Events
School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne
Featured events
University of Melbourne Open Day 2024
Ever wondered how detection dogs are trained? Want to see a working foundry in action? What about discovering how dancers incorporate motion capture into their craft?
At Open Day, you can experience it all. Choose from more than 400 in-person experiences – from workshops to expos, exhibitions to performances – and deep dive into life at Melbourne.
What’s on at Open Day:
- Chat to our academics, Future Student teams and current students to learn more about your study options and the exciting careers they could lead to
- Get a feel for campus life by exploring the spaces you’ll be learning in, including our labs, libraries, galleries and other specialist facilities
- Learn how our curriculum works, including how you can combine your passions and strengths to set yourself apart for whichever career you choose
- Explore our range of student accommodation facilities and the social activities and study support on offer.
Register now and start planning your Open Day experience.
Climatic architecture
Architecture and urbanism were traditionally based on climate and health, with exposure to wind and sun, and variations in temperature and humidity influencing the forms of cities and buildings. These fundamental aspects of urban planning and architecture were largely ignored in the second half of the 20th century due to the widespread use of fossil fuels, which have contributed to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
The fight against climate change now compels architects and urban designers to seriously reconsider climatic factors in their designs, emphasising greater consideration of the local climate and energy resources. In the face of the 21st century’s climatic challenges, we propose resetting our discipline to focus on its intrinsic atmospheric qualities. Air, light, heat, and humidity are real building materials, and convection, thermal conduction, evaporation, emissivity, and effusivity should become design tools for shaping architecture and cities. Through dialectical materialism, we can revolutionise aesthetic and social values.
Philippe Rahm is the 2024 Treseder Fellow at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, and we are grateful for the generous ongoing support of the Robert Garland Treseder Fellowship.