Indigenous Placemaking in Central Melbourne: Representations, practices and creative research. This project will contribute to making a place of belonging, gathering and cultural exchange for and with Indignenous Australians in Melbourne, through dialogic research processes aimed at generating a more inclusive and dynamic understanding of Indigenous identity. It will provide a platform for reconciliatory activities in Victoria with the support of Victorian Indigenous Communities, Reconciliation ....Indigenous Placemaking in Central Melbourne: Representations, practices and creative research. This project will contribute to making a place of belonging, gathering and cultural exchange for and with Indignenous Australians in Melbourne, through dialogic research processes aimed at generating a more inclusive and dynamic understanding of Indigenous identity. It will provide a platform for reconciliatory activities in Victoria with the support of Victorian Indigenous Communities, Reconciliation Victoria, and the Melbourne City Council and educate the public regarding the need for such a facility. It will increase Melbourne's national and international profile by contributing to the provision of a world class cultural centre that engages international tourists and informing future institutional programs.Read moreRead less
Determining the social value of extreme, mixed-use urban developments. Using an Adelaide case study, UCity, this project will investigate the social benefit of building mixed-use vertical communities in the Australian urban context. Using an innovative Social Value Framework, the project will establish and demonstrate the multi-dimensional impacts of such developments in practice. The project utilises citizen science for real time auditing of the built environment by residents and users; smart t ....Determining the social value of extreme, mixed-use urban developments. Using an Adelaide case study, UCity, this project will investigate the social benefit of building mixed-use vertical communities in the Australian urban context. Using an innovative Social Value Framework, the project will establish and demonstrate the multi-dimensional impacts of such developments in practice. The project utilises citizen science for real time auditing of the built environment by residents and users; smart technologies for environmental and behavioural monitoring; and data analytics and design automation for spatial analysis of building use. The results will inform new models of sustainable high-rise, mixed-use buildings; providing evidence for a Social Value Framework to become a core consideration in Australian industry.Read moreRead less
Natural and Artificial Lighting Control Energy and Visual Optimisation for a Low Energy Building. Artificial lighting is highlighted as the most significant area of opportunity to reduce energy as well as greenhouse emission. The application of intergrated daylight design together with artificial lighting control is researched. Control strategies of switching and dimming the artificial daylighting in conjunction with set-point levels, user preferences and daylighting maximisation are measured. T ....Natural and Artificial Lighting Control Energy and Visual Optimisation for a Low Energy Building. Artificial lighting is highlighted as the most significant area of opportunity to reduce energy as well as greenhouse emission. The application of intergrated daylight design together with artificial lighting control is researched. Control strategies of switching and dimming the artificial daylighting in conjunction with set-point levels, user preferences and daylighting maximisation are measured. The goal is to find the most effective saving strategies whilst maintaining visual comfortRead moreRead less
Designing for wellbeing: realizing benefits for patients through best practice hospital design. The environmental design of healthcare facilities has been shown to directly affect the wellbeing of patients and their families. Poorly designed environments exacerbate patient anxiety and stress and diminish their healthcare experience. Environments designed to support a patient’s wellbeing result in improved health outcomes. Building upon Australia’s international leadership in contemporary hospita ....Designing for wellbeing: realizing benefits for patients through best practice hospital design. The environmental design of healthcare facilities has been shown to directly affect the wellbeing of patients and their families. Poorly designed environments exacerbate patient anxiety and stress and diminish their healthcare experience. Environments designed to support a patient’s wellbeing result in improved health outcomes. Building upon Australia’s international leadership in contemporary hospital design, this project aims to evaluate, prioritise and strategise the best means for realising benefits of environmental design factors that contribute most significantly to achieving positive outcomes for patients and families. It aims to achieve this through a comprehensive comparative case study analysis of new Australian paediatric hospitals.Read moreRead less
Integrated Autonomous Housing for Remote Australian Communities: Analysis, Synthesis and Testing. At remote mining communities, little consideration is given to comfort or energy efficiency in housing - services have not been optimised to minimise greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and solid waste. This project will address these environmental issues and the associated social problems by combining the resources of BHP Billiton and the University of Newcastle to develop a model for remot ....Integrated Autonomous Housing for Remote Australian Communities: Analysis, Synthesis and Testing. At remote mining communities, little consideration is given to comfort or energy efficiency in housing - services have not been optimised to minimise greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and solid waste. This project will address these environmental issues and the associated social problems by combining the resources of BHP Billiton and the University of Newcastle to develop a model for remote housing. The project aims to design and test an integrated low impact or autonomous transportable house. The results of this research are applicable to remote defence sites, small rural townships and Aboriginal communities as well as for international export.Read moreRead less
The design and construction of quality, sustainable and affordable pre-made housing in Australia - optimisation and integration. Historically, industrialised construction has resulted in an industrialisation of the parts, rather than an industrialisation of the ensemble. In contrast, this project will integrate architecture and engineering, as well as construction and development to optimise the ensemble, and deliver architectural quality in industrially produced affordable housing.
The sound of space: architecture for improved auditory performance in the age of digital manufacturing. This project will combine complex custom architectural surface design with acoustic modelling and simulation to look for novel solutions to the challenges of noisy interiors. It will apply digital modelling in new ways including the construction of high fidelity full scale prototypes for testing in an open office environment and a church.
People and Parks: The Real Value of Open Space in Western Sydney. The Western Sydney Parklands (WSP), a corridor of 5500 contiguous hectares, will be the largest urban park in the southern hemisphere - an extraordinary open space resource. This study uses quantitative and qualitative research techniques to gauge 'imageability' and feelings of 'attachment' and 'connectedness' to the Parklands experienced by residents of Western Sydney. We will construct new thematic layers for an existing Geograp ....People and Parks: The Real Value of Open Space in Western Sydney. The Western Sydney Parklands (WSP), a corridor of 5500 contiguous hectares, will be the largest urban park in the southern hemisphere - an extraordinary open space resource. This study uses quantitative and qualitative research techniques to gauge 'imageability' and feelings of 'attachment' and 'connectedness' to the Parklands experienced by residents of Western Sydney. We will construct new thematic layers for an existing Geographic Information Systems database that incorporate subjective values about open space. This expanded understanding of feelings of connectedness will reveal shared community values and enhance future planning and design of urban parklands.Read moreRead less
Resilient and adaptable urban landscapes: low input woody meadows. Cities around the world are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in urban green spaces. This project aims to improve the quality of low input public landscapes and make our cities more liveable. Typical low maintenance plantings have low diversity, visual appeal and function. This project expects to develop a novel low-cost and resilient approach to urban greening by utilising Australian shrublands as templates for woody mea ....Resilient and adaptable urban landscapes: low input woody meadows. Cities around the world are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in urban green spaces. This project aims to improve the quality of low input public landscapes and make our cities more liveable. Typical low maintenance plantings have low diversity, visual appeal and function. This project expects to develop a novel low-cost and resilient approach to urban greening by utilising Australian shrublands as templates for woody meadows. Through interdisciplinary research and collaborations with eight Partner Organisations, the expected outcomes include knowledge and skill sharing for widespread adoption of resilient, management-friendly woody meadows to enhance and expand urban green spaces in Australia and around the world. Read moreRead less
Technology Transfer through Embedded Research within Architectural Practice: the Creation of an Australian Practice-Based Architectural Research and Development Network. This research will apply Parametric Design to a range of projects within architecture and construction engineering practice to assess the benefits. To what extent does a parametric approach extend opportunities for flexible, stream-lined and intelligent design and construction in practice? This research will test parametric reso ....Technology Transfer through Embedded Research within Architectural Practice: the Creation of an Australian Practice-Based Architectural Research and Development Network. This research will apply Parametric Design to a range of projects within architecture and construction engineering practice to assess the benefits. To what extent does a parametric approach extend opportunities for flexible, stream-lined and intelligent design and construction in practice? This research will test parametric resolution of a range of real design problems that mirror the work of innovative Australian practices. Through embedded postgraduate research within practice, this project will give Australian academy and practice the opportunity to lead in understanding the conditions for successfully applying advanced techniques in design practice.Read moreRead less