2023 OSWALD BARNETT ORATION

WHAT CAN AUSTRALIA LEARN FROM INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL HOUSING?

As Australia faces its greatest challenges yet in housing supply, affordability and the impacts of climate change on how we design our homes and cities, leading not-for-profit community housing provider, Housing Choices Australia, will host international architect and social housing specialist, Manuel Der Hagopian, who will present a global survey of his work at the annual Oswald Barnett Oration in Melbourne’s iconic theatre, The Capitol.

Partnering with RMIT School of Architecture and Urban Design and the Victorian chapter of Australian Institute of Architects, the event will focus on social and affordable housing, spotlighting some of Manuel’s inspiring projects across Singapore, Vietnam and Switzerland; golden rules of good social housing design and how international models might inform future social housing in Australia.

The presentation will include a panel discussion with local industry experts.

The Oswald Barnett Oration is named after social housing activist, Frederick Oswald Barnett (1883-1972), who lobbied for the abolition of the Melbourne slums and helped establish the Victorian Housing Act and the Victorian Housing Commission. Hosted by Housing Choices Australia, the Oration is a keynote event for Melbourne’s social housing, design, policy, planning and academic communities.

About Manuel Der Hagopian

Born in 1971 in Geneva, Switzerland, Manuel Der Hagopian graduated from the Geneva Institute of Architecture, Geneva, Switzerland (IAUG) and Belleville School of Architecture, Paris (ENSAPB). He is one of the original Partners of group8 architects in charge of operations at the Singapore office as well as co-managing offices in Geneva, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Manuel coordinates touring exhibitions contributing to architectural and cultural exchange and purses a strong interest in the consequences of a rapidly growing population’s impact on the residential housing situation in South East Asia.

About Housing Choices Australia

Housing Choices Australia is a national, not-for-profit housing provider that exists to create safe, quality and affordable housing for people struggling to find a home in Australia’s challenging private rental market. Managing and owning over 7400 social and affordable homes for more than 7800 residents across Australia, Housing Choices has won numerous architectural and other awards for the quality of its housing and services for people living on low incomes, many of whom live with disability.

Join us on the evening of Tuesday 7 March:

Schedule

5:30pm – Doors open

6:00pm – Presentation and panel discussion

7:45pm – Presentation ends, The Capitol candy and drinks bar open for post event mingling

For further information:

Please email us at communications@hcau.org.au