IDC001
Living Architecture & Green Infrastructure
Buildings, Biodiversity & Nature-Integrated Design
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13 August 2026, 8:30 pm–10:10 pm ACST
IDC002
Living Architecture & Green Infrastructure
Landscape Leadership, Biomimicry & Climate-Resilient Cities
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27 August 2026, 4:30 pm–6:00 pm ACST
IDC002
Living Architecture & Green Infrastructure
Landscape Leadership, Biomimicry & Climate-Resilient Cities
Guest Convener
Professor Gini Lee
The University of Adelaide | Australia
Professor Gini Lee is a landscape architect, interior designer and internationally recognised academic whose work explores the intersection of landscape, culture and place. An Adjunct Professor at The University of Adelaide and RMIT University, and Honorary Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, she advances regenerative, place-based design through research, curation and practice
Host
James Worth
Worth Design Co-Lab | Australia
James Worth is a landscape architect, urban designer and founder of Worth Design Co-Lab. Through the International Design Conversations, he brings together leading global voices across architecture, landscape architecture and sustainability to foster meaningful dialogue on the future of the built environment. His work focuses on living architecture, regenerative design, urban resilience and interdisciplinary collaboration.
CONTRIBUTING VOICES
Amanda Sturgeon
CEO, Biomimicry Institute
Location: Australia / United States
Website: https://biomimicry.org
Amanda Sturgeon FAIA is an internationally recognised architect, sustainability leader and CEO of the Biomimicry Institute. Former CEO of the International Living Future Institute, she champions nature-inspired design, regenerative development and climate-positive cities, advocating for design that learns from nature to create healthier, more resilient communities.
Ignacio Solano
Founder & CEO, Paisajismo Urbano
Location: Málaga, Spain
Website: https://www.paisajismourbano.com
Ignacio Solano is founder of Paisajismo Urbano and an internationally recognised pioneer in living walls and vertical gardens. His practice has transformed urban environments across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas through innovative green infrastructure, biophilic design and nature-based solutions that improve biodiversity, air quality and urban wellbeing
Dr Claire Farrell
Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Website: https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/28005-claire-farrell
Dr Claire Farrell is an internationally respected researcher specialising in urban horticulture, green infrastructure and climate-resilient cities. Her research focuses on green roofs, living walls, water-sensitive urban design and urban forestry, helping cities adapt to climate change while improving biodiversity, environmental performance and human wellbeing.
Noel Corkery
Chair, Landscape Foundation Australia
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Website: https://landscapefoundation.org.au
Noel Corkery is Chair of the Landscape Foundation Australia and a respected landscape architect with decades of experience in environmental planning, public landscapes and community-led design. He is a passionate advocate for landscape architecture as a catalyst for healthier, more resilient and culturally connected communities throughout Australia
Yvonne Tan
President, Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA)
Director, DP Green
Location: Singapore
Website: https://www.sila.org.sg
Yvonne Tan is President of the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects and Director of DP Green. An internationally recognised landscape architect, she leads award-winning projects integrating ecology, biodiversity and biophilic design into dense urban environments, advancing Singapore’s vision as a global City in Nature
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ABSTRACT
IDC002
Living Architecture & Green Infrastructure
Landscape Leadership, Biomimicry & Climate-Resilient Cities
As cities confront the growing challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and rapid urbanisation, the future of the built environment depends on learning from nature rather than working against it. International Design Conversation 002 brings together internationally recognised leaders in landscape architecture, biomimicry, green infrastructure and urban ecology to explore how nature-inspired thinking can shape healthier, more resilient and regenerative cities.
Hosted by James Worth and guest convened by Professor Gini Lee, this 90-minute global conversation features perspectives from Australia, Singapore and Spain. Together, the panel will examine the leadership required to integrate living systems into contemporary urban development, from policy and governance through to landscape design, ecological restoration and the delivery of nature-based infrastructure.
Contributing voices include Amanda Sturgeon (Biomimicry Institute), Ignacio Solano (Paisajismo Urbano), Dr Claire Farrell (The University of Melbourne), Noel Corkery (Landscape Foundation Australia) and Yvonne Tan (Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects). Drawing upon decades of international practice, research and advocacy, they will discuss how biomimicry, living landscapes and green infrastructure can improve biodiversity, mitigate urban heat, manage stormwater, strengthen climate resilience and enhance human wellbeing.
More than a discussion of design, IDC002 explores a broader shift in thinking—one that recognises cities as living ecosystems where environmental performance, cultural identity and human experience are intrinsically connected. Through diverse international perspectives, participants will consider how collaboration across disciplines can accelerate the transition towards regenerative, climate-positive cities that are healthier, more beautiful and better prepared for the challenges of the future
