, where there is large pressure on efficient land use, green roof retrofits are a key strategy to bring back nature without losing building capital. While green roofs are known to have many economic and social benefits, such as stormwater retention and […]
