Tower construction experts from all over the world will gather in Melbourne in March 2017 as the city plays host to the first ever Smart Skyscrapers Summit.

Delegates to the premiere event will hear leading international and local professionals discuss cutting edge advances and developments in skyscraper building and design. Speakers will use case studies from abroad, including Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, to pave the way for improvements in current practice within Australian high-rise construction.

The Summit will proactively address the issues at the forefront of tall building design, high rise engineering, urban planning, property growth, green solutions and liveability in Australia, with a view to directly shape the future of the Australian skyline in years to come through smart, sustainable innovations.

A range of Australia’s tallest and most futuristic towers will be profiled at the Summit as principal designers, architects, engineers and consultants involved in skyscraper projects across the country make their presentations.

One of the highlights of the Summit will be the review of the green skyscraper at Sydney’s One Central Park by Senior Associate Mark Giles of PTW Architects, whose presentation will discuss the sustainable design concepts behind the tallest vertical garden in the world.

Australia 108, set to overtake the Eureka Tower as Australia’s tallest residential skyscraper by 2019, will be profiled as the Southern Hemisphere’s only building with 100 storeys by Founding Director of Fender Katsalidis, Karl Fender, who played a major role in the design of both projects.

Education specialist Peter Lippman will bring his expertise in education design and extensive experience working in the US, Europe and Australia to the Summit with a presentation on the rise of vertical schools in Australia.

The agenda will also feature Director of Supertall Building Technology, Peter A. Weismantle at Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill Architecture LLP as he examines architectural design for a new generation of supertall buildings; Partner and Design Director Claude Godefroy of Henning Larsen Architects based in Hong Kong, who will track the challenges of extending the public realm into the sky; Director Alistair Guthrie of Arup, who has helped create some of the world’s best architecture, and will discuss sustainable design for high rise buildings; and Architect and Partner at 3XN Fred Holt, who will discuss innovative design for Sydney’s 49-storey Quay Quarter Tower.

Senior Lecturer Dr Philip Oldfield from the University of New South Wales’ (UNSW) Built Environment faculty will consider the high-rise apartment boom sweeping Australia and its impact on cites. Additionally, Architectus Managing Director Ray Brown will examine the award-winning 1 Bligh skyscraper in Sydney, which has set a benchmark for environmental design.

The two-day Summit offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with industry leaders, knowledge share and network across a wide array of sectors, including design, architecture, engineering, supply, planning and government spheres.

The Australian Smart Skyscrapers Summit will take place on the 28th and 29th of March 2017 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.