Australian cities cannot continue to grow in the manner to which we've become accustomed. The environmental, social and economic costs are simply too great. There needs to be a qualitative change to the way we build and live in them.
We all use rules. By looking at them critically we will precipitate a dynamic evolution in our understanding and practice of designing 'with the environment'.
Eco-design is probably one of the most far reaching topics to be assembled under the banner of one small hyphenated word. The linking of ecology with design is for many still a novel concept....conference held at RMIT 17 -19 October 1991.
Two recent shows in Melbourne of installations by Alex Danko have investigated issues indirectly referring to architecture and the private and social body within the Australian environment.
The South Australian Co-operative Housing Bill allowed for the creation of a new housing authority to administer co-operative housing independently of other forms of public housing was passed in October 1991. This coincides with the Federal Government's recognition, through the National Housing Strategy, of the need to explore "innovative forms of social housing which fit between the extremes of private and public tenure."