Session One
10:25am – 10:55am

We are witnessing a material revolution – from non-renewable to circular and from synthetic to natural, everyday materials are being redesigned to help, rather than harm the environment and the people who use and live with the materials of our time. This panel brings together designers and entrepreneurs developing new materials and production models that turn waste into resources and improve how things are made. From seaweed-based signage film to blocks and pavers made from ocean plastic, this conversation will explore how design can lead the transition to a circular economy where materials are reused, repurposed and recycled to maximise their value. Speakers will share the challenges of scaling innovation and discuss how design is intervening and improving the outdated systems that have surrounded us for at least a century.

Panellists

Jessie French – Founding Director, Other Matter

Andrew Simpson – Principle Designer, Vet Design

Phillipa Abbott – Founder, Pelagic

Moderator

Dr Olivier Cotsaftis – Senior Lecturer, School of Design, RMIT University

Session Two
11:15am – 11:45am

The ceaseless supply and consumption of fashion and textiles is one of the most complex arenas of the consumer world. Ecological, ethical and social impacts are common – and many are calling for a total rethink of our relationship to what we wear. In response, designers and researchers are turning to biology to create the next generation of materials, using lab-grown microbes, renewable resources and plant-based materials to replace plastics, leather and conventional textiles, which take decades to break down and often leach microplastics and harmful chemicals. Working at the intersection of biotechnology and sociology to reshape fashion and fabrication, hear from speakers who are driving change in the future of fashion. The conversation will delve into the development of new, environmentally friendly materials, the challenges of bringing sustainable innovation from lab to market, and how identity and social attitudes shape what we choose to wear.

Panellists

Dr Pia Interlandi – Designer and Educator

Carla Woidt – Head of Fashion and Textiles, Nanollose

Dr Alice Payne – Professor and Dean, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University

Moderator

Gemma Savio – Curator Contemporary Design and Architecture, National Gallery of Victoria

Session Three
11:45am – 12:15pm

From regenerative buildings to decentralised infrastructure, this panel explores how design can shape more self-sufficient, circular and inclusive cities. Bringing together architects and built environment experts, this discussion focuses on projects that generate energy, recycle water, produce food and embed cultural knowledge in the built environment. These approaches go beyond sustainability or reducing harm to imagine buildings and systems that give more than they take. Speakers will share how collaborative, cross-disciplinary thinking can lead to new models for architecture, development and city-making.

Panellists

Joost Bakker – Founder, Future Food System

Ross Harding – Principle, Finding Infinity

Moderator

Jago Dodson – Professor, Research & Innovation Capability, RMIT University

Session Four
12:15pm – 12:45pm

Good design should be for everyone. Today’s designers are expanding approaches to access, care and inclusion to support more diverse users, considering people’s varied physical and cognitive needs and the many non-human species – plants, animals and microorganism – sharing urban spaces. Through projects that rethink global healthcare, the sensory design of public space, and even the redesign of our homes to consider local wildlife, this panel uncovers how designers are fostering dignity, empathy and coexistence to deliver more equitable, inclusive and connected environments.

Panellists

Sarah Crowe – Founder, OOXii

Amelia Borg – Director, Sibling Architecture

Sarah Bekessy – Professor, ICON Science Research Group, RMIT University

Moderator

Suzie Attiwill – Professor of Interior Design in the School of Architecture & Urban Design, RMIT University

Session Five
1:45pm – 2:15pm

Food is one of the most immediate ways we shape our health and the environment. Designers are engaging with food systems to make better use of the food we grow, eat and currently waste. This panel looks at the opportunities to build positive impact into the farming and food consumption system. From seaweed-based cattle feed that reduces methane emissions, to compostable tableware made from food scraps, and new materials for distributing food sustainably – speakers will discuss how food systems can intersect with design to encourage cultural change, and how even the smallest innovations can drive major shifts in agriculture, packaging and consumption.

Panellists

Maddison Ryder – Founder, Lettuce Eat

Bridget Lansell – Co-Founder, Wonki

Moderator

Helen Addison Smith – Senior Coordinator, Student Food Security Program, RMIT University

Session Six
2:15pm – 2:45pm

Not happy with the status quo and searching for a business idea that can leave the world better off, the founders of these design-led businesses are challenging the way everyday products are made, used and disposed of and doing it in a way that has real market influence. Whether replacing plastic with plant-based materials or redesigning packaging to be fully compostable, these businesses are proving that ethics-led businesses are having big impact. Speakers will share how they turned their ideas into viable businesses, the challenges of scaling, and expanding the mindset of consumers to consider new alternatives. Wrap up the day inspired by the many ways that creative individuals are rethinking the world around us.

Panellists

Jesse Bird – Research and Development Manager, Zeoform

Aniyo Rahebi – Co-Founder, Good Edi

Moderator

Andrea Siodmok – Dean, School of Design, RMIT University