Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds: Designing Everyday Modernism for Australian Communities 1920-1970. This cross-disciplinary project will construct an historical account of the interconnections between the network of governmental policies and initiatives promoting a healthy and educated citizenry, and the design and use of modern, municipal architecture in mid-century Australia. Detailed analysis of modern building types, from around the nation, including kindergartens, sporting facilities, swimmin ....Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds: Designing Everyday Modernism for Australian Communities 1920-1970. This cross-disciplinary project will construct an historical account of the interconnections between the network of governmental policies and initiatives promoting a healthy and educated citizenry, and the design and use of modern, municipal architecture in mid-century Australia. Detailed analysis of modern building types, from around the nation, including kindergartens, sporting facilities, swimming pools, child health clinics, libraries and community centres will constitute an original and important resource for historians, conservationists and architects. Historical findings will inform directions and lessons for future practice in the design, planning and conservation of community infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Remembering Places of Pain and Shame: Conservation of the Asia-Pacific Region's 'Difficult' Heritage of Imprisonment Sites. This project will contribute to theoretical and practical discourses relevant to Australia's cultural heritage industry. Its findings will have implications for the work of national and state industry bodies (Australian Heritage Council, Australian Dept of Environment and Heritage, Heritage Victoria) and professional organisations (Australia ICOMOS). The project findings ma ....Remembering Places of Pain and Shame: Conservation of the Asia-Pacific Region's 'Difficult' Heritage of Imprisonment Sites. This project will contribute to theoretical and practical discourses relevant to Australia's cultural heritage industry. Its findings will have implications for the work of national and state industry bodies (Australian Heritage Council, Australian Dept of Environment and Heritage, Heritage Victoria) and professional organisations (Australia ICOMOS). The project findings may lead to concrete results such as the addition of new places to international, national and state heritage registers and their protection for the benefit of the community at large. The project will also provide Early Career Researcher training and enhance possibilities for future research collaboration with heritage and tourism industry partners. Read moreRead less
Vibro-acoustic communication in termites. Termites can affect any Australian: one third of all Australian homes are likely to be infested by termites during their lifespan, costing a damage bill of A$780 million annually. Despite this level of damage, our understanding of the underlying foraging behaviour of termites is poor. Termites, being blind, cannot use visual cues and chemical cues are insufficient to explain observed phenomena. Our preliminary work has identified vibro-acoustic signal ....Vibro-acoustic communication in termites. Termites can affect any Australian: one third of all Australian homes are likely to be infested by termites during their lifespan, costing a damage bill of A$780 million annually. Despite this level of damage, our understanding of the underlying foraging behaviour of termites is poor. Termites, being blind, cannot use visual cues and chemical cues are insufficient to explain observed phenomena. Our preliminary work has identified vibro-acoustic signals used for information gathering and communication in foraging. The project aims to study vibro-acoustic mechanisms for communication in termite foraging behaviour. Anticipated outcomes include a significant impact on termite control.Read moreRead less
Assessing the Nation's Infrastructure: The Role of Financial and Non-Financial Information. Presently governments do not disclose information about the condition of legacy infrastructure, and the extent of projected (often, non-discretionary) expenditure to repair or upgrade the functionality of those assets. This project builds on an analytical framework developed by Walker Clark & Dean (2000). It examines the viability of alternative proposals for providing information to external stakeholders ....Assessing the Nation's Infrastructure: The Role of Financial and Non-Financial Information. Presently governments do not disclose information about the condition of legacy infrastructure, and the extent of projected (often, non-discretionary) expenditure to repair or upgrade the functionality of those assets. This project builds on an analytical framework developed by Walker Clark & Dean (2000). It examines the viability of alternative proposals for providing information to external stakeholders, on either an agency or ?whole of government? basis. Using a combination of case studies and stated preference data, the study seeks to derive an optimal reporting framework which can assist governments better measure and more effectively manage the nation's infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Spatial Knowledge and the Built Environment: The Design Implications of Making, Processing and Digitally Prototyping Architectural Models. The construction industry accounts for 6.7% of Australia's GDP. Beyond the more pragmatic economic benefits, however, lies the potential to influence the physical quality and appearance of our nation's building within an existing economic framework. The evaluation of differing modelling methods in design will have considerable implications for the way in whic ....Spatial Knowledge and the Built Environment: The Design Implications of Making, Processing and Digitally Prototyping Architectural Models. The construction industry accounts for 6.7% of Australia's GDP. Beyond the more pragmatic economic benefits, however, lies the potential to influence the physical quality and appearance of our nation's building within an existing economic framework. The evaluation of differing modelling methods in design will have considerable implications for the way in which designing is carried out. It will lead to new kinds of computer strategies that will guide the direction of development of programs used in design modelling by showing that current tools do not properly facilitate certain kinds of design inquiry available by more traditionally established means.Read moreRead less
UNESCO - Agency of Cultural Globalisation? Analysis of the Conflict between Universal Values and Local Cultural Identity in the Asia-Pacific Region. Economic globalisation is accompanied by cultural globalisation. Whether to accept or attempt to resist this impact on local cultures is a critical issue for communities and governments throughout the Asia-Pacific region. This project will identify and evaluate those activities of UNESCO and its associated bodies, ICOMOS, ICOM and ICCROM, that tend ....UNESCO - Agency of Cultural Globalisation? Analysis of the Conflict between Universal Values and Local Cultural Identity in the Asia-Pacific Region. Economic globalisation is accompanied by cultural globalisation. Whether to accept or attempt to resist this impact on local cultures is a critical issue for communities and governments throughout the Asia-Pacific region. This project will identify and evaluate those activities of UNESCO and its associated bodies, ICOMOS, ICOM and ICCROM, that tend to impose a common stamp on cultures across the world, as well as the local resistance to those activities. Four fields covering tangible and intangible culture will be investigated: heritage places, museums, folklife and heritage education. Outcomes include improved heritage management; outputs include a book and refereed journal articles.Read moreRead less
Distributed Data Processing for Wireless Sensor Networks. This project falls within the national research priorities of Frontier Technologies for building and transforming Australian Industries, and will provide Australian companies with state-of-the-art technology in wireless sensor networks (WSN). Australia's priorities are mainly in sustainable environment, health maintenance, and home-land security. Any application in these priority areas that uses our system will have less maintenance costs ....Distributed Data Processing for Wireless Sensor Networks. This project falls within the national research priorities of Frontier Technologies for building and transforming Australian Industries, and will provide Australian companies with state-of-the-art technology in wireless sensor networks (WSN). Australia's priorities are mainly in sustainable environment, health maintenance, and home-land security. Any application in these priority areas that uses our system will have less maintenance costs and a significantly longer lifetime.
This project will generate numerous articles in first-class journals and conferences and will contribute to the strength of Australian Research in sensor technologies and ICT. Read moreRead less
An Analysis of the Cultural, Social and Symbolic Performance of Computer-Generated, Post-Euclidean, Architecture in Australia. Computer Aided Design software has recently provided architects with the ability to use post-Euclidean geometry for the creation of buildings. As the first of these buildings are only now being completed the social, cultural and symbolic performance of this new approach to design remains unknown.
The present research seeks to redress this situation by analysing computer ....An Analysis of the Cultural, Social and Symbolic Performance of Computer-Generated, Post-Euclidean, Architecture in Australia. Computer Aided Design software has recently provided architects with the ability to use post-Euclidean geometry for the creation of buildings. As the first of these buildings are only now being completed the social, cultural and symbolic performance of this new approach to design remains unknown.
The present research seeks to redress this situation by analysing computer-generated public buildings, completed in Australia after 1998. These buildings represent a substantial outlay of public funding and a significant social investment in Australian cities.
This research will result in a critical evaluation strategy for public and institutional bodies interested in procuring such buildings.Read moreRead less
The Role of Cultural Heritage In Conflict Transformation Societies. This project examines some of the key challenges societies face as they attempt to recover from violence and war. In studying a series of conflict transformation societies, the project addresses one of the key forces causing the insecurities of contemporary globalization. The research focuses on the ways in which the culture and cultural heritage of a society both contribute to, and inhibit, reconstruction. By enhancing Australi ....The Role of Cultural Heritage In Conflict Transformation Societies. This project examines some of the key challenges societies face as they attempt to recover from violence and war. In studying a series of conflict transformation societies, the project addresses one of the key forces causing the insecurities of contemporary globalization. The research focuses on the ways in which the culture and cultural heritage of a society both contribute to, and inhibit, reconstruction. By enhancing Australia's knowledge about the socio-cultural specificities of other countries, the project offers an innovative understanding of our regional and global security concerns. Read moreRead less
The influence of Indian Antecedents on the geometry of Southeast Asian temples. Australia is an emerging player in the field of heritage and conservation in the Asia-Pacific region. This project will greatly improve the ability of Australian cultural heritage institutions to address the preservation and conservation initiatives in the region.
A successful Australian heritage export industry will foster improved diplomatic relations with Asia. It will provide momentum to a vital and expanding na ....The influence of Indian Antecedents on the geometry of Southeast Asian temples. Australia is an emerging player in the field of heritage and conservation in the Asia-Pacific region. This project will greatly improve the ability of Australian cultural heritage institutions to address the preservation and conservation initiatives in the region.
A successful Australian heritage export industry will foster improved diplomatic relations with Asia. It will provide momentum to a vital and expanding national industry, broadening the scope of Australian trade in cultural heritage and allied professional services and enhancing the nation's image in Asia. This corresponds with the key objectives of the Australian government's foreign affairs and trade portfolios.
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