Cities, homes and heritage on the frontline: ethical urbanism and global crises

Cities, homes and heritage on the frontline: ethical urbanism and global crises

Date: Friday, 11 September 2026

Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm

Venue: Chau Chak Wing Museum

As daily witnesses to global crises, what is the role of urbanists and architects in responding to the catastrophic destruction playing out in cities and neighbourhoods across the world? This panel features experts across humanitarian architecture, heritage, and housing policy who share their efforts in supporting communities at the frontline of crises. 

Speakers

Dr Mat Trinca Talalin, Director, Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies, Australian National University

Amina Kaskar, Architect and current Rothwell Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Sydney

Ania Kotarba, Associate Professor, Adelaide University

Ryan van den Nouwelant, Arts, Design & Architecture, School of Built Environment, UNSW

Chaired by

Anthony Burke, Professor of Architecture, Faculty of Design Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney

Sydney Festival 7-11 September 

National events September – October 2026

Translocality describes the interconnectedness between different places and people, beyond national boundaries. The circulation of people, goods, knowledge and capital, though an ancient process, is facilitated and impacted by new technologies, bringing new opportunities and challenges for cities and regions. Increasingly important, a translocal lens highlights these deep and intersecting relationships between people and places over time – from the legacies of colonisation and environmental change to contemporary patterns of migration and cultural diversity. Through panel discussions, debates, exhibitions, and tours, and featuring thought leaders from academia, the arts, industry, and civil society, the 2026 Festival of translocal Urbanism examines and celebrates the complex social, economic and environmental connections between local and global communities.