Sustainable Design Pioneers Converge for Talk Series, Next X Now: Waste as a Resource

The building sector is accelerating environmental destruction at a rapid rate – yet there is a huge untapped potential to change the way we think about waste. This will be explored by Australia’s pioneering thought-leaders and industry disruptors in sustainable design as part of a radical talk series NEXT X NOW: Waste As A Resource, taking place Friday 26th August.

In this interactive panel discussion at Hanover House, Melbourne’s leading pioneers in sustainable design will deep dive into the promising possibilities of recycling, repurposing and reusing byproducts that would usually be destined for landfill.

Hosted by Karen Webster, who has been a key figure in the creative industries for 40 years, thought-leaders will discuss how circular design will shape the future and shift the current retail design framework in novel and inspiring ways.

Panellists include: Timothy Moore, Director of Sibling Architecture and lecturer of architecture and co-curator of Melbourne Design Week; Blake Witherow, Industrial Designer & Head Of Engineering at plastic recycling start up Precious Plastics Melbourne; Claire Ellis, former Attica chef and ceramicist whose work has been exhibited at Paris Design Week and Milan Design Week; and Amanda Morgan, Co-Founder of Fungi Solutions who work with brands to develop mycelium solutions.

The discussion will explore waste as material; understanding how we define waste and if that definition needs to change or improve, while exploring the possibilities of retail spaces and waste. Guests will be offered exclusive insights and unique perspectives, as the experts draw on their eclectic combined backgrounds in sustainable design to discuss what the future of retail could look like, and the benefits of integrating waste materials or post-consumer materials in the current retail frameworks.

The NEXT X NOW talk series, a monthly event which launched its first installment in April this year, explores the future of retail and takes forward-thinking ideas off the page to look beyond the current way of doing and pave the way forward, rewriting retail design codes for a new generation of consumers.

Bringing together physical and digital, art and technology, design and data, NEXT X NOW proposes bold ideas for new forms of dining, wellness and fashion that fall outside current retail limitations.

The groundbreaking talk series is part of Beulah’s BETA By STH BNK, a revolutionary testing ground to explore the future of retail space, programming and new business models.

BETA By STH BNK is designed to give Melburnians a feel for what can be expected as part of Beulah’s $2.7 billion-plus project, STH BNK By Beulah. A project of unprecedented scale, STH BNK By Beulah is set to become Australia’s tallest building and will include 25,000 sqm of revolutionary retail space, the first of its type in the world based on research, design and future retail trends.

NEXT X NOW is a must for anyone interested in the places where retail, design and architecture collide. The one-hour panel discussion from 6pm – 7pm will also offer complimentary admission to the Makers House Open Studio Tour, which runs from 5pm – 6pm prior to the NEXT X NOW event.

The Makers House Open Studio Tour offers exclusive access into the behind-the-scenes process of creators and makers, exploring workspaces that are usually closed off to the public. Guests will get a rare glimpse into how boundary-pushing visions are materialised, viewing two Atelier residents; Cordon Salon will inspire with products made from sustainable material and waste, while DNJ Paper intrigues with its creations made from Japanese washi paper.

The tour also includes a pop-up gallery and retail store. Tickets are $35, or $25 for concession, and places are very limited.

More information and ticket purchases.