In-Conversation with David Holmgren

With RMIT University & Symbiocene Institute

Join David Holmgren, Australian environmental designer, ecological educator, and writer in a one-hour conversation exploring the notion of the Symbiocene. David will reflect on the origins and evolution of permaculture and how it is, in many ways, a founding expression of symbiotic thinking in practice.

The Symbiocene is a concept first proposed by Australian eco-philosopher Dr. Glenn Albrecht in 2016. It offers a compelling vision of what lies beyond the Anthropocene. Where the Anthropocene has been defined by human dominance and the extraction and degradation of natural systems, the Symbiocene is its antithesis: an era in which human culture, technology, and economy are shaped by, and in service of, the interconnected web of life on Earth. A time, as Albrecht describes it, when life works with life to further life, so that all can thrive.

Holmgren is best known as co-originator, alongside Bill Mollison, of permaculture: a design philosophy that draws on the patterns and principles of natural ecosystems to create sustainable human settlements, food systems, and communities. Where conventional design so often works against nature, permaculture works with it, treating the living world not as a resource to be managed but as a teacher to learn from.

As well as immersion in the practical side of permaculture, David is passionate about the philosophical and conceptual foundations for sustainability, which is the focus of his Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability (2002/2017). This book has been a significant influence on permaculture thinking and the development of Transition Initiatives around the world. His Future Scenarios work has seen him recognised as a significant thinker about the ‘Energy Descent’ future. RetroSuburbia: the downshifter’s guide to a resilient future (2018) is his 592-page manual showing how Australians can downshift and retrofit their homes, gardens and selves for resilience into an uncertain future.

Please note your ticket to In-conversation with David Holmgren does not include entry to It’s 2100. Welcome to the Symbiocene.

Before attending In-conversation with David Holmgren, join guest speakers for It’s 2100. Welcome to the Symbiocene.

Learn more about It’s 2100. Welcome to the Symbiocene 

Purchase tickets to both It’s 2100. Welcome to the Symbiocene and In-conversation with David Holmgren to receive a 10% discount.

This program is part of Melbourne Design Week 2026. View the full program 

Speakers

Ewan McEoin, Senior Curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture
David Holmgren, environmental designer, writer, and co-originator, of permaculture.

At the NGV International Great Hall Ground Level

Access

Everyone is welcome at the NGV. We offer a range of accessible resources, facilities, and events. For information, visit our Access webpage or phone; 8620 2222 between 9am-5pm.