At HIP V. HYPE’s Parklife 2 building, About Futures and B Local Melbourne hosted a relaxed but pointed conversation about regenerative design – covering nature-positive decisions, material selection, social connection and how stories can help shape how we build.
On a Melbourne spring evening that finally delivered some sunshine, a full house gathered at HIP V. HYPE’s Parklife 2 building in Brunswick for a conversation on what a truly regenerative design future could look like.
Hosted by About Futures with support from B Local Melbourne and HIP V. HYPE as event partner, the night brought together designers, architects and impact-led businesses to explore how the built environment can respond to climate change.
Inside the Better Building Exchange, guests eased into the night, mingling in the warehouse space that will soon be the site for HIP V. HYPE’s latest multi-residential development.
Tactile displays of hemp panel products and plants by Adam Ascenzo from Exzibit Design and Brunswick Nursery were dotted around the space, inviting people to touch, and talk through how bio-based materials might shift the way we think about structure and insulation.
The panel talk was a highlight. Moderated by Alice Blackwood (Director, AB Storytelling), the discussion brought together:
- Aleesha Callahan, founder of About Futures,
- Marnie Hawson, architectural photographer and founder of Business of Biodiversity,
- Katya Crema, Head of Sales and Customer Journey at HIP V HYPE, and
- Patrick Kelly, architect at Breathe.
Aleesha spoke about the role of storytelling in shifting culture – how narratives help people grasp the urgency and emotional connection to a regenerative future, and why material choices are often one of the most powerful threads.
Marnie reframed the conversation around biodiversity, offering practical steps for individuals and businesses: moving to more ethical, climate-conscious banks, paying attention to where money sleeps at night, and adopting a ‘nature positive’ mindset in day-to-day decisions, not just big-ticket projects.
Katya shared how HIP V. HYPE has treated each apartment building as a live prototype over the years – actually living in the developments, running rigorous post-occupancy evaluations, and continually refining how they build each project. She described their Venn diagram approach to materials and products – trying to find ones that sit at the intersection of cost, quality and sustainability.
Patrick spoke to Breathe’s ongoing commitment to doing better with each project – integrating nature into dense urban environments, but also foregrounding social connection as a core design driver. He emphasised that architecture needs more collaborators at the table: from landscape designers and social researchers to community members and future residents.
