Design Futures Forum: Living Tropical

Tropical cities like Cairns are evolving – shaped by climate, housing demand and changing community need. This presents a real opportunity to rethink how we design our homes and our city, creating places that are equally liveable, resilient and connected.Housing sits at the heart of this conversation, linking design, Culture, climate and community. In the tropics, thoughtful, place-responsive approaches can improve affordability, strengthen identity and support everyday living in our unique environment.Design Futures Forum: Living Tropical brings together interstate and local experts to share ideas and insights grounded in the realities of tropical life. Through open discussion, the forum explores housing, city-making and the role design can play in shaping Cairns’ future.This is an invitation to come together, share perspectives and imagine design futures for Cairns as an inclusive, sustainable and thriving tropical city.Speakers include;Jennie OfficerOfficer Woods Architects (WA), Approaches to multi res social/affordable housing - inc. NSW pattern bookLaura HardingUrban Design, Hill Thalis, (NSW), Urban resilience, designing with climate and landscapeJohn ElwayArchitect (QLD), Infill housing + living smallMartin O’DeaLandscape Architect, Clouston (NSW/NT), Heat + Landscape in the Tropics – Cooling Darwin case study