Future Living

EDItIoN 8, 2010

CREAtIVE
SPACES
Can the workspace
stimulate our imagination?

NeW iN youR sPace
FoR oLD iNteRFace maN
the art of What’s next Sir Richard Branson on
construction for social media? flying in the future

FutuRe LiviNg showcases global thinking on trends,
community, identity and innovations that affect the
way Australians live, work, retire and invest.

↖Burnkit advertising agency in
Vancouver, Canada. In World War II the
building housed a munitions production
line (Creative spaces, page 22).

EDITION 8, 2010

CONTENTS EDITORIAL
Is it the people, the place or the
workspace that makes a business
successful?

“P
eople are the key ingredient. We give our teams
flexibility, responsibility and autonomy, encouraging
them to keep listening to ensure where possible that
work is seen as rewarding and, above all, fun,” says Sir Richard
Branson when we caught up with him between flights to World Cup
matches in South Africa.
Putting people first at work seems to be working for international
advertising agencies too (Creative spaces, page 22). We take a tour of
gaming rooms, brain pods and state of the art receptions to examine
the connectivity between winning ideas and creative spaces.
How and where we will work and travel for business is central to
02 GLOBAL VILLAGE ↑Artistic this issue of Future Living.
regeneration in
Trends, technology, innovations Australia is a world leader in building for the future. Innovative
Newcastle, NSW
and news (Urban outfitters, construction techniques blend modern architecture with heritage (New
page 14). for old, page 8), while Newcastle’s CBd is transforming its derelict
04 WHO’S IN YOUR SPACE? spaces into a vibrant art community (Urban outfitters, page 14).
←← (front cover)
Social networking and the Offices of advertising We’ll discover the next steps for social media with augmented reality
cyber world leaps ahead agency Ogilvy &
mather in (Who’s in your space? page 4) and, when computers fail, learn how chaos
Guangzhou, China can become a positive agent for change (Computer chaos, page 20).
08 NEW fOR OLd (Creative spaces,
The art of renewal for heritage page 22).
If predictions about the future of corporate travel are correct,
buildings breakfast meetings in London and being home in time for bedtime
stories in Sydney may not be so farfetched after all. Will the richer
12 SNAPSHOT virtual experience compete with the actual travel experience and
Winning photography from ever replace face to face meetings? (Travel at the top, page 29)
around the world As advances in aviation look likely to fly us to the moon (future of
flying, page 32), Sir Richard leaves us with this thought:
14 URBAN OUTfITTERS “Advances in technology enrich the virtual experience in games,
Breathing new life into derelict city
spaces – Australia leads the way with movies and business meetings. But I still feel that there will always
Renew Newcastle be a place for face to face meetings, real experiences and the need
to discover new things in the flesh.” •
20 fOLLOW THE LEAdER:
JONATHAN mARSHALL Katherine O'Regan
mind bending computer chaos with General Manager
anthropologist Jonathan marshall Corporate Communications
FKP
editor
22 OPINION: CREATIVE SPACES
Creative director Andy Walsh steps into the
brain pods, confessionals and crazy spaces of
advertising agencies

26 HIGH ENERGY
Warming up to hot stocks in fuel technology

29 TRAVEL AT THE TOP
What’s in store for corporate travel?
Plus: a peek into the hotels of
the future

32 fUTURE Of... fLYING → Investing in clean
Eye in the sky: Sir Richard Branson technology (High
flies into the future energy, page 26).

Future Living | 01

Urban inspiration
around the world
Leaping in fountains beneath the
London Eye, the shimmering
reflections of old architecture in new
surroundings – do you ever take a
moment to observe life as it happens
in the urban landscape around you?
According to The Chartered
Institute of Building (CIOB) in the UK,
that’s exactly what twelve
photographers around the world
achieved for the Art of Building digital
photography competition.
The brief inspired photographers
and enthusiasts to capture the built
environment and shots of some of
the world’s most iconic buildings and
structures in a unique and
imaginative way.
One photograph taken in West
Bengal, India, captures children
running among homes built from
natural materials; another shows the
Hong Kong Mid-Levels office buildings.
The moody image of a construction
worker in a cherry picker ascending
into a stormy sky can be seen in full on
page 12 (Snapshot).
“One of the aims of the CIOB is to
celebrate the creativity of the
construction industry, the passion of
PHotoGRAPH: PAuL StEPHEnSon

the people who work within it and the
impact it has on our daily lives,” says
Saul Townsend, CIOB press and
communications manager.
To see all the entries, visit Art of
A Taste of Summer, London Eye
Building at www.artofbuilding.org

Bottling out?
Australia is leading the way in environmental battles terephthalate. National reported recycling rates
against disposable waste. Last year Bundanoon, in suggest roughly 45 per cent of these bottles are
NSW’s Southern Highlands, became the first town to recycled, with the rest sent to landfills.
ban bottled water. No shop or citizen in this
community will be spotted with a disposable bottle. KeepCups forever
Instead, bubblers and bottle refill stations around It’s not just your disposable water bottle that will
town encourage more sustainable reusable bottles. soon be obsolete – the KeepCup (right) is a popular
The move comes after increased coverage of the alternative to a throwaway coffee cup.
damaging effects disposable water bottles are having Conceived by siblings Abigail and Jamie Forsyth
on the environment. The Department of Environment from Victoria and developed by industrial design
and Climate Change (DECC) estimates that Australia company CobaltNiche, the KeepCup is the first barista
consumes around 450 million bottles of water a year, standard reusable coffee cup and a finalist in the
most of which are made from polyethylene 2010 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards.

2 | Edition 8, 2010 | Future Living

GLoBAL ViLLAGE
PHotoGRAPH: GEttY iMAGES

Seeds of change
The Seed Cathedral,
ShanghaiMore than 70 million people are expected to walk through the doors of
Expo

Grey matters the Shanghai World Expo 2010, where a record breaking 192 countries
are represented in innovative projects based around this year’s ‘Better
City, Better Life’ theme.
Britain and Europe are hotly debating the ‘right’ time for their Britain’s contribution is the Seed Cathedral, a multimillion dollar
populations to retire, following a new UK government structure designed by Thomas Heatherwick from Heatherwick Studio.
proposal to raise the bar on the retirement age. “The aim is to Standing over 18 metres high and dubbed The Hedgehog, the piece is
meet some of the costs, restoring the link between pensions covered in 60,000 acrylic rods. Each 7.5 metre long rod contains seeds
and earnings, a move which will close the gap between gathered at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens’ Millennium Seed Bank
pensioners’ incomes and those of the rest of society,” said Project. The work symbolises the incorporation of nature into everyday
John Hutton, who has been tasked by Prime Minister David life through parks and public spaces.
Cameron to undertake a review of public sector pensions. The structure looks set to challenge any lingering notions of Britain as
Anyone aged under 47 in Britain now faces a longer being old fashioned, Heatherwick believes. A celebration of UK
working life. Starting in 2024, the age at which the state innovation, the Seed Cathedral sways in the breeze and glows in the dark
pension is paid will be increased in line with life expectancy while visitors travel through the pavilion along integrated walkways.
so that people continue to receive the state pension for the In June, the cathedral showcased Human Animal, an installation
same proportion of their life. The state retirement age, which exploring human behaviour and the interrelation of humans and animals
is set to be 65 for men and women from April 2020, will rise inside and around a large transparent box.
to age 66 between 2024 and 2026, to 67 between 2034 The World Expo takes place in venues around Shanghai between
and 2036, and to 68 between 2044 and 2046. 1 May and 31 October 2010. The ‘Better City, Better Life’ theme
Meanwhile the French have recently raised their represents humankind’s common wish for a better way of life in future
retirement age from 60 to 62 over the next eight years urban environments. Through different sub-themes, the event creates
following sweeping reforms. Around the rest of the world, blueprints for future cities and harmonious urban lifestyles, providing
the USA retirement age is now 65.5 and gradually increasing an educational experience for visitors from around the globe.
(it will become 67 for people born after 1960). For more information visit http://en.expo2010.cn
For Russia the numbers are 60 for men and 55 for

More than 70 million people
women, but many retirees work beyond this to supplement
their pensions.
Back home, our population is set to increase to between
30.9 and 42.5 million by 2056, according to the Australian
are expected to walk through
Bureau of Statistics, although Australians have seen no the doors of the Shanghai
changes so far to the formal retirement age of 65.
World Expo.

Future Living | 3

Who’s in
your sPACE?
Tweets, micro blogs, Facebook updates, bumps, memes and
augmented reality. How savvy social media marketing
continues to infiltrate our working and private lives and
encourages online self expression.
Words by Lisa doust


W
hen British evolutionary biologist
Richard Dawkins coined the term
Social media has emerged as an
‘meme’ in his landmark book The exciting and unprecedented way for
Selfish Gene back in 1976, he could
not have envisaged how appropriate
savvy business operators to engage
it would be to the way we are now engaging in social directly with us, the equally savvy
interaction. In short, a meme is “a unit of cultural
transmission, or a unit of imitation”, with the transference
consumers.
from one mind to another taking place via writing, speech,
gestures, rituals or other imitable phenomena. Typical directly with us, the equally savvy consumers.
examples include melodies, catchphrases and fashion. The Internet and mobile phones have long been central
It’s fair to say that social media is the most contemporary components of our everyday lives and this level of
form of cultural transmission, with platforms such as connectedness presents amazing opportunities supported by
Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and blog spots transforming the pioneering technologies designed to boost our access to
way we interact with friends and family and indeed work knowledge while conserving our time and energy.
colleagues and new ideas crisscrossing cultural and “The big seismic shift that social media has brought about
geographical divides every second of the day. What’s also is this ‘power shift’ from brands and marketers to people,”
apparent is that social media has emerged as an exciting and says Nikki Stammers, Engagement Planner at Sydney digital
unprecedented way for savvy business operators to engage ad agency Whybin/TBWA Tequila, which specialises in viral >>

PHotoGRAPH: GEtty imAGEs

Future Living | 5

PHotoGRAPH: GEtty imAGEs

marketing, online advertising and integrated content term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real world
solutions (see www.wtbwa.com.au). environment whose elements are augmented by virtual
“Word of mouth used to be chatter between two people computer generated imagery”.
over the garden fence; chatter that disappeared into the In the bank’s case, rich data – including past sales history on
ether as far as brands were concerned. Now, likeminded people more than 95 per cent of Australian properties, recent sales and
can connect around the world and chat and have conversations. current property listings – will be mapped on to a real world
The results of these conversations and collective responses are view through the camera phone.
indelible marks, forever discoverable on the web. Suddenly, the Users can also switch to a list or a bird’s eye view to gain
voice of the consumer is a force to be reckoned with like never insight into properties matching their search criteria. Properties
before.” on their dream house list can then be tracked in the user’s
According to Stammers, the social web is helping consumers favourites and – thanks to the inclusion of detailed suburb
to define what the word ‘brand’ means. “Savvy marketers will profiles – demographics, median price, property hotspots and
treat their passionate consumers as partners rather than capital growth, trends can be accessed.
passive recipients,” she explains. “This shift is something that “The new iPhone application will be an industry first in
cannot be ignored by business.” Australia. We are leveraging new technology and continually
innovating to deliver convenient, relevant and real time services
Reality shift to make buying a home easier,” explains Mark Murray, General
The Commonwealth Bank is one Australian brand that has fully Manager Consumer Marketing at the bank. “Homebuyers can
embraced the concept of social networking as a means of [via the app] easily access a host of customised information,
connecting with its clients on a deeper level. The bank is tools and insights on every home in Australia – for free.”
getting close to launching its innovative iPhone application – or The idea is to think of the app as your own personal real
app – which helps to significantly streamline the property estate agent, property analyst and home lender – in a pocket
buying and selling experience. sized version that doesn’t cost you anything. It will not only
Designed to revolutionise the property search process and save you valuable time but will give you the ability to get
help consumers to make informed decisions, the app utilises clued up on real estate in a flash.
augmented reality technology – described by Wikipedia as “a To give it some extra clout, the technology is being
supported by two industry heavyweights – property portal

The launch of a phone application www.realestate.com.au, and data provider, RP Data.

that helps to significantly streamline Full speed ahead
the property buying and selling On the subject of apps, another innovation influencing the
way we communicate is Bump™, from US based Bump
experience is getting closer. Technologies. Launched last year, this cool and clever app


makes transforming information from one mobile phone to FACE THE FACTS
another as simple as choosing what you want to exchange,
holding your phones and gently bumping hands. You can • 9 million Australians regularly use social networking
literally share photos, exchange contact details and become sites.
Facebook friends in a matter of seconds!
By eliminating the need to manually input information, • Almost 9 out of 10 Australian Internet users look to
Bump is destined to eventually render the business card other users for opinions and advice about brands and
redundant. And while it only allows the transfer of contact products.
information at present, it will no doubt be developed further.
So, what’s next? Where is the social media phenomenon • 26 per cent of social networkers use mobiles to
leading us? network.
Stammers claims there are two big shifts already under
way within the world of social media. One is the advent of • A new blog is created every second, says Technorati, the
location based social networking, with mobile phone services blog search engine and publisher of the annual State of
such as Foursquare providing you and your friends with new the Blogosphere report.
ways of exploring the place you live in.
“This is interesting because it moves social networking • Most popular social media destinations:
away from being a purely online activity to something which Facebook: 41 per cent
actually connects us in the real world to likeminded people MySpace: 24 per cent
and our local community,” says Stammers. “This is a potential Gmail: 15 per cent
opportunity hotspot for businesses who are smart enough to Twitter: 8 per cent
captialise on the move.” (Percentages of all traffic on a list of popular social
The second is the first real step toward Web 3.0 – the destinations at www.mashable.com, March 2010.)
predicted third generation of the World Wide Web, which is
widely purported to include the semantic tagging of content. • iPhones in South East Asia:
“Using Facebook’s ‘Like’ plug-in, this will allow people to iPhone OS is most dominant in Australia, Singapore and
select content to engage with, based on the preference and Hong Kong, with a respective March 2010 market share
filter of their peer network. There are a few early adopter of 88 per cent, 89 per cent and 78 per cent. The three
brands that have implemented ‘Like’ to great effect, one being countries are responsible for 82 per cent of the region’s
[denim brand] Levis. We’ll start to see the ‘Like’ button take iPhone traffic, according to a 2010 Mobile Metrics report
over in the next few months,” Stammers predicts. on South East Asia from AdMob, which serves ads for
It may come as no surprise to learn that Dawkins regards mobile websites and applications.
memes as having the properties necessary for evolution. He
has noted that as various ideas pass from one generation to • App download trends:
the next, they may either enhance or detract from the iPod touch users download an average of 12 apps a
survival of the people who obtain those ideas. When it comes month, 37 per cent more than iPhone and Android users,
to modern day business, it might just be that a willingness to with webOS users downloading fewer total apps per
reach out to us all via all available technological platforms month, says a January 2010 AdMob Mobile Metrics survey
could mean the difference between survival and struggle. • of iPhone, iPod touch, Android and webOS device users.

SOCIALLY ADEPT blogging site. Interestingly, Kutcher’s ability can reach out to the consumers and get
To fully appreciate the power of social to read the vast potential of social media their insights into how they want to work
networking platforms, poster boy Ashton has seen Katalyst Media, the company he with the brands.
Kutcher may have made his name by being originally co-founded as a film and “We take the insights of consumers and
actor Demi Moore’s significantly younger television production house, turn its marketers and bring them together in
other half, but the US actor has proved he is attention to developing messaging that content beds, which really allows people to
so much more than a pretty face. builds consumer networks for brands. feel as though they own the brands… You
Indeed, having fully grasped the As Kutcher explained at the MIXX have the ability to deliver a piece of
commercial benefits of social networking, Conference and Expo 2009 in the US, his messaging from your company and the
Kutcher was named in the prestigious Time company operates as a studio for social response will immediately tell you whether
magazine’s 2010 ranking of ‘100 Most media to develop consumer networks for consumers like it.”
Influential People in the World’. individual brands. “It [social media] is an If you have an interest in brand building and
Last year Kutcher sent out a challenge to unknown frontier… We want to lead the direct reach, it’s worth monitoring Kutcher and
Twitter users – his objective was to beat movement into that space. You can’t use the direction his company is taking. For a start
broadcaster CNN in the race to acquire one traditional advertising models inside of the you can follow him on Twitter – his user name
million followers. He won and has since [social media] spaces. What we are trying to is C_AshtonKutcher and his current number of
been acknowledged as the king of the micro do is build bottom up strategies where we followers stands at close to five million.

Future Living | 7

New
for
Old

← The Rocks Discovery Museum project
sensitively fuses past and present.

Heritage buildings add unique value and
meaning to our cultural inheritance and history.
Preservation, while incorporating contemporary
conveniences, is all about adaptive reuse and
innovative construction ideas.
Words by tracey Hordern

P
laces of historical significance provide
character to our cities and give us an
important glimpse into our cultural past. Old
buildings can be adaptively reused for a wide
range of purposes, allowing the gap between
old and new to be gracefully bridged.
Renewal of heritage buildings, especially in innovating the
ways we rebuild, plays a major role in the sustainable
development of our communities. As a nation Australia is at
the forefront of reconstructive techniques.
However, as development pressures increase, it’s our
architects, designers and builders who are challenged to find
innovative construction solutions, while sticking to the
appropriate rules and regulations that exist to protect
historic significance. The answer is found in employing
construction innovations of the future and using them on
buildings from the past.
The Australia Charter for the Conservation of Places of
Cultural Significance (ICOMOS) sets the standard for industry
practice and keeps the bar high. improving services such as disability led access and managing ↑ Development of the iconic
Museum of Contemporary Art
Their philosophy concentrates on the importance of the interface between old and new.” aims to re-energise Circular
‘place’. Regardless of how skilfully a place may be captured The Rocks Discovery Museum project is a successful Quay, Sydney.

on film or how evocatively it is described, there’s no example of fusing the past and present. “This project involved
substitute for the experience of the actual physical location. the conservation, adaptation and interpretation of three
It is, after all, the responsibility of all Australians to preserve adjoining mid 19th century mercantile buildings – Samson’s
the essence of place. Cottage, Raphael’s and McKellar’s Stores – to display the
museum’s archaeology collections and interpret the maritime
On the waterfront history of The Rocks,” says Macken. “Our approach was to
Sydney’s Rocks district buildings are presided over by the retain the significance and fabric of the original structures
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA). The vision for and insert a distinctive and reversible new layer of museum
the future management of this beautiful waterfront suburb infrastructure.”
(and our country’s historic birthplace) blends history and the
local resident community, while still providing enjoyable Master strokes
PHotoGRAPH: SydnEy HARbouR FoRESHoRE AutHoRity

experiences for visitors. The latest building in The Rocks to undergo comprehensive
Niall Macken, Heritage and Design Manager at the SHFA, is renewal is the iconic Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).
quick to point out that while we call it ‘adaptive reuse’, most Construction began in June 2009, with completion
conservation and reconstruction work in Australia centres expected in early 2012. The goal of the design, by highly
around the idea of old meets new. regarded architect Sam Marshall in partnership with the
“It is about understanding the place. This involves NSW Government Architect, is to complement the existing
documentary and physical research into history and heritage building and energise both The Rocks precinct and
development, and why it is important,” he explains. “We have Circular Quay.
to find viable uses which minimise impacts while providing or The updated MCA will mean people can enjoy its stellar >>

Future Living | 9

It is, after all, the responsibility
of all Australians to preserve the
essence of place. Built to last
When it comes to refurbishing and reconstructing, specific
construction techniques and practical construction
↑ Award winning location in a new rooftop cafe and sculpture terrace with considerations are crucial. As Macken highlights, some trades
innovation at Baroque
spectacular views of the Opera House and harbour. Two new are not in common use and are reserved for historic buildings.
Bistro, The Rocks.
function spaces and a covered terrace will be created on the “For example, solid dimension stonework, rather than stone
top level of the existing building – modern additions for a cladding, dressed lead work and ‘lath and plaster’ work are not
beautiful old building. much used apart from restoration projects,” he reveals. “Many
It is Marshall’s belief that heritage buildings should never of the other trades require a higher degree of skill or patience
be reconstructed as such. “If they are, they lie to the observer for heritage buildings than for conventional new build, for
that they are original,” he says. “If their value is so important, example carpentry or joinery repairs to historic timberwork.”
their ruined remains should be stabilised and left untouched. It’s one thing to maintain the heritage elements of a
If it does not have significant value, the building should be building, but how does an architect or builder address the
removed to make way for a contemporary building.” contemporary needs of those who live in or use the building?
The architect also believes heritage buildings can be easily “The first step is to identify what is most important about
put to new use by introducing building works of a the place, and then develop an appropriate design concept for
contemporary nature whereby the contrast creates a dialogue the adaptation around retaining this significance,” Macken
between the two that highlights the heritage value. “Quite advises. “One of the tools conservation architects use as an
often the display and interpretation of remains enriches the all important reference is the Conservation Management Plan
everyday use of the surrounding spaces,” he adds. (CMP), which is tailored to a particular place and sets out the
According to Marshall, it isn’t difficult to insert what is significant heritage aspects of that place and details the
needed for a contemporary lifestyle into heritage buildings appropriate policies and strategies to manage these aspects
and to make them useful (which he claims assures their so its values are retained.”
retention) as well as being respectful of the heritage. “There Macken nominates 100 George Street, Sydney, the former
is a growing trend to respect buildings from the recent past, Mariners’ Church, as a good example of the CMP in action. In
for instance from the 1950s to 1970s,” he says. “We have this instance, the SHFA worked to conserve the existing
lost some great buildings from that period but there is no fabric and reinstate lost architectural features, in particular
doubt we have heritage and archaeological skills as good as the sandstone elements, while incorporating a new lift, stairs
any country.” and services within the building. The church had been built in


1859, with extensions added in 1909, 1927 and 1931. “The
completed works safeguard the fabric of the building and Seeing green
provide a better opportunity to appreciate the church’s There are some specific design considerations that add a sustainable edge to the
original aesthetic worth and high level of craftsmanship, at reconstruction of heritage buildings. For instance:
the same time allowing for its ongoing use as a contemporary • Blackwater harvesting
space,” Macken adds. “During conservation works, the Where plants take sewerage from local systems and remove waste material to
archaeological remains of the former Bethel Street, dating provide water for non potable use in the building.
from 1860 and built over in 1907, were discovered beneath
the building. The former street and wall were conserved and • Efficient air conditioning systems
interpreted through a viewing window as part of the project.” State of the art designs and floor versus rooftop systems cut C02 emissions,
while increasing cool comfort for occupants.
Eco logic
Environmental benefits combined with energy savings and • Optimised façades
the social advantage of recycling a valued heritage place High performance façades have low-e double glazing and external shading to
make the adaptive reuse of historic buildings an essential guard against solar heat and glare while keeping high internal daylight levels.
component of sustainable development. Adam Nykiel,
Design Manager for the Energex Building in Brisbane’s • Sustainable material selection
Newstead Riverpark, outlines some of the latest Steel-like material sourced from recycled products; cement replaced by
construction techniques that best translate to improved industrial waste products; reduced PVC use; low-VOC paints, carpets, glues and
sustainability measures. adhesives; and old growth timber.
The relationship between sustainable construction
techniques and the solution is linked by setting a desired • Water saving devices
sustainability goal. “Parameters have been benchmarked by a Rainwater is harvested for toilet flushing and landscape irrigation; air
number of governing bodies without giving direct solutions conditioning condensation and fire system test water are collected and stored
promoting industry research and development,” says Nykiel. for reuse.
“These relate to construction management techniques, indoor
environment quality, energy saving systems, water
conservation, high recycle content and low embodied energy systems implemented during construction, a construction
materials, and reduction in emissions. The construction team needs to use and handle materials in different ways
solutions to each of these can be as many and varied as the from traditional techniques,” he suggests. “If you take waste
industry can support.” management as an example, a construction team would now
The question here is how much input do the construction follow a waste management plan that facilitates the
team have in the design of a project? reduction of construction waste to landfill.”
Nykiel is adamant that, in a design and construct process, Benchmarks have been set whereby a total of 80 per cent
the construction team is instrumental in the successful of waste by weight is reused or recycled. Another area is
delivery of a sustainable design. “Products and systems are controlling the materials being used on the project requiring
constantly changing to meet new and often cutting edge management systems that are not normally in place.
concepts,” he elaborates. “This often requires the team to “A good example of this would be the rating of a timber
implement a challenging product that was conceived on paper product that means that it has a chain of custody certificate
or provide an alternative updated product. As part of this guaranteeing its source is from a recycled product, and each
process the construction team becomes highly involved with set of hands it has passed through to implementation is
the design solution and physical outcome.” recorded and can be proved,” Nykiel says. “This encourages
The need to achieve better sustainability has impacted on the specification of reused timber that has certified
construction, says Nykiel. “Apart from the products and environmentally responsible forest management practices.” •

Winning ways The former Bushell’s warehouse, on the Although Australia has emerged as a
Innovative trends that unite good conservation corner of George Street and Hickson Road in genuine global pioneer and is the custodian of
work and adaptive reuse with sustainable the Sydney CBD, built in 1886 and extended in an ever growing list of projects that have
design are yielding results that scoop awards. 1912, was adapted by the SHFA for commercial gained ‘World Leader’ certification, progress
Macken says there have been recent projects offices, with a cafe, modern restaurant and bar, towards sustainability continues to be
in New South Wales whereby heritage aptly named Baroque and outdoor seating on governed via a voluntary system. Sustainable
buildings have received 5 and 6 Star Green Star the ground floor. organisations in other countries are backed up
ratings. “Number 88 George Street, in The “It represents a benchmark for the by government regulation in many instances,
Rocks, was acknowledged by the Green ecologically sustainable upgrade of culturally and this is a direction we are headed in. And as
Building Council as the first State Heritage significant buildings and serves as an example Nykiel says: “The level of innovation shown in
Listed building to be awarded a 5 Star Green of SHFA’s commitment to meet targets to design and construction techniques in
Star office design rating,” he explains. reduce its carbon emissions,” Macken adds. Australia is paving the way for the future.”

Future Living | 11

SnAPSHot


‘Elements’: Riverside Museum, Glasgow
This atmospheric scene, captured by photographer Jim Dunn, is
one of twelve finalist entries into the first international digital
photography competition organised by The Chartered Institute
of Building (CIOB). This year’s theme was ‘The Art of Building’.
Entrants from around the globe captured everything from a
futuristic image of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers shot at mid level
to classic European architecture.
See more at www.artofbuilding.org

PHotogrAPH: ELimEntS

Future Living | 13

Citizen of the Year in the 2010 Australia
Day awards, Marcus Westbury is the
driving force behind the Newcastle urban
fix up. In his words, “Renew Newcastle is a
permanent solution for temporary things”.

URBAN
OUTFITTERS
How a brilliant plan to breathe new life and art into
derelict city spaces and empty shops puts Newcastle on
the regeneration map.
Words by Robyn Gower | Photography by Renate Ruge


Once a place of empty buildings
and vandals, Newcastle’s Hunter
Street in the CBD has been
transformed into a busy economic
hub and thriving artistic community
that people come to visit.

B
↑ With historic buildings, angladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus
piers, beaches and now a
thriving CBD, Newcastle is popularised the concept of microfinance
becoming a destination. when he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
His idea: give people with skills but no capital
access to cheap credit and they will get on
their feet and out of poverty.
A variation of the microfinance model may now be providing
a temporary solution to one of the most intractable issues
facing local governments in the first world. The urban
problem to be faced is of city centres becoming places of fear
and vandalism as buildings and stores are abandoned in
favour of suburban shopping malls.
The idea behind the Empty Shops movement is that, by
giving artists peppercorn rent, you generate activity and
creative capital that in turn creates new opportunities and
a greater sense of community.
For many of the creatives taking up the offer, the
movement also represents a way of fighting what they
perceive to be the suffocating homogeneity of suburban
mega malls, and the cheap imports that are decimating
traditional art and crafts.
One of the movement’s most influential figures, Marcus
Westbury, believes the Empty Shops movement is less about
microfinance and more about making cities work for people
with talent but little or no capital.
The Newcastle born writer, festival director and TV
presenter says the idea of using empty stores as galleries
first came to him in 1992 when, at the age of eighteen, he
and his peers were looking down the barrel of 40 per cent
youth unemployment in the city.
Once home to Australia’s largest steelworks, Newcastle’s
monumental struggle to ‘face its own economic mortality’ has
been well documented and remains the source of pride and >>

Future Living | 15

sorrow to many, including Marcus, who used to look into
empty shop windows and imagine them filled with art.
Not wanting to be a statistic, he attempted to complete a
communications degree at Newcastle University, but dropped
out to get involved in the arts and the founding of This Is Not
Art festival which went on to become the city’s largest annual
tourism and arts event.
He then moved to Melbourne to take up the reins of artistic
director of Melbourne’s Next Wave Festival before becoming
a director of the Cultural Program of the Melbourne 2006
Commonwealth Games.
It was while Marcus was the presenter of the ABC TV
series, Not Quite Art, that the idea of utilising empty shops
for creative endeavours returned.
“The first series featured an extended look at Newcastle
in NSW and Glasgow in Scotland and made a comparison that
inspired the Renew Newcastle project,” Marcus explains to
Future Living. ↑ Newcastle’s historical council permission [they already matched what the
buildings are now a
By that time, around 150 buildings in the CBD and twenty Development Approvals were for], as we knew that otherwise
source of pride.
shops in Newcastle’s Hunter Street Mall were empty. Vandals things would grind to a halt.”
had moved in and the city centre had taken on a sad and He approached a law firm, which provided pro bono support
slightly frightening ambience. in developing and negotiating thirty day agreements with
“Most of the buildings in Newcastle are worth more as owners of neglected properties. Soon after, a property
deductions than as going concerns,” explains Marcus. “So, company jumped on board, becoming the first major partner.
despite much of the city being totally empty and falling into Renew Newcastle is not set up to manage long term uses,
disrepair, the rents are still much higher than anyone wanting own properties or permanently develop sites. Instead it aims
to start a business could pay for them.” to generate activity in buildings until that future long term
Marcus used his credit card and his natural gift of the gab activity happens.
to launch Renew Newcastle, which he describes as a ↓ Once empty spaces, From humble beginnings in 2008, Renew Newcastle has
Newcastle’s regenerated
“permanent structure for temporary things”, rather than buildings are a hub
initiated more than fifty projects in the former ‘dead zone’ of
a renewal scheme. “We aimed for projects that did not require of artistic activity. Hunter Street including galleries, studios, art and crafts


THE PEOPLE AND
THEIR PLACES
Neon Zoo, graphic design business
“Before we were given the Renew Newcastle
opportunity to have our own space, we were
running the business out of a sunroom in an
apartment,” says the co-founder of Neon Zoo,
Clare Gleeson.
Clare founded the graphic design and branding
business with Abby Farmer. Both studied Visual
Communications (Hons) at the University of
Newcastle and built up a reasonable freelance
client base while completing their studies.
Upon graduation they didn’t have enough money
to rent commercial premises, so when the Renew
Newcastle project came up they jumped at the
opportunity. Clare and Abby now share an old
ophthalmology building (“with its various nooks
and crannies”) with five other diverse businesses,
all of which collaborate and share resources,
business support and, importantly, referrals.
Neon Zoo provides a wide range of branding and
design services to clients, from hairdressers to
solicitors.
“It is great to have your peers around you and
to be able to share ideas and advice. This has been
a really positive experience.” So positive, in fact,
that the collective is now in a position to pay rent
on the building.

stores, fashion designers, a food co-op, graphic designers, Generating cultural capital in
publishers and photographers. The project team has also
worked with the Newcastle based telecommunications carrier,
cities and regional towns, the
Ipera, to establish free wifi around key sites, further ‘green shoots of recovery’ could be
galvanising the creative community.
For his efforts Marcus has won the hearts of Novocastrians
seen in Newcastle as the number
who named him Citizen of the Year in the 2010 Australia Day of vacant buildings and shops
awards. With state and council funding now flowing to the
project, Marcus is focused on building national and
decreased.
The Newcastle Herald
international collaborations.
“We now have groups trying to apply our strategies to ↑ Surfhouse Photography some of the problems that we have faced and those models
is one of five diverse
projects that are up and running in Townsville and Adelaide are of interest in the UK.”
businesses sharing an old
and in various stages of evolution in Lismore, Lithgow, ophthalmology building in While Newcastle faces its demons, the problems faced by
Newcastle’s CBD.
Geelong, Perth, The Sunshine Coast, Tasmania and probably local government in the UK are overwhelming. It is estimated
a dozen more places. that around 13 per cent of the UK’s shops sit empty and that
“I’m very interested to see if we can make the model one in five empty shops may never be used again.
transferable to other locations and work on some of the legal The Meanwhile Spaces and Empty Shops initiative plays a
and regulatory reform issues that I think we need to pursue major role in bringing life back to centres in the UK by
while also making a living from my various day jobs.” insisting that local governments remove red tape and hurdles
to development. It works with local communities and other
Cross country inspiration stakeholders to facilitate the interim or ‘meanwhile’ use of
Marcus has been sharing skills and strategies with the founders abandoned places.
of the UK’s Empty Shops and Meanwhile Space movements. The Empty Shops network extends across dozens of towns
Frustrated that overseas programs “are considerably better in England, Scotland and Wales. With government funding it
resourced than Renew Newcastle”, he acknowledges that also provides participants with workbooks that explain how
necessity has been the mother of invention. they can negotiate contracts, strike up partnerships and
“Necessity has forced us to think much more laterally about develop sustainable business models. Their philosophy: >>

Future Living | 17

Renew Newcastle allowed us to move our
Vox Cyclops, a music venue
and record shop, is located in

underground music business from a cramped
a building that was derelict
for five years.

garage to our Hunter Street store.
Mark Leacy | Co founder of Vox Cyclops

Vox Cyclops, live music venue take the business up to the next level rather mainly experimental minimal synth,
With a lack of venues in Newcastle for live than running it from a cramped garage. psychedelic, punk, pop and generally
music and especially underground bands, Their Hunter Street store not only underground independent music from
Vox Cyclops has come to play an important provides the team with a workspace, but around the world.”
role in the lives of local and touring also has enabled them to extend the Local and touring bands can also put on
musicians, as well as emerging artists. record label into its own independent shows inside the store, creating further
Co-founders Mark Leacy, Nick Senger, Kane record store, “something that was lacking buzz around the area.
Ewin and Jarrod Skene have been operating in Newcastle at the time”. “We have had an invaluable head start in
an independent record label, Spanish Magic, After an extensive and hands on setting up a record store for underground
since 2000, publishing local acts and “bands renovation to fix up a store, which had music which would be near on impossible in
we love” from Australia, New Zealand, been derelict for five years, Vox Cyclops is a town that has not seen a shop of this sort
Canada and the United States. now a bona fide record store that focuses since 2003,” says Mark.
“We have always made our own record on the sale of vinyl, cassettes, CDs and “All the money from sales goes directly
covers, whether by means of folding, gluing, CD-Rs, as well as special edition reissues back into the shop so we can continue to
screen printing, stencilling or stamping,” of classic bands and records. The team is provide a wide range of music to our
Mark explains. aiming for a record collection. customers. One day we will actually pay
The opportunity to participate in the “We are attempting to have the largest ourselves a wage, but never at the expense
Renew Newcastle project came at the Australian underground music catalogue, of people being able to find new music at
perfect time for the team who were able to as well as stocking music of all genres but lower prices than the large chains.”


‘empty shops make great laboratories for new ideas and
new businesses’.
In Ireland a similar movement is run by the Average Arts
Initiative, whose first exhibition was ironically entitled To
Let. While on the other side of the Atlantic, the Lower
Manhattan Cultural Council also offers Swing Space grants to
artists and performers. The movement is generating cultural
capital in cities and regional towns and supporting a new
wave of innovation.

Meanwhile, back in Newcastle
In August 2009, Newcastle’s business leaders launched the
Fix Our City! campaign which implores the State Government
to take action on the Hunter Development Corporation’s
Newcastle City Centre Renewal Report.
Supported by 93 per cent of Newcastle residents, the
urban renewal plan is based on increasing education facilities
in the CBD, the development of a new legal precinct and a
new transport system.
Two weeks prior to a Fix Our City! rally in June, one of
Newcastle’s most prominent symbols of decay, the state
heritage listed post office, was purchased by the State
Government from a property developer who planned to use
it as a pub or function centre.
Having lain idle for eight years, the building, which was
sold to the developer by the Federal Government for $2
million and repurchased for $4.25 million, will need significant
repairs. It is clear that the Renew Newcastle project has
played a significant role in bringing value back to these and
other developments.
The Newcastle Herald recently reported that the “green
shoots of recovery” could be seen in the city as the number
of vacant buildings and shops decreased. It cited the
“increased activity brought about through the Renew
Newcastle initiative” as the key reason.
While the Empty Shops movement appears to be a win win
situation, some argue that it is simply a short term solution to
an entrenched problem.
↑ The urban renewal plan ↓ Newcastle was once
“My first response to those with a skeptical view is to look
is supported by 93 per home to Australia’s
at the results. We’ve brought back real commercial activity [to cent of residents. largest steelworks.
Newcastle]. Not just for our own projects, but successfully
generated other activity around it.
“Renew Newcastle provides a platform for people to
experiment with things and work out what succeeds, rather
than simply expecting solutions to arrive fully formed, and I’d
argue that in the long term that’s a very solid base for
building a recovery,” says Marcus, who wants to work with the
custodians of other towns and cities to help them find ways
of activating spaces that bring both short term benefits (like
reduced costs and maintenance, for example) and long term
value by building activity.
“I’m also always up for speaking to property owners at
conferences and events about the lessons we’ve learnt from
this experience.” •

www.marcuswestbury.net
www.renewnewcastle.org
meanwhilespace.ning.com/photo

Future Living | 19

Computer chaos
When technology fails us, it is easy to blame it on the hardware or the
software, just not on ourselves. Anthropologist Dr Jonathan Marshall
looks at both sides of the disordering effects in his research.
Words by Peter Salhani | Photography by Hamish ta-mé

Technology
allows us to
receive too much
information too
quickly to process...
Rectifying mistakes
made while on ‘auto
pilot’ leaves less time
to attend to... the
present.
Dr Jonathan Marshall


FoLLoW tHE LEAdER

“I
n the computer driven society, it’s a Those who aren’t will seek help from colleagues who are,
fundamental fact of life that we will be which can build new alliances in the workplace based solely
constantly disrupted by malfunctions,” says Dr on technical ability and confidence.”
Jonathan Marshall. “Software works a hell of a On a more technical level, Dr Marshall says that addressing
lot of the time, but always with the possibility that it won’t inherent problems within software itself will help establish a
work, or it won’t do what we want it to. We basically live more harmonious relationship between technology and the
our whole lives in a state of semi chaos and disorder people using it. “There’s not one really big disordering effect
because of it.” which you could guard against [such as email SPAM filtering],
It is our insatiable appetite for more information and at but many minor things that don’t quite work, or
high speed that contributes to the chaos that Dr Marshall’s spontaneously do bizarre, unexpected things. Or the
research group at the University of Technology, Sydney categories required by software do not match the real world
(UTS) is working on. The study (in its second year) is called circumstances they’re designed for, or have unexpected
‘Chaos, Information Technology, Global Administration and consequences,” as in banking, retail and online customer
Daily Life’ and is funded by the Australian Research Council. service environments, for instance.
The research looks at software crashes from the This design incompatibility may be incidental or deliberate.
perspective of chaos as being an important part of order, “Technology is often not geared to the work people have to do
and not something to be sidelined as aberrant. In our haste because requirements engineers don’t really understand the
to get ahead and make advances in the technology we use, work people do, or software has been introduced to
we forget to acknowledge how slow things used to be and deliberately change what people do. This can generate
how that frustration further impacts on technology failing. resentment in the workplace and get in the way of the
“If malfunctions happen all the time, and they do, you have informal systems essential to an organisation’s healthy
to think that they’re not accidents, but part of the way we functioning.”
interact,” says Dr Marshall. One obvious problem is software malfunction. “Software
Having studied reports into the infamous 2005 crash of is about order and controlling people’s behaviour, so when it
Australian Customs software ICS (integrated cargo system) fails, it throws things into chaos.” For the individual this
that brought the docks to a standstill just before Christmas causes stress, and lost productivity for the workplace and
that year, Dr Marshall concluded that research in the area the economy.
was biased towards finding blame, not solutions.
“When software doesn’t work, you can’t just blame Chaos is a part of our culture
managers for poor implementation, you have to assume Likely future remedies include better, more socially focused
they’re reasonably competent and understand the tricks. needs analysis and the inclusion of more users in software
And you can’t just blame the end users either. If the users design. “If people feel involved and listened to, they’re more
constantly get it wrong, then you have to accept there’s likely to help with the process of change. It’s best not to try
something wrong with the software itself, or with all the and do too much at once, but get the main systems working
interactions that have led to its creation.” first, and allow for flexibility in the design and rollout
processes. Employees then get to learn about it, and the
Information overload software engineers get to know what they are aiming for.
“There is no reason why anyone would want to have a This means tolerating a lesser degree of chaos.”
computer in their home,” said Ken Olson, president, chairman On future disordering effects, not apparent at the
and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, in 1977. moment, Marshall points to a paradox. “For information to be
Olson’s now famous quote is often cited for its colossal useful and to allow innovation, it has to have free
irony, but in the context of our computer dominated lives movement, and yet for people to make money from it, it has
and the range of headaches they cause, from viruses to to be restricted. Patent checks and multiple ownerships of
crashes, it takes on an almost prophetic meaning. patents will likely cause innovation in the economy to falter.
One key problem, outside of the technology itself but Also the risk of employees leaking important data,
which is symptomatic of our times, is information overload. deliberately or otherwise, will probably send security costs
“Technology simply allows us to receive too much up, and interfere with people’s work [as companies crack
information too quickly for anyone to process. This means down] and possibly interfere with their freedom outside of
response times get slower, or if they stay fast, the work as well.”
responses become less considered, less relevant. Then, of To zero in on the latter, Marshall’s team wants to study
course, people will spend time trying to rectify bad decisions the life cycle of a large scale software upgrade, from
made in haste, on ‘auto pilot’, leaving them less time to planning through to implementation. “We’re asking
attend to what is actually happening in the present.” companies to contact us and let us study their upgrade from
On our current course, this is likely to worsen, as Marshall the start. We don’t want to identify individuals or
points out that “in the information society, the temptation is organisations in our findings and we’re not looking to lay
to collect more, not less”. blame if software goes wrong; and if things go right, that’s
And the rate of software change does not help. important as well.”
“To keep up to date with market changes in software and Their findings should equip engineers of the future with a
hardware, upgrades need to be done every couple of years, better understanding of the complex human responses to
meaning constant disruption.” software through better user profiling or social analysis.
But chaos can have positive effects too, such as sparking “Requirements are usually seen as technical problems but I
innovation and adaptation. “People respond differently to would say the disordering caused by malfunctions is
disruption. Some are good at developing workarounds. fundamentally a social problem,” adds Dr Marshall. •

Future Living | 21

opinion

creative SP
A ‘Carnival of Ideas’ theme inspires
the design of the Ogilvy & Mather
offices in Guangzhou.


anywhere. However, it’s certainly more interesting turning up
every day to a stimulating environment.
“Our design principles were simple. No offices. No walls. And
very, very, high ceilings. The open plan encourages a greater flow
of ideas by people simply getting up and talking.”
The BMF workspace is vast, with a repurposed, industrial feel. It
buzzes with energy but is incredibly intimate and quiet all at once.
Every corner has been designed to benefit the comfort of
employees – and they clearly feel appreciated. “If you work in a
beautiful environment it certainly lifts you up,” says Taylor. “Every
person sits on an Aeron chair, simply because they are the most
comfortable and best designed for that task.”
For more than ten years, BMF has enjoyed a steady stream of
business success, culminating in being voted ‘Agency of the
Decade’ at the 2009 B&T awards. Does Taylor put this success
down to their working environment though? “It would be difficult
to attribute a specific business win to it, but I would say it
certainly counts overall and creates a great impression on

ACES
prospective employees and clients.”
Stephen Pearson, CEO of Lowe, points out that it is as much to
do with the cultural heritage of the company and an atmosphere
of open communication that enables creative thinking. And just as
important is the building that houses the agency.
“It has to be designed well; have integrity with the culture of
the place; enable great communication and reduce silo mentality.
But it doesn’t have to be a design icon in itself. The Opera House,
How much success in the advertising and Tate Modern and Guggenheim [museums] are very creative

business can be attributed to a great working places, but they’d be terrible to actually work in,” says Pearson.
Step inside Lowe’s Sydney operation and you see what
environment? Creative director Andy Walsh Pearson means. The office is a rustic, old loft style wool store

gains security access to the ‘idea centres’ of peppered with sophisticated technology, making the visitor
feel instantly warm and welcome.
Australian advertising agencies to find out. Based on what the big bosses say, well designed creative
Words by Andrew Walsh spaces increase motivation, improve communication, expand
creative thinking beyond the creative department, and

I
showcase an agency’s commitment to generating new ideas
n my twenty years in advertising, I’ve sat in meeting ↖↑↗ Neogama BBH’s for its clients.
reception in São Paulo,
rooms called ‘brain pods’ and ‘confessionals’, taken a ride “Creative spaces should make you want to be there,” adds
Brazil; sliding into
on a playground slide to collect a package from reception at the Google Pearson. “They help you enjoy being at work. They should at
reception, swung in hammocks while mulling over new offices in Switzerland; least be interesting and admired rather than be dull and
getting comfortable in a
ideas, played pinball machines, belted punch bags, and even lounge space at Lowe in debilitating. Clients like coming [to Lowe] simply because our
trotted into a new business pitch meeting astride a pony! In my Sydney. space is pretty cool.”
game, agencies will try anything to appear creative. Sometimes
it’s all a little too try hard, but get the balance of atmosphere The future office is virtual
and environment right and a workplace will literally percolate So if brain pods, ideas boards, bars and gaming rooms provide
with creativity. And there’s no better feeling than that. the entertaining additions of creative workplaces now, what’s
But what makes a truly creative space? Certainly it’s not in store for advertising offices of the future? Says Pearson:
dumping Gen Ys into a playpen and hoping for the best. To be “Dedicated desks will be less ‘normal’. Workplaces will become
successful, any agency needs to tear down the invisible walls more for meetings than just a battery of desks. This requires
pHotoGRApHs: (LEFt) oGiLvy & MAtHER; (top LEFt) tuCA REinEs

of authority, politics, hidden agendas, tradition and history. absolute trust. I think it’s entirely possible and potentially
This soft rebellion encourages communication, collaboration productive for our business.” >>
and the cross pollination of ideas.
As Dan Wieden, CEO of Wieden+Kennedy once said: “I want
spaces that help my staff lead surprising, audacious lives. This Idea generation needs to take
place in a risk free zone. And
will infect everything else we do.”

Think outside the polyhedron
Dylan Taylor, Creative Director of BMF, doesn’t think an agency
that can happen anywhere.
needs a special place for creative work. “You can have a great idea You can be brilliant in a tent.

Future Living | 23

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