The Foreground five: our most-read stories for March

1. “Let’s make it boring”: How can resilient cities become the rule, not the exception?

In this provocative discussion from Toxic City, our March 2019 symposium at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria, we bring together a panel of experts to explore how we might confront the systemic problems poisoning our cities, and our planet.

The Toxic City panel, Melbourne Design Week 2019 - from left: Andrew Mackenzie, Ross HArding, Bonnie Herring, Joost Bakker, Craig Reucassel, SueAnne Ware, Daan Roosegarde — The Toxic City panel, Melbourne Design Week 2019.

2. Killing us softly: the perils of light pollution

Across the globe, the rapid spread of light pollution is having massive negative ramifications for humans and wildlife alike. Meanwhile, the disconnection from the night time sky may have far deeper consequences than many of us appreciate.

Dark skies are vital to our wellbeing but they are increasingly rare. Photo: of Duane Hamacher, Wild Researchers UNSW by Tamara Dean

3. Detoxing the river: toward a swimmable Yarra

The pollution of the Yarra River, Melbourne, is legendary, but new attitudes embracing ecological interconnectedness, Indigenous knowledge and adventurous design optimism are producing collective visions of a new, swimmable city playground.

The 'upside-down' Yarra River / Birrarung flows through a city of 5 million people. New efforts aim to clean up its reputation along with its water. — The ‘upside-down’ Yarra River / Birrarung flows through a city of 5 million people. New efforts aim to clean up its reputation along with its water.

4 Venus and the Pleiades: A reflection on women in landscape architecture

Almost seven years ago, landscape architect Hilary Hamnett reflected on her career and the influential yet understated history of some key women in the profession. Delivered as part of Adelaide’s ‘Women with a Plan’ forum, Hamnett offers a deeply felt message for International Women’s Day.

Venus and the Pleiades or Seven Sisters. Photo: NASA

5. Fertile ground for change: Joost Bakker tackles the toxic city

Joost Bakker’s projects pursue an ever-expanding interest in detoxing environments and creating ways to live better on a cleaner planet with healthier ecosystems. The indefatigable investigative creator will be appearing in Foreground’s Toxic City Forum at the NGV for Melbourne Design Week.