Design capability continues to flourish in Victoria

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"Natural systems can, and should, exist and flourish in urbanised environments; healthy cities are ones where nature is prioritised, dominant, and central to our experience."

Julie Slifirski View Profile

Having worked on some of Victoria’s most significant cultural and environmental projects – including the Geelong Waterfront Redevelopment and the Westgate Bridge Memorial Park – Julie is committed to design excellence and maintains that good design recognises the relationship between constructed environments and ecology, while treating the interplay sensitively.

With specialist skills in ecologically driven planning, urban agriculture, connecting Country to city, place-based design, and innovative design practice, she also believes in collaborating with artists and story tellers to provide unique expression to the built form.

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"It is a big coup to have someone of Julie’s calibre, experience and reputation joining us in the Victorian market. She is extremely skilled, passionate, intuitive yet strategic, and a very big advocate for the benefits of collaboration across disciplines – the perfect fit for Urbis."

Natalie Hoitz View Profile

Another special interest of Julie’s is Designing for Country, and she is currently co-designing a course for practitioners which provides non-Indigenous Australians with a valid lens for caring for Country through ecocentric practice.

Commenting on her appointment, Julie said “Urbis is a collective of thinkers and I value people who think laterally, are innovative, and ambitious to make a contribution. The opportunities for interdisciplinary learning across design, environment, economics and planning within Urbis are vast, and together with my talented team, I cannot wait to offer this value to our clients and make a positive difference.”