Hassell Talks

Finding more meaningful value in Retrofit and Repurpose

Retrofitting and repurposing existing structures can achieve decarbonisation goals, enhance occupancy, attract investment, and rejuvenate cities – all while reducing environmental impact. No wonder our industry can't stop talking about it. 
It no longer makes sense to demolish unoccupied buildings, as it's neither cost-effective nor aligned with our circular economy aspirations.
In September 2023, Hassell sponsored the inaugural Retrofit & Repurpose Summit on Gadigal Country, Sydney, bringing together sustainability leaders, asset owners, investors, and sustainable building specialists come together to explore the opportunities and positive impacts of retrofit and repurpose strategies.
A recorded panel discussion 'Change Levers: Finding New Value in Net Zero Retrofit and Reuse Market', allows us to bring some of the summit's insights to the Hassell Talks audience. Featuring Principal Jeff Morgan; Green Building Council of Australia's Elham Monavari, Solar Victoria's Paul Corkill; Built's Jono Cottee, and hosted by Alison Scotland, Executive Director Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council.
We're pleased to be able to bring you this recording, and these insights. 
Our thanks to the Retrofit Summit for generously capturing and sharing this audio.
For more great insights from the summit, check out https://retrofitsummit.com.au/post-event-session-recordings/

Bringing all the pieces together in Melbourne’s innovation precinct

Parkville, Melbourne — home to one of the world’s leading biomedical innovation communities.  Arden — the next stage of the expanding Parkville innovation ecosystem. These precincts serve as catalysts where ideas, industries, and investors converge — shaping the places that unite us.
In this episode we explore the threads that hold these precincts together in the context of future developments of major institutions spanning health, education, transport and research.
Melbourne's Lord Mayor Sally Capp was joined by Hassell Principal Alix Smith, Associate Adam Gardner as well as Helen Day, Principal Adviser, Strategic Masterplans Unit, Health Infrastructure Branch in the Department of Health in Victoria; Dr. Amy Hahs, Senior Lecturer in Urban Horticulture, University of Melbourne; Professor Dan Hill, Director, Melbourne School of Design and Mena Kubba, Director, Kubba.

Great Adaptations: 2023 Workplace Futures Survey with Ingrid Bakker and Daniel Davis

Companies that have changed their offices and ways of working since the pandemic have a 17% higher satisfaction score among employees than those that haven’t. That's a big number - just one of many fascinating data points out of our 2023 Workplace Futures Survey.  We're calling this one Great Adaptations.
Our annual survey casts a light on the link between office transformation and employee satisfaction - and we're sharing some of the big take-outs with you on Hassell Talks.
Join the report's author, Senior Researcher Dr Daniel Davis together with Principal Ingrid Bakker, as they reveal valuable insights into the current state of the workplace and what it takes to create the ideal hybrid office.
 

Lessons for Brisbane from the London Olympics. With Caroline Stalker, Andrew Comer and Ashley Munday

On this episode of Hassell Talks, architect and urbanist Caroline Stalker joined retired Partner of Buro Happald Andrew Comer and architect, urbanist and Head of Design Ashley Munday to explore the potential mechanisms for creating a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy for Brisbane and SEQ.
London's approach was to look beyond 2012 - to 2057, with the hard decisions made at the very beginning resulting in transcendent change across the city.
Is Brisbane brave enough to do the same?
 
Recorded on Jagerra and Turbal Country, Meanjin, Brisbane.
 

Campus chemistry and transformational learning - With Julian Gitsham and Professors Tim O’Brien and Teresa Anderson (Encore Episode)

Architect Julian Gitsham sat down with Professors Tim O'Brien and Teresa Anderson to record this conversation about designing the best campus environments for transformational learning.
And who better to quiz than the minds behind the bluedot festival? Located at the UNESCO listed Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, home to the Lovell Telescope, and the award-winning Hassell designed First Light Pavilion Visitors Centre, bluedot is a festival that defies categorisation, and if you're heading along in 2023, make sure you check out Hassell's Xavier de Kestelier's talk on interplanetary habitats and 3D printing in space.
This episode sees was originally recorded in 2022.

Country’s voice is loud and clear. Are designers listening? Part 2. With Kat Rodwell and Hannah Galloway

You asked, Kat answered! Get ready for our 'Epic Yarn' - Part 2. 
Part 1 saw Landscape Architect Hannah Galloway explore the topic of ​‘Listening’ with First Nations Consultant, Cultural Advisor and Storyteller Kat Rodwell. For the second half of this Epic Yarn, we asked listeners to send in questions to ask Kat - and boy, did you deliver.
No question was off-limits, and the prompt of 'get comfortable with being uncomfortable' saw questions about the dangers of 'fetishisation', about agriculture and contemporising culture, and the danger of Traditional Owners (TO’s) and First Nations consultant groups becoming overwhelmed and burnt-out.  You also asked questions about the design industry, on reconciling project timelines, and the ways we can regenerate Country. 
Part 1 explored the ​‘eggshells’ of engagement — the role of understanding that each project, situation and engagement is a unique opportunity to understand the land from the beginning. Exploring the nuances of cultural protocol and etiquette, Kat and Hannah also talked about the systems of Country that still speak loudly — even in crowded city centres — if we stop to listen.
These two episodes serve as a reminder and resource for designers, organisations, and individuals that we can listen and learn much – from Country – and each other.
Recorded on Lands of the Noongar Whadjuk people and the Wadawurrung people. Produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people.
We pay our respects to the original custodians of the lands where we practice, and acknowledge their unique ability to care for country and their deep spiritual connection to it.

Country’s voice is loud and clear: are designers listening? Part 1. With Kat Rodwell and Hannah Galloway

Are you ready for an 'Epic Yarn'?
Listening lies at the heart of so much of what designers do, but listening to what Country and Culture is telling us means connecting deeply and meaningfully with the land and its people.
How well are designers — and organisations, individuals and communities — listening to these voices?
Together with Landscape Architect Hannah Galloway, we wanted to explore the topic of ​‘Listening’ with First Nations Consultant, Cultural Advisor and Storyteller Kat Rodwell.
In Part 1 of this 'Epic Yarn', Kat and Hannah discuss the​‘eggshells’ of engagement — the role of understanding that each project, situation and engagement is a unique opportunity to understand the land from the beginning. They explore the nuances of cultural protocol and etiquette, and the systems of Country that still speak loudly — even in crowded city centres — if we stop to listen.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding and to recalibrate how they listen to the voices of Country and Culture. In it, you'll hear the practical ways that individuals and organisations can better connect, support, and learn. 
 
Recorded on Lands of the Noongar Whadjuk people and the Wadawurrung people. Produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people.
We pay our respects to the original custodians of the lands where we practice, and acknowledge their unique ability to care for country and their deep spiritual connection to it.

Inside the push for net zero Perth. With Karla Fox-Reynolds, Dr. Brad Pettitt MLC and Professor Josh Byrne

Perth in Western Australia has joined thousands of other cities around the world aiming for Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. How will this unique city, facing unique climate challenges, meet the target? And how will designers help the city go beyond the standards to beat the clock and make a thriving, regenerative hub?
Hassell’s Sustainable Design Leader Karla Fox-Reynolds joined self-confessed 'sustainability nerd' the Hon. Dr. Brad Pettitt MLC and environmental scientist Prof. Josh Byrne for a conversation in our Perth studio on Whadjuk Country alongside peers from the design industry, and private and public organisations.
The conversation spanned commercial and residential, urban and public spaces and the potential for adaptive reuse in the transition to net zero.

Housing Futures — Designing heart and soul into affordable alternatives with Fiona Dunster and Jeremy Schluter

With a housing crisis affecting cities and people, we're taking a look at the close ties between design and innovation in the residential sector.
How are emerging housing models responding to community needs? What role is design playing in ensuring projects can still succeed despite cost, supply and climate challenges? And what makes larger scale residential alternatives appealing to investors seeking a long-term revenue line?
In this episode you'll hear from one such investor in residential innovation. With projects in the UK, the US - and Australia - AustralianSuper is also an enthusiastic partner of pioneering build-to-rent-to-own housing developer, Assemble Communities, and quarter owner of the Assemble Futures.
Fiona Dunster, Senior Investment Director within the property team at AustralianSuper joined Residential sector co-lead Jeremy Schluter to explore why investing in quality, sustainable housing for people just makes good financial sense, and why elements like tool libraries, communal laundries, kitchen facilities, spaces for yoga, dog walking and book clubs are designed in from the start, to bring people together and encourage connection.
 

The ordinary, everyday buildings that could save our cities, with Razvan Ghilic-Micu

It is time to move on from the pursuit of iconic architecture.
The issues keeping our clients and collaborators up at night are the same things pushing our cities closer to the cusp of wholesale change.
Things like the competition around attracting and keeping great tenants, providing magnetic experiences and destination workplaces in uncertain times, dealing with 'great bones' in a building and delivering sustainable spaces are all complex, and often perplexing, challenges.
Challenging the building industry to create the momentum our cities will need for people and nature to thrive together, Senior Associate Razvan I. Ghilic-Micu spoke to a cross-industry audience of property owners, managers, developers and creators at TRANSFORM, the Green Building Council of Australia's event for sustainable built environments.
With insights from 'From Ordinary to Extraordinary: A New Iconicity', Razvan was joined by Samantha Peart to talk about the key ingredients needed for this evolution to take place.
 

The 15 Minute City - what’s not to like about convenience, equity and sustainability? With Camilla Siggaard Andersen (Encore Episode)

The 15 Minute City has become a hot topic - gaining traction in corners of the internet not typically involved in the dialogue around city planning and urban living.
With forward-thinking conversations threatened to be overtaken by conspiracy theories, we wanted to share an episode we recorded with London-based research lead Camilla Siggaard Andersen in 2022 on the topic of 15 Minute Cities. Specifically looking at the research she conducted, and the challenges she discovered are facing cities in Ireland and elsewhere as they grapple with climate change, urban sprawl and wellbeing.
In this episode you'll hear from:
Pat Farrell, CEO, Irish Institutional PropertyBrian Moran, Senior Managing Director, HinesNiamh Moore Cherry, Associate Professor, School of Geography, University College Dublin; andAli Grehan, former City of Dublin Architect
As Hassell’s ​“Close to Home” report shows, 15-minute cities provide opportunities for more convenient living, more equitable communities and more sustainable development. What's not to like?

Housing futures with Jeremy Schluter and Michael McCormack: Is the crisis leading to new design solutions for our cities?

They say there's no place like home.
In Europe, Australia, the US and Asia - there's not enough quality housing stock to go around, and limited affordable choice in the types of homes available.
The current generation of renters and buyers are connected, design-savvy and socially aware. They are driving the demand for homes that challenge traditional models of living.
They’ve also lived through the pandemic, so they need to be able to work comfortably from home with a supportive community around them. They desire access to green space, and amenities and convenience. They want quality homes suited to a changing climate.
The market's crying out for change.
They also say that necessity is the mother of invention.
So – could we be on the cusp of a whole new range of housing alternatives?
It's looking like we could be. There are quality alternatives and ideas that turn traditional ideas of housing on its head and the industry and market are mature enough to support those trying to make a difference.
To explore this we invited Michael McCormack co-founder behind small but mighty development firm Milieu to join co-lead of the residential sector, Jeremy Schluter.
Michael is a passionate advocate for improved urban design and is also Deputy Chair and a member of the Board at the Centre for Contemporary Photography. Milieu are a certified B Corp™, a global community of for-profit leaders who pledge to use business as a force for good.
Milieu’s reputation for crafting beautifully conceived apartments driven by progressive urban design and exemplary architecture, such as Otter Place has resulted in a following in Melbourne and Sydney, with Milieu’s buildings gaining fans, awards and accolades. Just don't call them a 'luxury developer'!
The episode was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, acknowledge the custodianship of its people and the privilege and responsibility to Connect with Country.

A big, shared idea for Brisbane beyond 2032 — with Ken Maher AO, Caroline Stalker and Prof. Helen Lochhead.

How did Sydney, London, and Barcelona pull off Olympic-sized events that delivered enduring, generational change?
In 2032, southeast Queensland - a region with the city of Brisbane at its heart - will host the summer Olympics and Paralympics. The Games create extraordinary opportunities for communities, economies, and cultures to design legacies for future generations.
The most important discussions in the city and the region around design are only just beginning - and this episode is one of them.
Urbanist, city-shaper, and Hassell Principal Caroline Stalker explores the opportunities for Brisbane and Southeast Queensland - beyond 2032 - with Hassell Fellow Ken Maher AO and Emeritus Professor of Architecture and Urbanism, Helen Lochhead in this first episode in the fifth season of Hassell Talks.
 
 

Equity, Sustainability and Regeneration in the Built Environment

Feeling overwhelmed in the face of climate and sustainability challenges? Have we got the episode for you.
With the built environment contributing to around 40% of global emissions, our industry has a critical – and pivotal - role to play to limit the projected impacts of climate change to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. So we held an event to hear from the people making the changes in our industry that we all want to see more of, in the world.
The event, in November 2022, was run by a passionate group of female designers, championing equity and change in our industry.
They invited leaders in sustainability, waste, Passivhaus and community to come together in a Yarning circle, where designers and guests were able hear the motivations, failures, successes, and ideas for inspiring everyday action in environmental and social sustainability.
Great ideas deserve to be shared, and we recorded the event so you, too, can feel the optimism and motivation to keep going on a path toward Regeneration.
Hosted by Senior Architect Mia Willemsen, in this episode you'll hear from:
Kat Rodwell, Aboriginal Engagement Consultant, Balert Mura ConsultingMaree Marshall, Director, Waste Management & Circular Economy, WSP; Clare Parry, Sustainability Manager, Development Victoria; Sam Peart, Head of Sustainability, Hassell Daniel Tatton, Senior Project Officer, Creative Victoria
Thanks to our WomenIN event organisers Sarah Mair, Maddie Gundry, Hannah Green, Chloe Gleeson, Mia Willemsen, Megan Boyle, Emily Shaw, Lauren Geschke, Ingrid Bakker, and Sam Peart.
This episode was recorded on Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Country in Naarm (Melbourne).

Return to the garden: the unexpected emotional value of nature in cities. With Professor Nigel Dunnett, Michael McCoy and Jon Hazelwood

*ENCORE EPISODE* Nature in our cities.  If you're paying attention you'll notice the effect it's having on you. The slowed heart rate, a stolen moment to notice flickering leaves, buzzing insects, birds landing.
Those designed-for, natural moments in our cities aren't in stasis - they're constantly changing and also spontaneous, influencing how we move through our cities, how we use them - and how they give back to us.
In this season of Hassell Talks we've heard how spontaneous experiences are often behind the connections that bring people together; how designing in response to the perceptions of safety in rail precincts can help to encourage greater use by women, girls and the gender diverse; what workplaces need to do to become more 'magnetic'; and how listening, reflecting and learning from First Nations partners creates more inclusive experiences and connections.
In this encore episode we revisit one of our most loved conversations from earlier in our catalogue, exploring a topic that's just as relevant as ever: the significance of our emotional connections to nature in cities - and the power it has to bring people together.
Episode host, the Landscape designer, writer and gardener Jon Hazelwood is joined by writer, garden designer and TV presenter Michael McCoy as well as Professor Nigel Dunnett, responsible for some of the UK’s most spectacular planted environments like the Barbican, Buckingham Palace’s Diamond Garden and the planting designs for the London Olympic park (with his colleague James Hitchmough).
We know you'll enjoy hearing how the creation of magical experiences in our cities has the power to profoundly move, connect and bring people together.
Parts of this episode were recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people, and produced on Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung land, in Naarm.

Lessons from Country: creating better outcomes together with First Nations people

"What you create as an organisation has to be something that pushes the boundaries everywhere," said Co-Director of Danjoo Koorliny, Carol Innes AM to a gathering of designers, government representatives clients and First Nations collaborators.
This gathering, as part of Hassell's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) journey aimed to listen and learn from First Nations partners better ways to engage on projects. The resulting conversation was rich, provocative and full of lessons, and in this episode of Hassell Talks we are sharing an edited recording of that conversation, because the insights shared by Dr Richard Walley OAM, Karen Jacobs and Carol Innes AM, will resonate beyond our practice.
This episode was recorded on Whadjuk Country with additional production on Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung land. Recording by Periscope Pictures.