What's on in September 2024

From an exhibition displaying the colourful creations of Sydney Ball to a discussion regarding critical housing issues in Gununa, we've rounded up a series of events to keep you informed and inspired.

Titled "In Between Worlds," Sydney Design Week 2024 invites presenters and attendees to consider how cities can enhance inclusivity and how design can innovate to support sustainable models for living, connection and culture. Key highlights of the festival include a keynote discussion by Sumayya Vally, architect and artistic director of the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale, who will speak on designing for belonging. Additionally, architect David Gianotten, the managing partner of the international architecture practice Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), will share insights into the evolving role of architecture.

What is the role of research in identifying and addressing critical issues in housing? How do the complex interactions of culture and housing affect the provision of adequate housing? In this yarn, Sarah Lynn Rees is joined by Carroll Go-Sam and Kelly Greenop to discuss their Gunana Futures report on housing, energy and town design in Gununa, Mornington Island. The report, grounded in comprehensive surveys, includes design response recommendations, which focus on better housing design for the Gununa community. The format of this event is a one-hour online session presented across Australia and New Zealand by Parlour.

A celebratory event where the Design Institute of Australia will reveal the winners of its 2024 Graduate of the Year Awards (GOTYA), an awards program that recognises exceptional emerging designers from across Australia. The 2024 GOTYA-winners will be announced at national Stylecraft showrooms in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Previous winners from 2023 include Joanne Odisho, Sandra Srun, Liam Georgeson and Kate Masters.

Award-winning architect and designer David Flack has long been captivated by the work of Australian artist Sydney Ball (1933 - 2017). In this exhibition, Flack presents some of his favourite abstract works by Ball - all of which are a playful expression of colour and form. This exhibition takes place at the Sullivan and Strumpf gallery in Naarm/Melbourne, providing attendees the opportunity to see inside a space designed by Flack, while admiring Ball's creations.

This one-day discussion-based event brings together international stories of responsible architecture developed in response to global challenges. International speakers Niall McLaughlin (UK), Marusa Zorec (Slovenia), Rick Joy (US) and Marina Tabassum (Bangladesh) present a hopeful vision for a purpose-led profession - rooted in a return to people, place and planet, over profit alone.