Taking the global focus of the full-day Living Cities Forum, the Ethical Cities panel adopted a ‘hyperlocal’ lens in exploring some of Melbourne’s biggest challenges, including rapid population growth, housing, densification and congestion.

Moderated by Genevieve Brannigan and Open House Melbourne executive director Emma Telfer, the panel featured 2017 national Young Planner of the Year Brighid Sammon, senior urban planner at Hansen Partnership; Claire Grealy, director, economics and social advisory, at Urbis; Kath Sundermann, associate director at MGS Architects; and Meaghan Dwyer, principal at John Wardle Architects.

Each panelist contributed a wealth of knowledge in placemaking and community building, as well as proven experience in shaping the future of our cities. Experts in cutting-edge public buildings, master plans and designing residential projects to foster community, they expanded on numerous discussion points from the Living Cities Forum theme, ‘Shaping Society’.

Inverting the usual wisdom that political, economic and social forces shape our urban environments, the panel discussed how considered architecture and urban design outcomes can influence these larger forces to create more sustainable communities, with happier, more involved citizens.