UDF is a non-profit organisation supporting public interest urban design outcomes in Australian cities. The forum’s objectives include: creating a supportive network of urban designers and allied professionals; knowledge-sharing around best-practice urbanism; and advocacy for better education, systems and outcomes.

Woods Bagot Regional Urban Design Leader Heinz von Eckartsberg has been re-elected as Joint President alongside UrbanFold founding director Rebecca Finn.

The incoming committee will serve a two-year term from 2025–2027, with the objective of inspiring the urban design community through passion and expertise.

According to von Eckartsberg, the purpose of the forum is to serve as a reliable source of knowledge-sharing and support for urban practitioners with an active industry presence, advocating for best-practice outcomes through planning reform.

“As a peak body advocating for public interest outcomes, we see our role as threefold,” says von Eckartsberg. “Firstly, being a strong voice that advocates government alongside other institutes for coordinated, well designed, contextually responsive development. Secondly, providing a forum for conversations and knowledge-sharing that furthers the industry’s ability to promote these goals. And thirdly, being stewards and mentors to emerging urban designers by providing learning opportunities and mentorship throughout the year.”

This recent election marks von Eckartsberg’s second term as joint president, before which he served a previous tenure as vice president. Von Eckartsberg thanked the outgoing committee for their passion and expertise over the last twelve months, which helped strengthen the forum as a trustworthy platform for advocating for cities and their inhabitants.

“The exiting committee has achieved so much over the past year, including updating our strategies, developing a range of public and member events and programs, and advocating for better urban design through government submissions,” says von Eckartsberg. “During our previous term, my proudest achievement was growing our organisation’s membership and influence, being involved in over advocacy ten submissions to government and working with amazing people including my joint president, Katherine Sundermann.”  

The new committee members are: Heinz von Eckartsberg (Joint President), Rebecca Finn (Joint President), Brendan Baxter (Vice President, Secretary), William Priestley (Treasurer), Andy Fergus, Bianca Elenćevski, Elisa Casagrande, Daniel Boesen, Hayden Brown, Kim Delbridge, Luisa Schettino, Mrunal Venkatakrishnan.

For more information visit the Urban Design Forum website.

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Isla Sutherland
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