The 2017 International Festival of Landscape Architecture, The 3rd City is co-ordinated by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) and is the largest gathering of landscape architects in Australia. The Festival is aimed at positioning the profession as a leader in shaping a better future for the country. The Conference will be held at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney, from 13 - 14 October 2017.

With the international line up of speakers almost complete, the Festival Creative Directorate are now seeking expressions of interest from Landscape Professionals to contribute to The 3rd City discourse. 

The 3rd City discourse will focus on the future city, and as an idea to be postulated and explored, taking us beyond our post-industrial cities to ask what is necessary and what is possible for future cities, their people, their ecologies, their territories and spaces. The discussion will be guided over two days by a range of keynote speakers and panels who will explore the themes of Ecosystems, Infrastructure, Communities and Practice. 

We seek Australian participants to engage with the themes and international speakers from a base of practice, projects and real-world experience. This will enable the Creative Directorate to curate a lively, diverse program with broad appeal and relevance. We welcome submissions for keynote presentations (40 minutes) and/or for participation in a panel discussion (10-15 minutes).

• Abstract (max 250 words)
• Key theme/s, speaker or session your submission relates to
• Your name, title and organisation
• Your curriculum vitae

Closing date: 2:00pm, Wednesday 26 April 2017

Email submissions and queries to: [email protected]

Notification of acceptance: Wednesday 10 May 2017

The 3rd City conference sessions and themes

The 3^rd City Festival will explore the dimensions of future urbanisation, speculating on the role of design in the creation of future urban forms and systems. Over two days, sessions will explore the vast scale of resource and ecosystem management, large-scale next generation infrastructure and the scalable roles of community in shaping 3^rd City life. The final session of the conference will synthesise the preceding sessions, with a focus on positioning the role of the landscape architect in the making of the future city.

International speakers: Pierre Bélanger, Nina-Marie Lister

Key questions: What resources are required to build the city of tomorrow? How will humans relate to the natural world in the future metropolis?

Key Themes: Broad scale landscape and urban changes in relation to shifting human/nature relationships, new ecologies, the role of design in relation to ecology, cities and resource management, urban ecosystem health, environmental justice.

International speaker: Hillary Brown

Key questions: What large and catalytic infrastructures will service the next great city? How can these infrastructural systems be smarter and more multi-dimensional in terms of sustaining the 3^rd City?

Key Themes: Large scale urban change in relation to hybrid infrastructure systems, megaprojects, next generation infrastructure, and the agency of landscape systems.

International speakers: Jeff Hou, Jan Van der Grift

Key questions: Will the future city be designed and governed more by its citizens? Who has the right to the city? How will this change in the 3^rd City?

Key Themes: Social systems and practices in relation to 3^rd City spaces, inclusive urbanism, co-design, participatory design, and social equity.

Session Four: 3rd City Practice

International speaker: Mia Lehrer

Key questions: How can city building prioritise design as a critical and positive dimension of urbanisation? What are the benefits of design-led planning? What are the roles for landscape architects in the future city?

Key Themes: Design-led city making across scales, innovation in design practice, the role of urban theory in imagining and building the 3^rd City; design research and evidence-based design as drivers of 3^rd City practice.