DRI Future Fabric of Cities 2011

Vivian Mitsogianni was the founding research leader for the Future Fabric of Cities Flagship program in the RMIT Design Research Institute (2009-2013), one of three Flagship research program in the DRI.

This document captures a snapshot of the DRI Future Fabric of Cities (FFC) research in 2011.  The mission was to support activities and projects that would start to define what the DRI Future Fabric of Cities research is and to focus primarily on bringing researchers to RMIT who could assist with the research projects.

The projects in the Future Fabric of Cities Flagship explore innovative propositions around the questions that arise in the future design of cities.  These questions are approached from a range of perspective and scales, both physical and virtual, but share a concern for venturous project-based research and research through design.  The research is concentrated in four main areas: Emerging Environments, Urban Investigations and Approaches, Advanced technologies and the Urban Realm, and Design Process and Modes of Exploration.

The research in the FFC Flagship is transdisciplinary with strong links to Industry as well as strong local and international connections.  These connections have developed over time in the DRI programs and as knowledge is shared and developed across the DRI FFC membership which spans from Early Career Researchers to the Professoriate.  The research produced has been in partnership with Industry and other joint partners and sponsors and with contribution from local, national and international collaborators.  Two Flagship Colloquium events were held this year that brought DRI FFC researchers together with researchers and leaders from across RMIT including from all 3 RMIT academic colleges.  In addition DRI FFC Researchers contributed to DRI’s strategic initiatives including assisting with the RMIT led CRC Designing Better Cities and Regional Centres, the ‘Deep Practice: Deepening knowledge and innovation through design practice symposium’ convened by Prof Mark Burry and Dr Terry Cutler and the third annual Design Challenge which focused on ‘Homelessness’.