Heritage under threat: The role of activists

Research background: ‘Heritage under threat: The role of activists’ was a commissioned article published in 'Architecture Australia' in 2021. The article was a critical reflection on the role of activists in aiding to protect more recent architectural heritage sites within Australia. The article examined the role of community activists in steering decisions around protecting recent heritage, expanding on the work of international heritage scholars such as Professor Jorge Otero-Pailos (Columbia University) and Professor Hannah Lewi (University of Melbourne). Research significance: ‘Heritage under threat: The role of activists’ was published within 'Architecture Australia', one of Australia's leading magazines about architecture. The magazine has been in print in various forms and under various names for over 100 years. It was first published in 1905 and is now an important part of design discourse. Research contribution: In line with contemporary theorists and academics like Jeremy Till and Jane Rendell, ‘Heritage under threat: The role of activists’ aligns with the notion of writing as an expanded form of practice beyond the built form and into the realm of ideas, ethics and reflection. This debate stems from a current questioning of the role of architecture within the contemporary climate that has inspired architects to experiment in non-traditional methods of practice.