Superstudio - Brisbane 2057

The Super Studio was an exciting, challenging, and visionary event, involving key advisory and educational institutions that provided innovation, rigor and passion to deliver a glimpse of what Brisbane may become in 2057.

Facilitated by Malcolm Snow, CEO of South Bank Corporation, the Super Studio imagined the future of our city. All those who participated devoted a day of their busy lives to this exercise. Strong collaboration of a diverse mix of people culminated in interesting visions, propositions, debate and discussion about Brisbane's future. All agreed these events are critical for a sustainable future, allowing unencumbered creative thinking and innovation.

The creative inspiration that occurred with such extensive collaboration of like minded professionals, government and industry representatives, students and key stakeholders was exciting and timely, as Brisbane faces rapid growth, demographic change, economic challenges and climate change.

Brisbane will be a vastly different place with its rapid growth in population and diverse social and cultural mix. As the fastest growing city in the southern hemisphere, in a subtropical climate, on the driest continent on the planet, we need to imagine how Brisbane will look and retain the image as one of the most liveable cities in the world.

As there has been extensive work undertaken in the inner city, and a number of key urban redevelopment and growth initiatives being investigated and delivered based within the inner city, the studio focused on a manageable area of a 5kilometre radius. To achieve the most out of the day, five themes were established as significant layers that together provide a sound foundation for growth, sustainable development and community well being.

The five Super Studio themes included:

• economic drivers
• social cultural drivers
• climate change
• transport mobility
• housing.

Ten passionate people led the five teams providing guidance and inspiration to their team members. They included:

• Economic drivers Malcolm Aikman, Director Urbis and James Tuma, Director, Urbis and Vice President of UDAL
• Social cultural drivers John Montgomery, Principal Urban Cultures and James Coutts Director EDAW and President of UDAL
• Climate Change Caroline Stalker, Director Architectus and Peter Skinner, Head of Architecture, University f Queensland
• Transport "City of our Dreams" Peter Edwards, Director Hassell and Jarrett Walker, Associate Director McCormick Rankin Cagney
• Housing Leigh Shutter, Head of Architecture Queensland University of Technology and Andrew Wilson, Queensland University of Technology.

To inspire the participants, the event began with a variety of creative and knowledgeable presentations from a diverse mix of industry leaders, educators and topic experts.

These presentations set the scene as thought starters for the Super Studio, some with predictions or scenarios for the future and others with specific theme information including:

• Mark Doonar, Director Tract and BDA President 2007
• Michael Papageorgiou, Brisbane City Council
• Rosie Kennedy, Director Centre of Subtropical Design
• Peter Skinner, University of Queensland
• Caroline Stalker, Director Architectus
• Cathy Hunt, Principal Positive Solutions
• John Byrne, Principal Byrne Urban Design
• Andrew Wilson, Queensland University of Technology
• Peter Edwards, Director Hassell
• Malcolm Aikman, Director Urbis Economics

Following the thought provoking presentations, the participants broke into the five groups to start investigating the key issues and desires for the city and then to develop a vision and potential implementation opportunities.

Given the varied themes and team leaders and participants many different views, visions and opportunities were identified and are contained in the Super Studio Outcomes Report.

A common theme that emerged was a strong desire for participation and 'stewardship ' by a diverse range of people to ensure the city was not planned and design by a monoculture and to ensure that the existing and future communities would embrace change and be empowered to play vital roles in sustainable growth of the city. There was also a strong desire to promote the character and identity of the city as a subtropical and liveable city.

Concluding with a panel discussion of passionate advocates for the future, led by Malcolm Snow, the outcomes of the group work was debated with the entire Super Studio participant group.

Panel members included:

• Mark Doonar, Director Tract and BDA President 2007
• James Coutts, Director EDAW
• Katie Holt-Demant, Queensland University of Technology
• Jarrett Walker, Associate Director McCormick Rankin Cagney
• James Tuma, Director Urbis
• John Montgomery, Principal Urban Cultures

The panel concluded that strong leadership and "stewardship" was the most robust, democratic and pragmatic way to manage sustainable growth and development over the next 50 years in Brisbane.