Carving a path toward a regenerative future

Key takeaways

• Urban regeneration is at a crossroads. While sustainability has become a baseline expectation, the future lies in regenerative design, which seeks to continuously improve the urban environment.

• In order to make this shift happen, many voices need to come together across the spectrum of the built environment – but perhaps most importantly the end users need a seat at the table.

• The education piece will never end, but by continuing to push the boundaries and create long-term value, the industry can build case studies for the holistic benefits of a regenerative approach.

• It’s time to see the beauty in the imperfections and reframe what luxury means.

From sustainability to regenerative design

One of the most critical shifts in urban regeneration is moving beyond the notion of sustainability towards a more holistic approach: regenerative design. While sustainability focuses on maintaining the status quo – preserving resources and minimising damage – regenerative design seeks to renew, restore and continuously improve. Throughout the discussion, it was noted that the market often confuses the two terms, with a danger that sustainability’ and its immersion into everyday parlance, can be seen as a box-ticking exercise rather than a transformative approach.

It raised a pertinent question – are we at the tipping point for sustainability now that it is expected as a baseline? Thinking on how to affect positive change, the next logical step is regeneration. With this as a guiding principle, the built environment should be designed not just to limit harm but to actively improve the ecosystem and quality of life for its inhabitants. This requires a paradigm shift, focusing on circular processes where buildings and urban spaces contribute to a cycle of renewal.

Long-term value vs. short-term costs

Any change is not without its challenges. Are curring theme during the discussion was how to overcome the resistance of balancing long-term value with short-term costs. While there are some developers embracing sustainable approaches, many are hesitant to embrace regenerative design due to the higher upfront costs associated with sustainability measures. However, several attendees argued that the seinitial investments can lead to long-termbenefits, including higher property values, reduced operational costs and improved tenant retention.

Part of the approach is in educating clients and stakeholders about the financial and social value. The stark truth is that many developers are reluctant to adopt sustainability measures unless there is a clear return on investment. Yet projects that integrate sustainability into their core values and output continue to demonstrate that these measures can lead to increased sales and higher tenant satisfaction. As developers, homeowners and hoteliers begin to see the long-term benefits of theseinvestments, the market can shift and continue to make progress.

Attendees

Sander Versluis Project Director, UNStudio Valerie Mack, Director, Originate Rebecca Trenorden, Director, Versa Studio Michael Welgus, Director, Studio Welgus Ingrid Langtry, Head of Place, Assemble Rossco Karabelas, Director and Co-founder, Studio Whitenoise Simone Carter, Associate Director, Group GSA Loren Inglis, Regional Business Development Manager, V-ZUG Nic Naes, Managing Director, V-ZUG Aleesha Callahan, Journalist

Educating the market: The need for a cultural shift

One of the key challenges highlighted duringthe discussion is the need for education at all levels – from developers and clients to the general public. Many stakeholders still view sustainability as a cost rather than an investment, and there is often confusion around terms like “regenerative design,” “adaptivereuse,” and “circular economy.” By simplifying these concepts and making them relatable we can enact and inspire a wider adoption.

Additionally, educating buyers about the benefits of sustainable and regenerative buildings is key to creating demand for these types of spaces. As more people experience the tangible benefits of energy-efficient, sustainable homes – such as lower utility costs and improved indoor air quality – they will begin to demand these features as standard.

The question of whether it’s the responsibility of the government to enforce better design was contentious and mixed, with the ultimate sentiment being – ‘why wait for the government to catch up when the tools are here now?’

Bringing many voices together, as early as possible

The solutions are not on the shoulders of one sector, rather it’s apparent that the best developments are the ones with multiple thinkers and stakeholders coming together, sharing expertise and collaborating for the best outcome.The lament of reduced program and timeframes makes the need for holistic design as important as ever. By pushing for an integrated methodology that sees designers, architects, consultants, engineers, project managers and developers all coming together as early in the project as possible, we can start to give shape and depth to the built environment. A key component that came out of the sessionis ensuring the voices of the end user, as well as marginalised groups, are part of the conversation.

Circular thinking and reframing luxury

The need and desire for adaptive re-use and circular economy principles is more important than ever. Many in the group agreed that buildings should be designed to have a minimal environmental footprint and be capable of being easily adapted or repurposed. While internationally this is the norm, there is a needfor lifecycle thinking to be adopted locally, where it can become best practice for buildings to be upgraded, retrofitted, or repurposed without significant environmental impact. Within this, there’s a resounding suggestion that what is deemed ‘luxury’ needs to be reframed. There are buildings in every city around Australia in need of repair – how can they be appreciated and enhanced for the next chapter of their life? Many in the group agreed that there is beauty in materials and objects with history, but the perception of what defines luxury needs to catch up with this mentality.