'Designing Out Waste' Panel Event (MDW 2026)

As Australia confronts the environmental impacts of its built environment, responsible for almost 40% of the nation's annual waste, the design community faces a critical opportunity to shape a better legacy. End-of-lease commercial de-fits, often treated as routine demolition, offer a powerful moment to rethink value, regenerate resources and design the world we want for the decades ahead.

Building on the success of our Sydney and Brisbane launches, BVN is hosting this event for Melbourne Design Week, which situates the De-fit Guidelines for Commercial Fitouts within the broader evolution of Australian design. Authored by BVN with contributions from FTD Circular, these free and open-source guidelines champion a shift from extractive, linear building practices to approaches that replenish material streams, extend product lifespans and support a thriving circular economy.

Hosted at 181 William 'The Meeting Place' in the Melbourne CBD, a recently completed BVN project that has put principles from the guide into practice, the event will open with provocations from BVN's guide authors and design leaders. They will explore how a de-fit-over-demolition mindset can reframe the legacy of commercial interiors by transforming waste-producing endpoints into new beginnings. Attendees will be introduced to the De-fit Kit, a practical suite of tools and methodologies to help clients, designers, builders and project managers conserve resources, recover local materials and embed stewardship into project delivery.

Moderated by Principal Sally Campbell, BVN Architecture, a panel of industry practitioners spanning construction, material recovery and circular marketplaces will examine the future of de-fit. Discussions will consider how new technologies, asset audits, material exchanges and circular procurement models can strengthen local manufacturing, expand access to recycled resources and rebalance human–nature relations through smarter material decisions.

Closing with real-world case studies, implementation guidance and audience questions, the session invites Melbourne's design community to lead Australia's next chapter, where commercial spaces are conceived, occupied and de-fitted in ways that honour present needs and the legacy we leave for tomorrow.

This 90-minute discussion will take place on Wednesday evening, 20 May, beginning at 5.30pm (6:00pm start), at the site of one of our transformed GPT Space&Co fitouts, 181 William 'The Meeting Place'. A culmination of a decade-long relationship of fine-tuning the co-working model and the thirteenth site designed by BVN for GPT Space&Co. The project represents the final piece of a broader precinct master plan delivering high-tech, fully serviced meeting and event spaces that ignite creativity and inspire collaboration. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore the space and experience these principles in practice before and following the panel discussion.

This event welcomes anyone interested in architecture, design, city-making, and the circular economy; whether a seasoned professional, property developer, potential collaborator, builder, or MDW attendees curious about the subject. Diverse perspectives will enrich this conversation.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

GPT Space&Co 181 William St, 181 William Street, Melbourne, Australia

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