Docklands showcased to the world

Urban Reforestation director Emily Ballantyne-Brodie last month represented Urban Reforestation, Docklands and Australia at the CUMULUS Young Creators for a Better City, Better Life Design Conference at the World Expo in Shanghai.

The theme of the World Expo 2010 is Better City, Better Life. The expo stimulates thought and action to promote ecologically responsible lifestyles and sustainable development as 55 per cent of the world’s population has already become an “urban civilisation”.

Urban Reforestation is a project that embodies sustainable design and social innovation in practice. Emily’s paper highlighted Docklands as leading the way in this new wave of innovation that is helping to create sustainable and connected urban communities.

Emily was selected for the conference’s Working Group on Sustainability. She was excited to be on a panel with a world leading sustainable designer Ezio Manzini from Politecnico in Milan.

The Docklands Urban Reforestation concept, can give integral “clues” for other communities and cities around the world on how to inspire and enable a best practice sustainable urban community.

This highlights the global context of the project and the importance of continuing to support the project.

“Moving into the next phase of recreating the garden and sustainable living centre on Geographe St it is very important to get this right,” Ms Ballantyne-Brodie said.

“The project will need continuing support and participation from the Docklands community and its stakeholders such as developers, businesses and the local and state governments.”

“Docklands is a very important place to showcase models and lead the way in the sustainable design sector and services for the world. We are very lucky in Melbourne and Australia that we have wealth, we are open to new ways of doing things and

Melbourne is a leader in design. Therefore we have a great opportunity to create changes towards sustainable living in an urban context.”

The Shanghai exhibition, the largest world expo ever held, serves as a platform for cross-cultural dialogue and co-operation and a centre of innovation and interaction.

Participants and visitors are exposed to new habitats, lifestyles and working conditions in order to find new approaches for building better cities and therefore better lives.

Up to 70 million people are expected to visit Expo Shanghai 2010 from its opening day on May 1, to its closure on October 31, 2010.

Over 180 countries and 50 international organisations are expected to participate.

For more information visit:
 World Expo Official Site: http://en.expo2010.com

CUMULUS: http://www.cumulusassociation.org

Urban Reforestation: http://www.urbanreforestation.com

DESIS Network; Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability: http://www.desis-network.org