The 2019 DesignBUILD conference will be held in May at ICC Sydney. The trade show brings architecture, building, construction and design sectors together and will encompass the theme of ‘setting the new standard’.

Featuring a speaker program curated to cover prominent issues across the industry, it aims to improve standards and support the owners and users of Australia’s buildings.  

This year’s speakers will include Bronwyn Weir (co-author of the Shergold Weir report), Koichi Takada (Koichi Takada Architects) and Jonas Bengtsson (CEO at Edge Environment). The topics covered will include planning for a big Australia, the rise of luxury, the impact of the Modern Slavery Act, smart cities, the role of designers in reforming regulation, urban gardens and naturalising our cities, mental health on-site and navigating product rating schemes.

Conference director Pia Argiratos says this year’s program is about showing how the industry can advance by working collaboratively to create higher quality buildings and giving those working in the built environment the foundations needed to drive change.

“As an industry, we’re always seeking to improve practice, process and procedure, and therefore this year’s DesignBUILD program looks at how the entire industry, from designers to builders, can play their role,” she says.

“It starts with taking responsibility for when there are issues and then working towards reform and regulation to inform future projects. We have curated a range of speakers and presenters who are experts in their respective fields to help lead discussions around improving the way we shape our buildings. From cladding to construction issues, we have seen that there is room for improvement in the industry. The speaker program and expo seeks to offer a platform for exploration and education to work towards a better solution.”

DesignBUILD will also feature ‘DesignBUILD RAW’,  a collaboration with leading architecture and design universities to showcase the talent the next generation, and ‘DesignBUILD Incubator’, a platform to celebrate innovation and offer emerging businesses the opportunity to showcase their products and ideas directly to the industry.