Anthony Burke's By Design

With bushfire season almost upon us, would your home survive a fire? From the most appropriate exterior cladding to structural tweaks, we explore the best ways to build and retrofit fire-resilient homes.

From the running track to the runway, sneakers have become the world's most popular shoes. We explore the history of the sneaker, from its earliest designs to the styles worn by millions today.

We've been building houses for over 200 years, but do our buildings truly belong in their landscape? Designing with Country is a First Nations framework for understanding and shaping place, but when applied to the built environment it opens up a new way of thinking about design and what it can bring to communities.

The most powerful technology on your face isn’t a smartphone. From the earliest magnifying lenses to pince-nez and today’s designer frames, spectacles have transformed the lives of billions. Once reserved for monks, scholars and the wealthy, glasses gradually became one of the world’s most accessible and empowering technologies. We trace the fascinating design evolution of eyewear and discover how a tool for correcting vision became a global fashion statement.

Can we build homes on toxic land? There are an estimated 200,000 contaminated sites across Australia, most of them within city limits. As the housing crisis deepens, could cleaning up former industrial land unlock space for new homes? And how do you even do it?

There is evidence that chopsticks existed in the Neolithic period. That's around 10,000 years of evolution in design. From a cooking tool to a symbol of status, identity and social customs, the chopstick has remained a tried-and-tested utensil, but what do its various evolutions say about the people who used it and the times they lived in?

Robots are moving beyond the factory and into the home. From vacuum cleaners to companion robots, how might domestic robots reshape housing design, and are our homes ready for what's next?

Protecting our skin from the sun is a design challenge that spans centuries. From glacier cream to Slip! Slop! Slap!, how has sunscreen evolved to meet changing lifestyles, technologies and health concerns?

The decisions made after a disaster can shape a community for generations. A month after devastating floods tore through Nepal, more than 5,000 people are still missing. As Nepal moves from emergency relief to long-term recovery, what role can architecture play in rebuilding communities and reducing future risk?

Cradles with holes in them, moss and safety pins: all of these items played a part in keeping babies dry and clean across different cultures and centuries. Modern nappies rely on sophisticated absorbent technology, but how did our ancestors keep their babies dry? And could any of their methods work today?

Is the air you breathe at home safe? Mould, ventilation and temperature all have a significant impact on our health, and our homes control the quality of the air we breathe. So how can design make our homes healthier and safer?

It’s a human-sized booth that creates long-lasting memories. The photo booth was first invented in the late 1800s, but it’s gone on to record thousands of moments: from friendships to lovers and even as tickets to adventures overseas. But in a digital age, why are they enjoying a resurgence?

Bunkers aren't just for leaders. Long before the White House expansion, some nations were building underground shelters for civilians. How do they function, how long could people survive in them, and does Australia have any shelters capable of protecting us in a crisis?

Before electric refrigeration, how did we keep our food from spoiling? Most Australians didn’t have access to a fridge until the 1950s, so how did people battle the heat and insects before then? From the Coolgardie safe to the smart fridges of today, the evolution of refrigeration in Australia is a fascinating story.

Necessity drives innovation. As conflict and climate pressures displace millions creating safe, dignified places to live has become an urgent global challenge. What can wealthy nations learn from architects working with fewer resources? The Aga Khan Award for Architecture seeks out design projects that improve lives, through creative, human-centred architecture.

Despite the invention of many new technologies, the book still thrives. From ancient codecs to today’s lightweight paperbacks the written word has found its way into many hands, thanks to the evolution of its design. And even while e-books and audio books flood the market, the hard copy remains a popular option for many.

With information at our fingertips today, why do we still have libraries? While the internet and personal computers mean we can access pretty much what we want, when we want it – technology can’t give us what we truly crave: connection and community. Libraries today have to work much harder to create a space that serves diverse community needs – but with innovative design these spaces are being reimagined into something much more than repositories for books.

It's small enough to fit in a pocket, but lipstick has left an outsized mark on history. Far from being a simple beauty product, it has symbolised privilege, protest, glamour and independence across centuries and cultures.

In Scandinavia, nature is the ultimate design guide. Clean lines, light-filled spaces and a seamless connection to the outdoors are hallmarks of the region's architecture. Award-winning Norwegian architect Kjetil Thorsen from Snøhetta talks about what feeds into the unique approach to design in Scandinavia and the ultimate inspiration: nature.

Where would you prefer to age: in an institution or your own home? The recent Four Corners episode The Waiting Game investigated how the current aged care system is failing thousands of Australians who want to stay in their own home as they age. It’s a dire situation with many vulnerable older people being left in precarious scenarios. But what if good design could make ageing in place easier, safer and more comfortable? Guest: Professor Phillippa Carnemolla, School of Architecture and Built Environment at the University of Technology Sydney