City North Activation Challenge: 37 projects and growing

The 14 selected projects for 2025 showcase RMIT’s collaborative, transdisciplinary approach to renewing the City North Social Innovation Precinct and addressing some of the most pressing societal challenges of our time.

Together, the 2025 projects represent a diverse mix of interventions, experiments and ideas aimed at creating a more inclusive and regenerative future, locally and globally. They span inclusive food systems, urban regeneration and climate resilience, digital skills and storytelling, intercultural connection, and Indigenous truth-telling.

These projects reflect the breadth and depth of social innovation emerging across RMIT. They amplify the power of collaboration between staff, students and community partners, demonstrating how creative, cross-disciplinary approaches can respond to complex challenges and deliver real-world impact.

Importantly, the Activation Challenge builds on strong momentum from previous years. In 2024 alone, a further 23 projects were supported through the City North Activation Challenge. Together with the 14 projects selected for 2025, this brings the total to 37 projects supported to date, with more activity and collaboration to come.

Readers can explore the full range of projects supported in 2024 in the City North Activation Compendium, which captures the diversity, experimentation and impact of work already underway across the precinct.

👉 Read the City North Activation Compendium

As part of RMIT’s broader City North Social Innovation Precinct strategic priority, the 2025 projects continue to activate the precinct and its urban landscape as a living lab. They test new approaches to lifelong learning, inclusive community development and place-based innovation, while building on decades of excellence in Vocational Education and industry-engaged practice already established in City North.

The projects also offer a tangible way to explore how RMIT’s emerging Master Plan vision and goals can be realised through the work of its community. This vision seeks to create inclusive, innovative and sustainable places and spaces, guided by regenerative principles and closely aligned with the objectives of the City North Activation Challenge.

International force for change

RMIT’s City North Activation Challenge has gained international recognition through its selection in the Inspiring Solutions Programme of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP). It is one of 10 finalists being celebrated at IASP’s World Conference in Beijing this September.

This acknowledgement highlights the global relevance of RMIT’s work in skills-led urban renewal, innovation ecosystem building and inclusive community development, positioning City North as a model for place-based social innovation on the world stage.

🎥 Watch a video about the IASP finalists.

2025 City North Activation Challenge projects

The selected projects span every corner of RMIT, from STEM to the arts, each contributing a distinct perspective to the broader City North vision. Together, they represent the future of collaboration, experimentation and community engagement within the precinct.

Project 1: Reworlding – Cardigan Commons

Program lead: Troy Innocent – College of DSC
This project transforms Cardigan Street into a living lab for urban climate resilience, using play to reimagine how communities can adapt in Naarm by 2050. Building on Indigenous knowledge and regenerative design, a two-day public event will engage participants in creating climate-responsive urban spaces through storytelling and collaboration.

Project 2: City North Food Festival

Program lead: Helen Addison-Smith – Education Portfolio
This multi-day event addresses food insecurity by fostering creativity and collaboration. It reimagines how to eat well amid rising costs and environmental challenges through shared meals, rescued produce and workshops. A key highlight is an event providing 2,000 free meals, bringing together students, artists and food justice groups to explore sustainable food access in City North.

Project 3: We Care x STORYBOX

Program lead: Sarah Barns – College of DSC
Building on a successful 2024 pilot, this project transforms Cardigan Street into a platform for care and connection. Using digital storytelling and public space media, it explores themes of belonging and social care through video portraits and STORYBOX installations, while testing a civic evaluation framework for public space engagement.

Project 4: Innovative Frontiers – Enhancing Experiences via Technology

Program leads: James Harland & Robert Shen – STEM College
This project explores how AI and mixed reality can foster curiosity and connection in urban environments. Through the deployment of a humanoid robot and immersive experiences, it showcases City North as a smart precinct and tests inclusive approaches to public engagement with emerging technologies.

Project 5: Re:Vision

Program lead: Darren Brown – College of VE
Re:Vision is a creative placemaking project that challenges cultural and racial stereotyping in Melbourne’s media. Drawing on community voices, international student perspectives and media analysis, it produces public artworks and installations that offer counter-narratives and encourage cross-cultural exchange.

Project 6: Biocultural Urban Realms

Program lead: David Rousell – College of DSC
Blending ecology, technology and culture, this project reimagines urban green spaces through a biocultural lens. In partnership with Guardians of Earth, it creates a digital ‘realm’ for City North where the community can map biodiversity, share stories and take nature-positive action.

Project 7: Student Food Security Co-op Pilot

Program lead: Anna McLeod – Education Portfolio
Addressing the growing issue of student food insecurity, this project establishes a student-run co-op providing 400 free meals each week. It experiments with inclusive, empowering food relief models that place students at the centre of solution design and delivery.

Project 8: Building Bridges – Interfaith Relationships

Program lead: Jonathan Kolieb – College of Business and Law
Through facilitated interfaith luncheons, this project fosters dialogue, understanding and connection across cultural and religious differences. It aims to strengthen social cohesion and build trust across the diverse communities of City North.

Project 9: Future Memorials Lab – First Nations

Program lead: Amy Spiers – College of DSC
This project reimagines how urban spaces can support Indigenous truth-telling and healing. By working with First Nations artists and leaders, it creates opportunities to develop new commemorative works that address the legacy of colonialism and imagine shared futures.

Project 10: Circular Cities Showcase

Program leads: Akvan Gajanayake – College of DSC & Caitlin Phillips-Peddelsden – Policy, Strategy and Impact
A five-day showcase promoting clean technologies and circular economy innovation, this project connects RMIT researchers, startups and industry partners, positioning City North as a testbed and exemplar for sustainable urban renewal.

Project 11: Southeast Asia Clean Economy Workforce Action Plan

Program leads: Bri Wood-Ingram & Kristen Bondietti – Policy, Strategy and Impact
Anchored by RMIT’s Asia Hub, this project develops a regional action plan to support clean economy skills and workforce mobility across Southeast Asia, strengthening cross-border collaboration and positioning City North within global clean economy innovation networks.

Project 12: Master of Architecture Design Studio

Program lead: Patrick Macasaet – College of DSC
This design studio explores future civic and environmental possibilities for City North through speculative architecture. Students integrate Indigenous knowledge, emerging technologies and regenerative design to create prototypes and simulations that engage the public and support long-term climate resilience.

Project 13: Empowering Senior Voices in City North

Program lead: Bernardo Figueiredo – College of Business and Law
Using participatory storytelling and the Our Voice methodology, this project amplifies the perspectives of older adults in City North. Seniors become active civic advocates, fostering intergenerational connection and contributing to more inclusive urban environments.

Project 14: Digital Storytelling Studio

Program lead: Clare Dyson – Education Portfolio
This project establishes an inclusive storytelling hub that empowers marginalised communities and RMIT students to develop digital skills and share their stories. Through workshops and coaching, it builds digital confidence, cultural safety and more inclusive neighbourhoods.

Want to learn more?

Explore the City North Activation Compendium to discover the 23 projects supported in 2024, or get in touch with the City North Activation team at city.north@rmit.edu.au.