Griffith Architecture hosts national debates

Griffith University will host three of the most high-powered architecture industry conferences over the next year at its Gold Coast campus.

Leading up to the start of the new Master of Architecture program in 2013, the Department of Architecture will be the centre of national and international debate with the:

  • 46th annual Architectural Science Association (ASA) Conference, November 14-16, 2012
  • Society of Architectural Historians, Australian and New Zealand (SAHANZ) 30th annual conference, July 2013
  • Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) biannual conference, July 2013.

Head of Griffith Architecture, Professor Gordon Holden, said the exposure to this key education and research conference would be invaluable for students, especially the first intake of the Masters program.

“These conferences will address topics that can inspire student projects and provide opportunities to present their work and network with leading architects and academics,” Professor Holden said.

Griffith Senior Lecturer, Dr Henry Skates, will convene the pre-eminent ASA conference next month as President of the Association.

The theme of “Theory and Practice” has drawn a strong showing of refereed papers, including several by Griffith architecture academics. The conference has international standing, attracting experts from several other countries.

Associate Professor Andrew Leach and colleague Alexandra Brown will host SAHANZ conference, titled “Open”. This gathering, arguably the highest ranked conference for architecture in the region, will include a Gold Coast architectural and urban history speciality.

Associate Professor Leigh Shutter will host ‘Archvision’ the AIA conference which addresses intersections between architectural practice, research and education. Professor Shutter is a leader in this field, recently having chaired the revisions to architectural accreditation procedures for Australia and New Zealand.

Beyond our shores, Professor Holden will attend the 20th triennial conference of the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, presenting a paper on education for sustainable design that showcases Griffith’s strengths to representatives from over 30 countries. He is the Immediate Past President and a Trustee of CAA.