My Expertise
I have over fifteen years strong leadership, commitment and dedication to researching and teaching in architecture and urban design and history in the School of Built Environment (former Faculty).
I have crafted a sustained integrated research, teaching/learning and engagement model cultivating creativity through an educated imagination where architecture is connected to the city, its history and its context.
I have a long-standing interest in examining the work of Australian architects with European background such as Aldo Giurgola, Enrico Taglietti and Harry Seidler.
Given the complex knowledge an architect and urban designer requires to be creative, including artistic, scientific, and technical expertise, my contribution to the School, Faculty and University rests in the multidisciplinary attitude and impact I have in my research, teaching and engagement.
I attained all the skills necessary to plan, organize, manage a business and lead a team as director of my own architecture firm leading an architectural office and construction site, or as an academic leading research projects and Phd candidates to completion, whilst simultaneously leading large teaching teams and large undergraduate and postgraduate student cohorts design studio projects.
Keywords
Fields of Research (FoR)
Architectural history, theory and criticism, Architectural design, Urban design, History and theory of the built environment (excl. architecture)SEO tags
Biography
I have professional background in an international context working as an architect and urban designer in Venice and Padua (Italy 1984-1997) and Toronto (Canada1986-1990), and as an academic I joined the IUAV School of Architecture in Venice (1991-1997) and in Australia The University of Newcastle (1998-2005) and UNSW Sydney (2006-current).
I am a graduate in architecture from the IUAV University of Venice, Italy and I completed my PhD at the...view more
I have professional background in an international context working as an architect and urban designer in Venice and Padua (Italy 1984-1997) and Toronto (Canada1986-1990), and as an academic I joined the IUAV School of Architecture in Venice (1991-1997) and in Australia The University of Newcastle (1998-2005) and UNSW Sydney (2006-current).
I am a graduate in architecture from the IUAV University of Venice, Italy and I completed my PhD at the UNSW Sydney. At UNSW I have been HDR postgraduate research coordinator, Faculty Higher Degree Committee, acting Director of the Master of Urban Development and Design, Coordinator Tongji/UNSW Dual Degree Program in Architecture , Coordinator International Design Studio Venice, Italy, University Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team. I have a particular interest in architecture history and urban history and their importance in solving design problems related to the contemporary city.
My Grants
Competitive grant: $40.000 from the Australia-Korea Foundation, History for Architecture: Alec Tzannes and Dojin Hwang in Sydney and Seoul. I conducted an International research authored a video filmed in two cities Sydney and Seoul (2022) and published a book (2023)
Industry Grant: $140.000, I co-edited and authored an international research commercially produced monograph titled Urban Architecture and Design: Tzannes with Thames & Hudson (1 in Press), the leading publisher for Built Environment disciplines. This is the first publication for a internationally renown Sydney architect and his 50 years long career.
Faculty Learning and Teaching Grant: Feasible delivery of research seminar for HDR candidates (with Prof Robert Freestone and Associate Professor Riza Sunindijo)
Seidler Foundation: International Design Studio Venice (2016-2019)
TfNSW Transport for New South Wales: Education fund for the Architecture Graduation Design Studio Exhibition ($30,000)
Faculty Research Grant ‘Concrete Ambitions for Sydney’ ($12,000)
UNSW Completion PhD Scholarship ($7,000)
My Qualifications
PhD in Architecture UNSW Sydney - Drawn to Canberra: the Architectural Language of Enrico Taglietti
Master in Architecture IUAV, Venice Italy (First Class)
Graduate Certificate Practice of Tertiary Teaching The University of Newcastle, Australia
Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Management, Enterprise in Building Sector and Sustainable Architecture European Commission on Status of Women in the Profession-Venice, Italy
Postgraduate Certificate in History of Architecture on Andrea Palladio’s work International Architecture Centre "A. Palladio" Vicenza, Italy
Professional Registration at the Italian Institute of Architects
My Awards
Architecture and Urban Design Competitions
1992 International Architecture Competition: New German Parliament Spreebogen Area Berlin, Germany
1992 National Competition: New Venues for the Cinema?, Italy
1991 European Competition: The Mosaic as Architectural Language, Italy
1991 European Competition Europan 2, Re-qualification of Urban Spaces, Winning Scheme for an urban re-development
of an industrial area in the historic town of Padua, Italy
1988 An idea/installation for underground passages in Toronto, Canada
1987 Vancouver Re-vision. Urban Design ideas for a specific precinct of Vancouver, Canada following Roma Interrotta
1980s competition
My Research Activities
With the now more pressing need of innovative design strategies for densification and climate change, I provide undergraduate and postgraduate students and PhD candidates with the skills to critically research, analyse, reimagine and change the quality of the built environment. Extensive and unique approach to researching the past to inform the future in solving current design problems related to the 21st century city. Excellent researcher on Australian architects with European background with my work published in international peer-reviewed journals and books and presented as a keynote at international conferences and symposia. Extremely passionate in researching and promoting architecture and urban design as an active participant to public debates and media writing.
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
I have a particular interest in history of architecture and urban history and their importance in solving design problems related to the contemporary city.
Currently supervising
Currently Supervising the following research projects
Ela Glogowska (PhD) The meaning, use and cultural potential of urban public space in a densifying Sydney (Joint Supervisor)
Saul Deane (PhD) Processes and drivers of foreshore dis/possession: a spatial-temporal study: North Harbour esp. Little Manly 1770 - 2020 (Primary Supervisor)
Completed
2023 Deepthie Perera (PhD) Socio-spatial role of outdoor transitional spaces in contemporary urban houses of Sri Lanka (Joint Supervisor)
2023 Kamila Soh (Masters of Research) Monumental Aspirations: understanding Sydney Opera House as a monument in the Public Realm (Joint Supervisor)
2022 Sugandha (PhD) Smart Cities and Social Sustainability: A critical analysis of the Indian Smart CitIes Mission (Primary Supervisor)
2021 Hao Wang (PhD) Density and Urban Housing: a historical study of housing forms in Shanghai 1843-1949 (Primary Supervisor)
2021 Philip Drew (PhD) The fire in the stone: The Life and Architectural Sculpture of Thomas Vallance Wran, 1832-1891 (Primary Supervisor)
2019 Eleonora D’Ascenzi (Masters of Research) The changing role of the architects over the last ten years in Italy (Primary Supervisor)
My Engagement
HDR Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Faculty Higher Degree Committee, Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team, Director of the Master of Urban Development and Design, Coordinator Tongji/UNSW Dual Degree Program in Architecture, Coordinator International Design Studio Venice, Italy, Students Architecture Prize Awards,
My Teaching
In my teaching I write design briefs for architecture and urban design and consult with local, state and national government and industry bodies to include the City of Sydney, Transport for New South Wales, RAIA ACT and NSW and architecture professional bodies. In my teaching I help students cultivate an ‘educated imagination’ through the integration of research and critical thinking.
I lecture in architecture and urban design studio, architecture and urban history for undergraduate and postgraduate
. testing innovative teaching methods by cultivating in the students an “educated imagination” through the integration of research, critical thinking and a structured system of analysis and design assessment tasks
. nurturing students’ ability to develop complex integrated design solutions
· leading master and under graduate students to develop design solutions relevant to current local and International design problems
In 2012 as course convener for the Master in Architecture my postgraduate students submitted a winning scheme to the International Canberra CAPITheticAL Competition based on the RAIA ACT Chapter competition for celebrating Canberra in its first century as capital city. Design submission was selected as one of the 20 projects out of 115 to progress to a second stage. Final Project was displayed in a prestigious exhibition in Canberra at the Gallery of Australian Design (May 2012).
Contact
Publications
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3100-5173