There for good, with Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz
Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz is Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Mirvac. She has extensive experience in Australia, the US, and Europe. Susan has been involved in the real estate industry for over 29 years, working in investment management in both the direct and indirect markets, development, mergers and acquisitions, disposals, research, and business strategy.
What do you love about cities?
What I really love about cities is the long arc of history that has led us to urban environments over millennia and the wealth and the knowledge that's been created by agglomeration is an unstoppable force. I really love a quote by the great Lord Richard Rogers:
"Cities are the heart of our culture, the engines of our economy and the birthplace of our civilization, but cities do not just happen. They are made."
I love the fact that we all have a role to play in the making of our cities.
What changes have you seen in cities over the past 20 years that matter the most to you?
There's much more sophisticated thinking about what really makes a place great. Offices are not just utilitarian, they are beautiful architectural places. We've become more vibrant around mixed use, around laneways and coffee shops, and micro bars. We’re not just thinking about the inner city as a workplace, but as something that's a lot more interconnected. The public realm has taken centre stage. We’re thinking about green spaces, in terms of open spaces within cities, and also rooftop gardens.
Tell us about a project you’ve worked on that has been most important to you?
I'm most proud of the creation of a third type of housing – Build to Rent. We were driven by the right for everybody to have a secure home, whether you own it or rent it. Everybody in Australia who has rented knows that it is a patchy experience at best, and it is certainly not secure. So, we built an apartment tower specifically for renters. We thought really hard about the customer proposition and what it would mean to curate a community and give people security, to be able to paint the wall, hang a picture, or own a pet. It's made an impact on a lot of people's lives already, and will have a deeper impact on many, many more.
What are the outcomes you strive for in every project?
We're very conscious that you can't unpick built form very easily. Once it's there, it's there for good or for evil for a very long time. We're very aware of that in every detail that goes into our projects… it’s not just about the building, but about the experience of the people in the building. We're thinking about the communities that we're creating and curating, and the experiences that we have to create for our customers.
“We’re very conscious that you can’t unpick built form very easily. Once it’s there, it’s there for good or for evil for a very long time. ”
To be a great ancestor for future generations, what does our sector need to focus on today?
To be a great ancestor, I think we need to recognize that the business of business is not just business. We have a responsibility – to the planet, to our communities, to all the stakeholders – to work together collaboratively to create better outcomes, so we can both protect the planet and make a positive contribution every day in the running of our businesses. The whole ecosystem – property companies, governments, councils, local communities – has to work together to create sustainable, connected, vibrant places. When that works, it's a beautiful thing to be a part of.
What's one piece of advice you would give to emerging urban leaders?
Put people at the absolute heart of everything that you do, whether that's in how you are running your company, how you are respecting the traditional owners of the land, or how you're thinking about the experiences of the people that will move through the spaces that you are creating. If you put people at the heart, good things will flow.
