Porous Cities | Kotchakorn Voraakhom
Arts centres, canal gardens and water-collecting parks feature in this conversation on architecture and landscape design for delta and flood-prone cities.
Flooding, rising sea levels and subsiding land are some of the most pressing consequences of climate change affecting cities in our region. Solutions for these complex issues require collaborative, cross-disciplinary and cultural strategies that help cities adapt to these changes. This presentation and discussion, featuring leading Thai landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom, explores major urban projects responding to flooding in New Orleans, Bangkok and Sydney.
Featuring:
Kotchakorn Voraakhom
Kotchakorn Voraakhom is a Bangkok-based landscape architect and founder of Landprocessand Porous City Network, two organisations dedicated to living in flood-prone urban environments. She earned a Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design. Voraakhom’s work focuses on climate adaptation and equitable green infrastructure, creating parks and public spaces that help cities live with water as a part of urban life. Her notable projects include Chong Nonsi Canal Park, Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park and Thammasat University Urban Rooftop Farm. She has been recognised by the United Nations, Time, BBC and Bloomberg for her leadership in climate-resilient design and the future of civic space.
Professor Elizabeth Mossop
Professor Elizabeth Mossop is academic director of Living Lab Northern Rivers, an organisation established in response to the floods in 2022, to unite local communities and experts in developing impactful solutions to climate-related challenges. Mossop was involved in the post-hurricane reconstruction of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. She is also a director of SMM, a leading practice of landscape architecture and urban design, with offices in Sydney and New Orleans. SMM designs landscape strategies that respond to ecological, cultural and economic contexts.
John Choi
John Choi is co-founder and director of architectural practice CHROFI. Choi designed the Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA) building in regional NSW which aims to ‘transform a 3000-square-metre timber factory into a flood-resistant and flexible community space’. Choi is a recipient of the Jørn Utzon Award for International Architecture, and served as Adjunct Professor of Architecture at University of Sydney.
Phillip Birtles
Phillip Birtles leads the conceptual design of Sydney Water’s infrastructure for Western Sydney, including the Bradfield City Centre. With a focus on future-facing, integrated systems, he has played a key role in shaping Sydney Water’s new approach to water service provision across the region. His work bridges big-picture planning and on-the-ground design to support sustainable growth in one of Australia’s fastest developing areas.
