Communications Collective

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As part of Melbourne Design Week 2019, Communications Collective is hosting <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/program/collectivity-talks-human-centred-design/">'Collectivity Talks: Human-Centred Design'</a>, a panel discussion bringing together designers, data analysts and architects to debate what it means to place the user at the centre of every step of the problem-solving and design process. The event is currently sold out, pending the release of further tickets.

The panel includes a diverse group of industry leaders from Cantilever Interiors, NH Architecture, Schiavello and HIP V. HYPE as they explain how they execute and experiment with human-centred design. The panel will delve into the creation of value through design, the importance of design outcomes for users and the processes used to enhance products and the places we inhabit with a human-centred approach.

Communications Collective director Genevieve Brannigan says the panel will provide a fascinating insight into one of the key trends shaping design across digital, the built environment and product design.

<blockquote>
“Human-centred design is about empathy with the user’s needs, and it’s a critical strategy that informs good design today. For example, a workplace that is designed through user consultation will provide ongoing efficiency and, not least, create value and enjoyment.” 
</blockquote>

The event is being hosted at the NH Architecture office on Wednesday 20 March.

<h2>Details:</h2>

<ul>
<li>6:15-7:45pm Wednesday, 20 March 2019</li>
	<li>
	NH Architecture, Level 7 Cannons House, 12-20 Flinders Lane Melbourne
	</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Panellists:</h2>

<ul>
<li>
Martin Heide - Design lead at NH Architecture and studio leader at RMIT University. Heide has been working with his students on urban design projects looking at how people interact with our cities. 
	Heide says digital technologies and data have become a key tool for understanding how people use their built environment. </li>
	<li>
Samantha Simpson - Data Analyst from People &amp; Culture Consulting at Schiavello, applies human-centred design to workplace design, one of the other important areas for its use. Working with clients on workplace strategy and change management, Schiavello collects data that informs the “why” behind new ways of working.</li>
	<li>
Travis Dean - Director at Cantilever Interiors. The interaction between a tried-and-tested system and the individual needs of the user is paramount for Cantilever Interiors - a design-focused kitchen manufacturing company that applies a systematic approach to its products.</li>
	<li>
Liam Wallis - Founder at HIP V. HYPE.  Wallis describes human-centred design as a “first principles-based approach. HIP V. HYPE is a multi-disciplinary design led practice with expertise spread across four pillars: development, design, sustainability and research.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What they say... </h2>

<blockquote>
“We’ve got quite a bit of data now coming through, with beacons that allow us to track people by their mobile phones. You can track pedestrian movement, for example in big train stations, so we’re using that a lot for public projects.

The information we have from those programs and technologies now feeds into the design process but then there’s that point where you need to innovate, and innovation only happens if you challenge the results.”

- Martin Heide
</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>
“We focus on the people who are going to be using the space and think about the experiences they are going to have in the workplace.

We can identify trends in the workspace or perhaps some values might be uncovered. For example, we might reveal that a client’s employees are passionate about well-being and having a workspace that supports their well-being, is important.

In terms of making sure it’s a human-centred design, by taking that three-pronged approach you’re making sure that everyone’s voice is heard to then respond accordingly with a strategy that informs the design.” 

- Samantha Simpson
</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>
"What’s the need, who is the user and ultimately how can we curate a design team to best respond to that person’s requirements? 

In a project such as Nightingale 2, where sustainability will be highly important for residents, that means working out how to provide an apartment that is more comfortable, has cleaner fresher air, costs less to operate and is easy to use. 

We call this approach Low Impact Living. Designing with people in mind at every stage of project procurement is fundamental to our approach.” 

- Liam Wallis
</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>
“Our products are designed from client feedback and the loop that we have with our projects but the system is integral to the product. Through tailored site visits and meetings, we identify what the client’s key requirements are.

Those technological advances tie in with a human-centred design approach. It’s a conversation that puts the user at the centre as opposed to being told how to use something by someone else.”

- Travis Dean
</blockquote>
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urban.com.au

Collectivity Talks: Experts explore the power of human-centred design as part of Melbourne Design Week

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In keeping with the flavour of the week and in the lead up to Open House Melbourne 2018 this coming weekend (Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th July), Urban.com.au is highlighting events on the program which provoke discourse about our built environment and encourage us to consider how our cities develop in the future.

Urban.com.au will also be present during OHM2018 to provide a weekend roundup.

Entering its 11th year, Open House Melbourne encourages industry and the public alike to consider the design, development and growth of our city and encourage curiosity in Melbourne’s built environment with 224 sites and 87 new buildings in the program. The City of Melbourne alone is hosting 84 buildings open to the public.

<blockquote>
Melbourne is a city full of historic architecture and modern design just waiting to be explored and we’re encouraging people to explore Open House Melbourne this July.

From amazing and well-known buildings such as the State Library of Victoria, to recent architectural gems including Buxton Contemporary in Melbourne’s arts precinct, there’s something sure to surprise everyone. The City of Melbourne is a proud partner of Open House Melbourne and we’re excited to provide people with a behind the scenes peek at some of our most iconic sites and learn about the people who shaped them and the stories they have to tell.

- Sally Capp, Lord Mayor of Melbourne
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/urban_city_mb.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="OHM2018 will promote discourse around our built environment. Image: Mark Baljak/Urban.com.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/urban_city_mb.jpg?itok=pmjD82pw" title="OHM2018 will promote discourse around our built environment. Image: Mark Baljak/Urban.com.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>OHM2018 will promote discourse around our built environment. Image: Mark Baljak/Urban.com.au</figcaption></figure>Additionally, in response to the big ideas discussed at the globally-focused <a href="https://forum.naomimilgromfoundation.org/">Living Cities Forum</a> on the Thursday prior, a panel of Melbourne design and planning experts will discuss how these apply to some of our city’s biggest challenges including rapid population growth, housing, densification/sprawl, and congestion at the Ethical Cities Panel on Friday 27th July presented by Open House Melbourne, Communications Collective, and the Naomi Milgrom Foundation.

The panel will address questions such as; Where are we failing? Who is innovating? How can we collectively ensure our city thrives? What does the future hold for Melbourne?  

Highlights in the City of Melbourne during and in the lead up to the weekend include:

<h2>Collectivity Talks – Ethical Cities panel</h2>

Friday 27 July 2018 | 12.30pm–1.30pm | Clemenger BBDO Auditorium, NGV International 180 St Kilda Road, Southbank 3006 

A panel of leading Melbourne and planning experts will come together to distil the big ideas discussed at the 2018 Living Cities Forum in a free* lunchtime talk, as part of Open House Melbourne’s July program. 

The Ethical Cities panel takes the global focus of the full day Living Cities conference and gives it a ‘hyperlocal’ twist to look at some of Melbourne’s biggest challenges, including rapid population growth, housing, densification/sprawl and congestion.

Moderated by Communications Collective director Genevieve Brannigan, the panel features:

<ul>
<li>Brighid Sammon - Senior Urban Planner at Hansen Partnership and 2017 national Young Planner of the Year;</li>
	<li>Claire Grealy, - Director, economics and social advisory, at Urbis;</li>
	<li>Kath Sundermann - Associate Director at MGS Architects; and</li>
	<li>Meaghan Dwyer - Principal at John Wardle Architects.</li>
</ul>
Each of the panellists brings a wealth of experience in placemaking and community building as well as a passion for positively shaping the future of our cities, they are well-placed to pick up the Living Cities Forum theme, ‘Shaping Society’.

Inverting the usual wisdom that political, economic and social forces shape our urban environments, the panel will consider how aiming for the best possible architecture and urban design could, in fact, influence these larger forces to create better, more sustainable communities, with happier, more involved citizens.

*Attendance is free but <a href="http://Highlights%20in%20the%20City%20of%20Melbourne%20include:">registration</a> is essential.

<h2>Melbourne Metro Tunnel Walking Tour </h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/mmetro.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="330" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mmetro.jpg?itok=V-1p9wfU" width="580"></a>

<figcaption> </figcaption></figure>When: Saturday 28 + Sunday 29 July 2018

Join the Metro Tunnel team on a walking tour along Swanston Street between the sites of the two new underground train stations in the CBD.

Put on your hard hat and zip up your high-visibility vest as you visit key locations including City Square, Franklin Street and A’Beckett Street where construction activities and archaeological investigations are well underway. See how this mega project is being constructed in a busy city while trams and pedestrians continue to move along Swanston Street.

Ahead of excavation works for the Metro Tunnel, archaeologists and heritage experts will use excavators, shovels and hand trowels to sift through layers of rock and soil to uncover archaeological remains and artefacts dating back 180 years and earlier. One of these archaeologists will join the walking tour to further explain this very special project.

<h2>The Australian Ugliness and New Technology at the Melbourne School of Design, The University of Melbourne </h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/australian_ugliness.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/australian_ugliness.jpg?itok=I6szhhR8" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Eugenia Lim, The Australian Ugliness (2018). Image: Tom Ross</figcaption></figure>When: Saturday 28 + Sunday 29 July 2018 10am-4pm

The Melbourne School of Design located at The University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus – ns the state-of-the-art academic facility designed in collaboration by John Wardle Architects and NADAAA (Boston). The space will be open for self-guided tours, allowing the public to explore the intersection of interdisciplinary engagement and the exploration of environmental issues.

While on location at Melbourne School of Design, it’s worth visiting The Dulux Gallery, currently housing the keynote of this year’s Open House Melbourne July program, The Australian Ugliness exhibition by artist Eugenia Lim.

<h2>A New Offering in Melbourne’s Arts Precinct at Buxton Contemporary </h2>

When: Saturday 28 + Sunday 29 July 2018 10am-4pm

Buxton Contemporary is located within the Victorian College of the Arts in Southbank; the gallery is the philanthropic gift of the Michael Buxton collection to the University of Melbourne. The gesture of gifting the collection sees the public being privy to one of the most important contemporary art collections in Australia.

Guided exhibition tours lead by Buxton Contemporary staff will be taking place at 11am, and guided architectural tours by Fender Katalidis Architects will take place at 1pm both days.

<h2>Black Design Matters at the Koorie Heritage Trust</h2>

When: Saturday 28 + Sunday 29 July 2018 10am-5pm

The community-owned Indigenous gallery and cultural centre is located in the Yarra of Federation Square. The Koorie Heritage Trust celebrates the rich 60,000-year history of the Aboriginal people of South-eastern Australia, housing exhibitions and running cultural awareness and education programs.

During the Weekend, visitors will get a chance to visit their current exhibition Blak Design Matters, a national survey of Contemporary Indigenous Design curated by Jefa Greenaway.

<h2>RMIT New Academic Street</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/rmit_nas.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="RMIT New Academic Street - Photo: Justin Westwood"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/rmit_nas.jpg?itok=TaEbcOIN" title="RMIT New Academic Street - Photo: Justin Westwood" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>RMIT New Academic Street - Photo: Justin Westwood</figcaption></figure>When: Saturday 28 10am-4pm

The New Academic Street project has recently transformed the heart of the RMIT University city campus, creating new facilities to deliver better services for students. The project has opened the campus to the surrounding Melbourne streetscape, creating light-filled laneways, glass-roofed arcades, rooftop urban spaces, outdoor terraces, light wells, and efficient walkways between floors.

Designed by multiple Victorian architecture firms – Lyons, MvS Architects, NMBW Architects, Harrison and White, and Maddison Architects – the New Academic Street project took out five awards at the 2018 Victorian Architecture Awards, including the coveted Melbourne Prize.
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Laurence Dragomir

Open House Melbourne 2018: Ethical Cities, Design-led thinking and City-making

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In the lead up to the Designing for Life panel discussion being held Wednesday 18 July, the expert panellists provide insight into the question -  how do we create apartments that will stand the test of time and nurture those who live within them?

Some of the country’s leading architects and developers will come together to address this issue and the effect of regulated design standards, during the panel discussion presented by Communications Collective, in partnership with Open House.

Architects Karen Alcock, Principal of MAArchitects, and Kerstin Thompson, principal of Kerstin Thompson Architects, will be joined by developers Kyle Reeve, development manager of ICON Developments, and Mike McCormack, co-director of Milieu to discuss key topics around design, from quality to supply and longevity.

Australia recognises the need to evolve towards lifelong apartment living to address problems of urban sprawl and population growth, and to create affordable and cohesive communities that provide for meaningful social interaction.

One important change in the market that the panellists recognise is the shift towards a more owner-occupier driven market. In response to these changing needs, the industry is creating spaces with a core focus on livability and longevity, according to Karen Alcock.

Kerstin Thompson points out that the design of every individual residential project has wider implications for the cities we are creating, and that providing diversity in the form of different housing typologies is one critical aspect.

Kyle Reeve believes flexibility over a lifetime could be built into developments, and is something which Australia might benefit from by looking at the United States and Europe’s approach to apartment ownership.

Mike McCormack, who is currently working on Breese Street, Brunswick with DKO and Breathe Architecture – believes good quality design can be achieved while still delivering on affordability.

There is general consensus among the panellists that both developers and architects working together to prioritise high quality design outcomes is beginning to become more common in response to market demand.

<h2>What they say</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/karen_alcock_maa.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="374" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/karen_alcock_maa.jpg?itok=7nysV3IH" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Karen Alcock</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
We need to see apartments as long-term housing solutions, not just a commodity to be bought and sold.

We are also in a period of incredible growth and I think that the public are increasingly educated and understandably critical of the design that they purchase.

You can’t get away from the investment aspect of any house purchase; we focus on good design which we believe equals a good investment.

- Karen Alcock, Principal MAArchitects
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/kt_portrait.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kerstin Thompson"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="541" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/kt_portrait.jpg?itok=ePSZ3NUP" title="Kerstin Thompson" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kerstin Thompson</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
 Arguably, the aspect of residential buildings that is most instrumental in determining quality, both within and beyond the individual dwelling, is the building shell and in particular its typology. 

Developing or choosing a typology orchestrates the nature of the relationship between public, private and common space, between one household and the next. In designing for domestic bliss we are also inevitably forming the civic realm.

We need to provide for a greater range and invention among new housing types, to accommodate a greater range of demographics – not only young professionals but also families and the elderly – and support this mix with complementary programming and community infrastructure such as schools, meeting areas, co-working spaces and the like.

- Kerstin Thompson, Founder and Principal KTA
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/kyle_reeve_icon_jpg.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kyle Reeve"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="524" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/kyle_reeve_icon_jpg.jpg?itok=kSkdi0VM" title="Kyle Reeve" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kyle Reeve</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Historically, multi-residential developments have been about yield, costs and projects have been delivered simply to produce investment products not homes for people.

I think one of the most exciting trends right now is developers taking a more holistic view and considering who the occupant actually is. Intensive consultation and a greater emphasis on owner-occupiers are key trends here.

Your stages of life change so significantly that a single apartment might not be able to provide everything you need but you can have a well-designed building that does. It’s not uncommon in the United States for a person to move from a two-bedroom to a three-bedroom and then, later in life, downsize to a one-bedroom – all in the same development.

People often say design is driven by architects, and I totally agree, however the decision-making authority ultimately sits with developers.

To create a strong partnership, the developer must really appreciate the architecture and the architect should understand the commercial constraints to ensure a great design outcome is achieved.

- Kyle Reeve, Development Manager of ICON Developments
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/mikey_portrait_crop.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Mike McCormack"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="560" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mikey_portrait_crop.jpg?itok=oAI68TJk" title="Mike McCormack" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Mike McCormack</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
At the commencement of the design process we consider purchasers, who they will be and what they are likely to require and desire in their home. Our decisions are informed by our own experiences and also through detailed buyer engagement and feedback.

We invest in quality materials - inside and out - and finishes and fixtures that will last. This means our properties will wear in rather than wear out, and in turn hold their value and appreciate over time. We have experienced this through the few re-sale results of Milieu homes. 
We are facilitating, encouraging and responding to consultation from an ever better informed market. For example, on our Breese Street project, through our design survey, buyers told us they didn’t necessarily need air conditioning as standard.

Therefore, instead we have adopted hydronic heating and ceiling fans as standard and offered AC as an option.

Listening to what purchasers desire allows us to focus on delivering homes that meets their needs now and into the future.

- Mike McCormack, Co-Director at Milieu
</blockquote>
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Design excellence is central to apartment livability and longevity - say the experts

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The next instalment in the Collectivity Talks series presented by Communications Collective, in partnership with Open House Melbourne will focus on the theme of <a href="https://tickets.myguestlist.com.au/v25b0e353396b8d/collectivity-talks-designing-for-life-/evs5b0e35339b86c/">Designing for Life</a>.

A group of industry experts comprising architects and developers will form part of a <a href="https://tickets.myguestlist.com.au/v25b0e353396b8d/collectivity-talks-designing-for-life-/evs5b0e35339b86c/">panel discussion</a> taking place on Wednesday 18 July to discuss good apartment design.

As Melbourne's population balloons and the supply of new housing attempts to cater to demand, recent measures such as the introduction of <a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/victoria-releases-updated-apartment-design-guidelines" target="_blank"> Better Apartments Design Standards</a> (BADS) in Victoria, and density controls within the Capital City Zone have attempted to improve the livability of our city and the quality of our built environment.

Further efforts by the <a href="https://participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au/amendmentc308">City of Melbourne</a> and the <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/victorian-budget-fishermans-bend-to-get-5-million-to-complete-planning-work">State Government</a> are being discussed to raise the design standard of the external appearance of buildings, the quality of finishes and to ensure they contribute positively to the streetscapes.

So what makes a well-designed apartment? And how do we create apartments that will stand the test of time and nurture those who live within them?

The panel will discuss how architects and developers are responding to BADS and the effect they have had on the standard of design across the state.

Good design can take on many forms and small apartments aren't necessarily poor apartments if they are well designed.

In recent times there has also been debate over the nature of more performance-based design standards in lieu of prescriptive, as a number of existing apartments which are considered to be good designs would fail the BADS criteria.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/insat_coll.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Designing for Life panel. "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="347" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/insat_coll.jpg?itok=j1cUYl4W" title="The Designing for Life panel. " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Designing for Life panel.</figcaption></figure>The discussion panel will include pioneers of medium-density projects, Karen Alcock, Principal of MAArchitects, and Kerstin Thompson, Principal of Kerstin Thompson Architects, who will share their views on how to create projects with a sense of place, integrity, and solidity.

Kyle Reeve, Development Manager of ICON Developments, and Mike McCormack, Director of Milieu, will discuss how developers are taking an intelligent approach to respond to the changing needs of buyers.

Urban.com.au has previously highlighted projects from the panel members such as <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/breese-street-204-206-albion-street-brunswick">Breese Street by Milieu</a>, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/antipodean-style-another-design-sensitive-apartment-project-for-brunswick-east">Little Miller Street by KTA (with Breathe Architecture)</a>, and <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/on-site-with-wulff-projects-part-02-122-roseneath-street-clifton-hill">122 Roseneath Street by ICON Developments</a> (in partnership with Wulff Projects and Assemble Projects).

The session, which will be hosted at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, will be moderated by Genevieve Brannigan, Director of Communications Collective.

<h2>Where:</h2>

Centre for Contemporary Photography

404 George St

Fitzroy, VIC 3065 Australia

<h2>When:</h2>

6-9pm Wednesday

18 July 2018

Tickets to Designing for Life can be purchased <a href="https://tickets.myguestlist.com.au/v25b0e353396b8d/collectivity-talks-designing-for-life-/evs5b0e35339b86c/">here</a>.
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Collectivity Talks - Designing for Life

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Following the announcement of all the award winners during Friday night's Victorian Architecture Awards dinner, Urban.com.au concludes series: The Road to the Victorian Architecture Awards.

Today we speak to Genevieve Brannigan, Director of Communications Collective, to explore the importance of communications in architecture and design.

Throughout her career, Genevieve has worked with a number of leading architects and design practices, advising them on good communications strategies. Here she shares her insights on why communications and architecture are inextricably linked.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/nightingale_1_peter_clarke.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Nightingale 1 by Breathe Architecture. Image: Peter Clarke"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/nightingale_1_peter_clarke.jpg?itok=mRRmWuyj" title="Nightingale 1 by Breathe Architecture. Image: Peter Clarke" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Nightingale 1 by Breathe Architecture. Image: Peter Clarke</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au: What is the main function of communicating architecture?

Genevieve brannigan: As communications professionals, we promote beautiful projects, create thought leaders and provoke discussion and debate on what’s happening in the industry. Architecture always tells a story and it’s our job to ensure this is communicated effectively within and beyond the industry.

The rapid evolvement of technology means communication needs to sit in more than one place to effectively engage with diverse stakeholder groups and show how design is deeply functional beyond visual elements. This involves educating audiences to help people who visit buildings understand and appreciate how they were conceived.

For example, sustainability measures incorporated into a building aren’t always visible yet are increasingly prevalent and a hugely valued component of each project. The need to communicate this is important, but often hidden, aspect of building design opens up an opportunity for architects to become thought leaders by sharing their design processes, ideas and projects.

U: What do you like most about working with architects and designers?

GB: Working in communications for the built environment intertwines two of my passions, design and communications. It allows me to explore the work from an aesthetic or visual perspective as well as to identify the messaging ingrained in a project in order to communicate it to a wider audience.

I feel lucky to play an influential role in shaping trends that affect the design of the cities in which we live and help to break down barriers by educating architects so they can speak to different audiences.

Communications Collective takes a creative approach with each of our campaigns to develop unique content that engages with different audiences through different touch points, whether that be through the media, digital communications, content marketing or event management. Communications – along with the architecture and design industries – is a constantly changing landscape, so it’s an exciting time for us to be involved.

U: What role do awards play in communicating architecture? 
GB: Awards promote milestones, acknowledging the best work and sharing this not only within the industry but among broader audiences, unpacking emerging trends and telling the stories behind projects. Receiving accolades in the industry helps architects establish a name for themselves and opens the opportunity for the reach of their work to be dramatically extended.

We worked with the Australian Institute of Architects for the 2018 Victorian Architecture Awards, which took place last night on Friday 29 June. Seeing the incredible buildings in our state that have featured on the shortlist is inspiring and insightful, such as Bunjil Place in Narre Warren by fjmt and Bargoonga Nganjin North Fitzroy Library and Community Hub by Group GSA, both paying homage to Australia’s Indigenous heritage while acting as vibrant community centres enhanced by their building designs.

The Bendigo Hospital by Silver Thomas Hanley with Bates Smart, for instance, is inspiring by showing the impact good design can have on health and recovery while Monash University buildings show how the education sector is at the cutting-edge of architecture and technology.

We have also seen fantastic projects that focus on sustainability including Nightingale 1 by Breathe Architecture and the complete re-purposing of spaces such as the Victorian College of the Arts renovations in the former Mounted Police Stables by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/stables_kta.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Former Mounted Police Stables by Kerstin Thompson Architects."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/stables_kta.jpg?itok=yOsTKI_H" title="Former Mounted Police Stables by Kerstin Thompson Architects." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Former Mounted Police Stables by Kerstin Thompson Architects.</figcaption></figure>U: What have you noticed about changes to the way architecture is being communicated?

GB: Since I started working in communications 15 years ago, I have seen the interest in the built environment grow dramatically, particularly as Australia is a very design literate country. This has been driven by the densification of cities and the role of design as a key differentiator in residential, commercial and other types of developments.

Buildings serve a whole range of purposes – functional, aesthetic, narrative, conceptual - and with the cultural, technological and societal changes that are constantly occurring in our fast-evolving world, there are more stories to tell and so many ways we can communicate the latest developments in building design.

U: How can communications help increase interaction with buildings and architecture?

GB: Communications plays a vital role in shaping the way people perceive buildings, whether it be on an aesthetic, functional or sentimental level. People are much more likely to visit and even appreciate a building if they have heard about it from a credible source, which demonstrates the power of communications in architecture.

Establishing a dialogue around architecture is all the more important for public projects – to ensure that they can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. Communications, in this sense, simply means allowing architecture to most fully serve its intended purpose.
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