I’ve long been drawn to Antartica. To start with I love the winter and cold weather but my attraction was also something about getting away from the chaos of everyday life and into a zen place. The definition of ‘zen’ I’m talking about is:

simplicity, naturalness, freedom from attachment, and tranquillity

On Sunday 14th February 2010 I got my opportunity and was part of a Qantas flight over that great white continent and it was wow! Like everything and nothing I imagined. We flew over it for about 4 hours and saw great expanses of snow, sheer ice cliffs, mountainous ranges and lots of blue blue sea. It was inspiring and mysterious at the same time and what I noticed as I looked at my fellow passengers was that we were all enjoying its bliss and uniqueness. We were also captivated by stories of early explorers and how they crossed such hard and difficult terrain.

Mind you, we paid good money and it confirmed for me that we are well and truly moving to an ‘experience economy’ with people wanting to spend hard-earned money on life rather than just stuff.

Often the experiences we try to create via urban design, place making and programming is about vibrancy and activity. I think we also need places that provide calm and sanctuary, where we can re-energise and find balance. In my experience these places can be created for low cost and in forgotten spaces between buildings with some imagination and by allowing nature in.

Rooftops really interest me too. On a recent trip to Melbourne I went to numerous rooftop small bars, up winding stairs being surprised by eclectic furniture, good drinks, interesting food offerings and the shapes of surrounding buildings framing the wide open sky…next time you’re there check out Campari beer garden in Hardware Lane and Siglo bar on Spring Street.