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LIVING IN AUSTRALIA FORUM
As the housing crisis continues to dominate headlines and policy debates alike, it’s refreshing, and perhaps necessary, to pause and reconsider the very essence of what our homes signify. The Robin Boyd Foundation’s upcoming forum, Living in Australia, does precisely this, inviting a gathering of architects, designers, scholars, and thinkers to explore housing beyond the pragmatic constraints that often limit discourse.
Curated by Rory Hyde , Living in Australia promises a lively and informal exchange of ideas, echoing Boyd’s enduring belief that the way we live and the homes we build are expressions of culture, aspiration, and identity, deep-seated reflections of the national psyche.
Too often, conversations around housing are mired in technicalities: supply targets, market mechanisms, and bureaucratic frameworks that obscure the human stories beneath. The narrative tends to be dominated by those who argue that the system is too complex to reform, a sentiment that only entrenches the status quo. But Boyd’s legacy reminds us that change begins with dialogue—an honest, creative engagement with what houses say about us. His work as a designer, writer, and public thinker was grounded in the conviction that housing is more than mere shelter; it is a canvas for desire, ambition, and cultural expression.
This forum aspires to shift the conversation from the pragmatic to the poetic. It seeks to reframe housing as an act of cultural storytelling and an opportunity to create spaces that are beautiful, inclusive, and accessible. By fostering informal conversations among diverse voices, the event aims to uncover new ways of imagining Australian living—ways that celebrate community, identity, and aesthetic richness. It’s about challenging the notion that housing is solely a matter of supply and demand, and instead viewing it as an integral part of our collective cultural fabric.
Supported generously by Jeff and Mariko Provan – Mori Foundation, Office of the Victorian Government Architect, Brickworks Building Products, Haymes Paint, Konpira Maru Wines and Yumbo Soda, the event underscores a collective desire to rethink what is possible. From the insights of architects and academics to the reflections of journalists and policymakers, “Living in Australia” promises a rich tapestry of ideas—an invitation to look at the spaces we inhabit and the stories they tell through a different lens. It is an affirmation that, when we dare to reimagine the cultural narrative of housing, beautiful, inclusive, and meaningful homes are within reach, if only we listen to the stories they have to tell.
Find out more here.
