Living Cities Forum 2017 announced by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation

The Naomi Milgrom Foundation today announced a new initiative LIVING CITIES FORUM 2017 bringing together leading international architects and design thinkers to investigate the definition of liveability and attempts to illustrate the image of a truly liveable city as viewed through a design lens.

Taking place on 27 July influential international speakers include OMA’s managing partner David Gianotten (Rotterdam), RIBA Stirling Prize architect Benedetta Tagliabue (Barcelona), celebrated architecture critic, author and curator Mimi Zeiger (Los Angeles), and head of Arup’s digital studio, digital designer, professor and urbanist Dan Hill (London).

Naomi Milgrom AO, Founder of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation said: “Design impacts the way we live and has the creative power to solve real-world problems. Living Cities Forum is a visionary think tank which will allow Melbourne—one of the world’s most liveable cities—to maintain its liveability for its citizens and be able to share its knowledge with the world.”

Commenting on the new project Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley said: “There is no better place to host this forum than Melbourne, the world’s most liveable city but a hub for design, innovation and ideas. Design plays a role in so many facets of life and this forum will bring together leading thinkers from across the globe to explore how we can design a new future for our cities and communities.”

LIVING CITIES FORUM 2017 is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and is presented by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation in partnership with Open House Melbourne with the assistance of Melbourne School of Design, Monash University, RMIT University and Australian Institute of Architects.

The forum offers an opportunity to gather global insights into the present and future opportunities, and challenges for cities. The conversation will be an international discussion about liveability, fitting for Melbourne’s current position and future trajectory.

Attending speakers include:

• David Gianotten (Rotterdam). Managing partner-architect of influential architecture firm OMA. Along with Rem Koolhaas, David is the MPavilion 2017 architect.

• Mimi Zeiger (Los Angeles). With work situated at the intersection of architecture and media cultures Mimi is an award-winning critic, editor, and curator.

• Benedetta Tagliabue (Barcelona). Award-winning architect, visiting professor of architecture, Pritzker Prize jury member and co-founder of the firm Miralles Tagliabue EMBT.

• Dan Hill (London). Associate director at Arup heading up its multidisciplinary digital studio that helps develop transformative digital technology for cities, spaces, infrastructure, buildings and organisations.

• Marisa Yiu (Hong Kong). Writer, curator and architect and founding partner of multidisciplinary architecture studio ESKYIU.

• Rory Hyde (London). Curator of contemporary architecture and urbanism at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

Living Cities Forum will take place on Thursday 27 July at Deakin Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne. For further details please visit forum.naomimilgromfoundation.org