International guest leads Oswald Barnett Oration
At Housing Choices’ invitation, Swiss-born, Singapore-based international social housing architect, Manuel Der Hagopian was the keynote speaker at our flagship sector event, the Oswald Barnett Oration on March 7, 2023.
Designed to engender ideas and partnerships in the social and a ordable housing space, a refreshed Oration format and new event partners in RMIT School of Architecture and Urban Design and the Victorian Institute of Architects, brought a new audience and energy to the format. The TED X style presentation at iconic The Capitol in Melbourne, was followed by a panel discussion with architect Clare Cousins, academic Amy Muir and Housing Choices General Manager Property Development, James Henry, who exchanged ideas with Manuel and o ered their own insights and aspirations for Australia’s social housing.
More than 400 people registered for the event and Manuel’s Der Hagopian’s presentation drew a fascinating picture of diverse social housing models across di erent cultures and terrains including Switzerland, Vietnam, and Singapore. Manuel urged the Australian sector to embrace thoughtful densification, arguing the benefits of community, infrastructure and sustainability. Observing the historical stigma of social housing in Australia, he pointed to the reverse in Singapore - where 90 per cent of the population live in social housing – and are so proud of it, it’s printed on the local currency.
“We need to find a way to ‘give more’ in social and public housing, not ‘give less’ in terms of amenities.”
Above: Architect Manuel Der Hagopian. Right: Architect Clare Cousins centre stage.
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Housing Choices Australia Group
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