Meet the presenters behind Everywhen: Environmental Sensing and the Songs, Shape and Intelligence of Water hosted by @groundedstudios + @REALMstudios as part of Melbourne Design Week 2026! Water, as a material, medium, and intelligence, is the focus of this panel exploring environmental sensing, intelligence systems, and spatial design. Beginning with a multisensory spatial experience of sound, scent and taste, we reflect on how design may flow, always in relation to water: adaptive, resonant and deeply interconnected. Emily Cox Co-founder of Grounded Studios, Emily centres relational knowledges and lived experience in design. She co-chairs the Architecture & Design Reconciliation Industry Network, and is a fierce advocate for truth-telling through practice. Jon Shinkfield Founding Director of REALMstudios. Landscape architect, researcher and author of the acclaimed 'Decolonising the Garden.' From water-sensitive cities to the Victorian coast, his work rewrites the relationship between landscape, people and Country. Dr Caroline McMillan Researcher, artist and technologist at the intersection of science, art and human-computer interaction. Her work spans sensory and experiential languages for design, robotics, and the ethics of how beings meet machines. Currently heads Innovation at Space Sensory Lab. Prof. Angie Abdilla Founder and director of Old Ways, New. A strategic designer, she created the Country Centred Design methodology, leading projects for the public and private sectors over the past decade. Her published research interrogates the praxis of Indigenous deeptime technologies and Artificial Intelligence, which continue to be informed by the Indigenous Protocols and AI working group (IP//AI). A globally recognised voice on the cultural ethics of automated futures. Join us Mon 18 May, 6–8pm at @groundedstudiosdesign , Brunswick. Link in bio to book. 🎟️ Melbourne Design Week is an initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. Explore the full program at designweek.melbourne #MelbourneDesignWeek #NGV @ngvmelbourne

COMING SOON! We are delighted to announce our upcoming event ‘Everywhen: Environmental Sensing and the Songs, Shape and Intelligence of Water’ as part of Melbourne Design Week 2026. Monday May 18 2026 Presented by REALMstudios and @groundedstudios at our Brunswick studio. Water, as a material and medium, guides a discussion among Emily Cox and Ahmad Abas of Grounded Studios, Jon Shinkfield (REALMstudios), Caroline McMillan (Space Sensory Lab), and our very special guest, Professor Angie Abdilla of Old Ways, New. We reflect on practices that span immersive environments and landscape design, through speculative robotics and space habitats, to critically explore environmental sensing and sensory data to understand life-dependent watery systems and the intelligence of water in design. From works that weave Indigenous Sky Knowledge with Western astrophysics for technologies as cultural practice, alongside restorative architectural practices, robotics designed for river health and the dynamics of water in spaceflight. To navigate the relationships between people and places, often in tension with notions of design futures that may never arrive, we explore ‘Everywhen’ temporalities. In this context, Everywhen describes a condition in which past, present and future meet at once and interweave notions of justice, sovereignty and care for Country. A spatial design experience engages the senses through sounds, scents and tastes to immerse in the landscape of water. We invite you to yarn with us and reflect on how design may flow, always in relation to water: adaptive, resonant and deeply interconnected. Tickets available now via the link in bio Image by REALMstudios. Postcards from the Future, National Gallery of Victoria as part of the Birrarung 2070 exhibit 2024. Melbourne Design Week is an initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. Explore the full program at designweek.melbourne @NGVMelbourne #MelbourneDesignWeek #NGV #EnvironmentalSensing #WaterIntelligence #EcologicalDesign #SpeculativeDesign #DesignFutures #CaringForCountry #LandscapeArchitecture #ImmersiveExperience #ArtAndScience #MelbourneEvents

What a delight to see stage 1a of Nairm Marr Djambana's vision so close to completion. One step further on the long journey towards the right spaces to support this incredible community here in Frankston. We have loved being a part of this over many years. The energy that people have put into this building, from the earliest yarns and visioning, master planning, designing, and construction - it is already buzzing with life before the coming handover! Big congratulations Aunty Deb Mellet AM and your wonderful team @nairmmarrdjambana . The support of @frankstoncity has been terrific. Construction by CA Property Group. Exciting updates to come as the landscaping completes, the fire is lit and the journey continues! With as ever the wonderful @realmstudios_

Last week we had a rewarding evening hosting a session as part of Brunswick Design District’s Open Studio Series. REALM's Jon Shinkfield and Emily Cox of @groundedstudiosdesign presented some insights about recent Country-led projects that prioritised de-colonialisation, deep listening to Traditional Owners and Aboriginal project partners, and design to support thriving native ecosystems and endemic species. As co-located studios, REALM and Grounded collaborate often on projects, with both practices enriched by cross-disciplinary inquiry and by the diverse experience of our people. Thank you to @rmituniversity , @merri_bekcitycouncil and @creative_vic for recognising and celebrating the depth of creative talent and knowledge found within Brunswick! 📸 slides 1, 2, 3, 8 @andrew.sicilia slides 5, 6 @arorygardiner slide 7 @peterbbennetts #CountryLedDesign #HealingCountry #DecolonisingDesign #CaringForCountry #RegenerativeDesign #NativeEcosystems #LandscapeArchitecture #UrbanEcology #SustainableDesign #CoDesign #AustralianDesign #BrunswickDesignDistrict #CreativeVictoria

Join us for an evening of creativity and connection as two leading local studios open their doors to share their design process, projects, and insights. Featuring Grounded Studios and REALMstudios; architecture and landscape architecture practices that frequently collaborate to integrate built form and landscape design into a seamless, unified design response. Their work explores a relational understanding of Aboriginal Country, moving beyond land stewardship, acknowledgment, and mere ‘inclusion’ toward a regenerative practice that supports social and environmental ecologies to strengthen and thrive. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at their collaborative approach to architecture and landscape design — and a chance to mingle with other local creatives over light refreshments. If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, there’s still time — but spots are limited! Date: Tuesday 18 November Time: 5.00 - 6.30pm Location: Grounded Studios & REALMstudios, 1/216 Albion Street, Brunswick Link in bio The BDD is facilitated by a partnership between RMIT University, Merri-bek City Council and Creative Victoria. Photo: Moondani Balluk, Victoria University, Footscray Park, shot by Aaron Walker.

With school holidays rolling around again (already!) it must be time to share some beautiful moments from the @freshwatercreeksteinerschool new classrooms. Pics from practical completion at the end of term 2!! The recycled turpentine is radiant! This gorgeous timber was formerly a pier and has been recovered from the water, dried, and repurposed as cladding and decking by @timberzoo , then finished with @grimesandsons timber oil. In the mud room, handcrafted pegs by Evan Hardie are irresistible to touch. Made from locally sourced timber offcuts, each peg is a different species — designed to spark children’s curiosity about the natural variations in wood. Custom tiles by @sanctuary_makers add subtle notes of colour that sit in harmony with the school’s palette, while the rest of the finishes are kept simple — a calm backdrop ready for the explosion of colour, texture, and movement that students bring. Huge thanks to everyone at @freshwatercreeksteinerschool and the team at Melbcon for working closely with us to bring this special place to life.

We support the City of Melbourne's draft plan to embed First Nations partnerships, knowledges and connection to Country in planning, infrastructure and cultural development in the city. This is an important time to speak up. Public consultation on the plan is open until 21 September. Go to melbourne.vic.gov.au to view the plan. The recording of the FMC 19 August meeting is also available. You may also wish to comment on matters relating to increasing police presence and restricting protests in the city. It is a privilege to work on beautiful, powerful, ancient Wurundjeri Country. Always will be Aboriginal land.

Excited to be joining the panel for EMaGEN Vic's next Talk To Me on Understanding Country next Wednesday 6 August at narm ngarrgu Library. With reflections on the ways that Country might trouble and improve our practice in the built environment. Link in bio for more details and tix.

Truth. All of these beautiful people turning up for justice. Truth is the reality of where we are. It is not the background. 'The time of not knowing is over'. Travis Lovett and the incredible mob holding such strength, grace and power - this is a future to get behind. #walkfortruth #yoorook

We are very excited to welcome our panel and guests tomorrow to Fumbling towards change: reimagining built environment practice through shared responsibility and collective care. Emily Cox and Holly Farley will co-host this conversation with our wonderful panel @kathy_waghorn , Libby Porter and Matt Campbell. Tickets have sold out! We look forward to sharing some moments of the night which promises to be a rich conversation between our panel and guests. Thanks Melbourne Design Week, @ngvmelbourne and big shout out to our studio co-hosts @realmstudios_ for support to open up our studio and share this deep dive. Emily is a Naarm-based designer and Director of Grounded Studios. Emily’s research-led practice brings relational ethics into design processes that are grounded in the connections between people and place. Working collaboratively, thinking critically, and working into systemic cracks to foster regeneration is a common thread linking Emily’s work in design, education and research, community development and advocacy. Melbourne Design Week is an initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. #MelbourneDesignWeek #NGV

We look forward to hearing from Matt Campbell and guests at this week's Melbourne Design Week conversation, Fumbling towards change: imagining built environment practice through shared responsibility and collective care. Co-hosted by Emily Cox and Holly Farley, we are super excited to take a deep dive with Matt, Kathy Waghorn and Libby Porter, into what it means to fumble with change and find unexpected joy. Dr Matthew Campbell is a lecturer in Treaty at The University of Melbourne. His interest is in the political and epistemic aspects of situations where Indigenous and non-Indigenous people come together. He is interested in how issues of responsibility, accountability and ethics arise within inter-institutional work, and how they configure the work that people do. Thanks as ever to our wonderful studio co-hosts @realmstudios_ #MelbourneDesignWeek #NGV #HomeLanguage @kathy_waghorn @monasharchitecture @NGVMelbourne

The fabulous Holly Farley - co-host of our Melbourne Design Week event Fumbling Towards Change: Reimagining Built Environment Practice Through Shared Responsibility and Collective Care. I can't wait to lean in to this conversation with our panel of guests next week @kathy_waghorn Waghorn, Libby Porter, and Matthew Campbell. Three tickets left! Link in bio. #NGV #MelbourneDesignWeek #Home Language Big thanks @realmstudios_ , our fabulous studio co-hosts.