Designing the Circular Economy at Melbourne Design Week

Published: 22 June 2022
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In partnership with the National Gallery for Victoria, the Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre hosted an afternoon of events on Tuesday 22 March 2022 as part of the ‘Designing the Circular Economy Symposium’ for Melbourne Design Week.

blocks of recycled aluminum cans

Transforming design for daily use

The first event of the series was ‘Transforming design for daily use’. In this session, fashion industry leader Karen Webster led a compelling conversation with a leading panel on circularity in the world of consumer goods. She discussed cutting-edge systems, new material innovation, and strategies for rethinking how we design, manufacture and sell in a circular world.

Panelists shared their personal expertise and inspiration working at the forefront of circular business and design for the everyday. Karen Webster posed several pertinent questions to our panel including how can investment accelerate climate positive businesses? And how can a problem become a solution?

Panelist and company profiles

Relive the event

Watch a recording of the event at Melbourne Design Week.

demolished old building with pink, blue, yellow and green interior walls and backhoe in foreground surrounded by rubble

Circularity for the Built Environment

The next event for the afternoon was ‘Circularity for the Built Environment'. Event moderator Caroline Pidcock introduced the audience to circularity in the built environment from a whole-of-systems approach to scalable, local projects and prototypes.

From regenerative practice and design for dismantling, to cutting-edge data systems that track and trace materials and products, this session explored the possibilities and practicalities of integrating circular design principles into a range of construction and demolition projects. An expert panel of industry leaders shared how they are implementing these solutions here and now.

Panelists shared their personal expertise and explored the possibilities and practicalities of integrating circular design principles into a range of construction and demolition projects.

Panelist and company profiles

Relive the event

Watch a recording of the event at Melbourne Design Week.

blue and green with floral pattern in white and flourish on the left side, with a headshot of a young dark haired woman on the right

Regenerative Design with Sarah Ichioka

To close the Designing the Circular Economy symposium at Melbourne Design Week, Caroline Pidcock was joined by Sarah Ichioka live from Singapore to discuss how regenerative design can fundamentally change the way we live.

In this presentation Ichioka discussed the ideas behind her new book Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency, co-authored with Michael Pawlyn. Flourish proposes a paradigmatic plan for designers, clients and change agents alike to build a thriving future, together.

The big question that opened the conversation was: what will it take to restore balance to our world for future generations’ survival?

Sarah’s keynote shared compelling approaches to restoring ecosystems, reuniting divided communities, and reciprocally enhancing the interdependent health of people, place and planet. This approach to the built environment may be just what the planet needs.

Speaker and company profiles

Relive the event

Watch a recording of the event at Melbourne Design Week.