As creative partners, we are constantly challenged to reimagine place and to carefully craft communities that will be sustainable and ultimately stand the test of time. It is what we love to do and why we tirelessly challenge within our own design processes. The holy grail of placemaking!

On January 26, the Sydney Morning Herald headline read ’Hopes for Myer turnaround after David Jones posts sales recovery’. The article stated the fund managers and analysts are tipping our department stores’ fortunes to rebound after David Jones reported a huge recovery in sales during December.

In her book, Invisible Women, Caroline Criado Perez cites numerous examples of how women have been forgotten in a world designed by men, for men. From speech recognition software not trained to detect female voices to office air-con which is generally around five degrees too cold for women because it’s designed for male bodies; there are countless examples which demonstrate the ways in which women have been simply forgotten when it comes to designing the world they also live in.

For parents, getting out and about with little kids can be a challenging experience. From feeding ever-hungry newborns to dealing with toddler meltdowns and the sudden need for nappy changes - or head-to-toe outfit changes! - the parents’ room is a welcome respite for any parent in need of a break.

Hailed as one of the most environmentally friendly building materials, timber is versatile, strong, renewable, and beautiful. However, wood is often associated with deforestation, and the frequency of forest fires have increased in recent years. And so, we ask Yaara Plaves: is building with timber really sustainable?

With population movement and tourism affected by the global pandemic, growth in the architecture and building sectors has slowed to match. Is now the time for architects to steer towards a more sustainable approach to the built environment?

The struggle is not yet over but the shifting consumer preference to shop local and support small business is a promising sign for many and certainly warrants a discussion on where our street shopping experience is going.

While the coronavirus pandemic has taken a lot away from us all in the last nine months, it may provide the push that’s needed to turn Build to Rent into an Australian residential mainstay.

The lines between work and play are blurred as newer developments boast a diverse mix of residential, retail, commercial and entertainment spaces all in the one area. This new style of mixed-use design is increasingly being embraced for new developments across Australia, in the city centres and suburbs alike.