2016 has been a year of change at the School of Architecture & Design with new staff members and students arriving, old ones leaving and many adventures and great projects in between.
In March, we welcomed our new Head of School, Professor Kirsten Orr. Kirsten came to us from the University of Technology Sydney School of Architecture where she had been an academic since 1996. She is now leading the School through exciting times with curriculum review and the northern transformation project at the top of the agenda for 2017. Dr. Ceridwen Owen returned to her role as Deputy Head of School and Program Director, Architecture after ably holding the fort as Acting Head of School for two years.
We also welcomed new staff members: Andrew Steen who is teaching in history and design studios; Mike Hornblow who is teaching in design studios and working with the Creative Exchange Institute (CxI); and Nathan Kotlarewski who has joined the Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW).
Sadly, we also said goodbye to some staff members: Simon Ancher, Program Director, Furniture left to pursue his career as a furniture designer at Simon Ancher Studios (SAS); Geoff Clark left to pursue his architectural practice; Jen Smit is taking on a new role with the Northern Transformation Project; Celia Lanham is on an 11-month secondment as a Scholarships and Prizes Officer; and Tracey Woods and Mark Bagguley have gone to Byron Bay to soak up the sunshine.
The year saw many graduates of the School and current students receiving signifiant awards for their work. At the annual Graduate of the Year Awards (GOTYA), Scott Van Tuil won the Furniture GOTYA and was the overall winner; Gaby Livermore won the Interior Design GOTYA, Janelle van der Velde was runner-up and Janika Chambers was highly commended. Graduate Sam Roberts took out the SWT Blythe Student Prize. Geoff Marshell, won the Design Tasmania Awards for his work, the VS Conus Lamp. Millicent Knott was the first Interior Design student to win the Mt Nelson award. Among the staff, Dr Jacqueline Power was recognised for Teaching Excellence, for active and experiential learning in Interior Design, and both Jen Smit and Geoff Clark received outstanding results in the eVALUate feedback from Design Studios 6 and 7 respectively.
Student learning-by-making projects went from strength to strength in 2016. First year design students filled the Tamar River at Seaport with beautiful floating lanterns made from bamboo and paper. They also participated in a collaborative project designing and building a Species Hotel to provide sculptural habitats for wildlife in the Tasmanian midlands using public art to explore possible contributions to habitat restoration, alongside extensive revegetation corridors. After being exhibited at the Academy of the Arts, these works will be installed on the Macquarie River at Ross. Master of Architecture students designed, constructed and installed a ‘Gateway’ to the Tasmanian Craft Fair in Deloraine in November. The contemporary architectural design explored a lightweight timber structure that combines traditional construction methods with digital fabrication processes. More than 20,000 visitors were welcomed to the Tasmanian Craft Fair at Deloraine through a spectacular entrance portal comprised of four timber arches.
Led by Dr Richard Burnham, the School also continues its partnership with Youth Futures designing a prototype for the Castle X project, funded and supported by Housing Tasmania, that has commissioned Youth Futures to build 10 micro-dwellings for crisis accommodation. Also in collaboration with Youth Futures, the School has designed a teardrop caravan prototype which will be fabricated by Youth Futures work experience trainees, and designed flat-pack Scout Huts, the first two of 10 of which have been sent to Western Australia to be assembled there.
The School also participated in key community events. Interior Design students participated in the Junction Arts Festival with a sensory meal, igniting senses with fine food, and Master of Architecture students also designed scenarios for public participation exploring food futures and DIY Sci-Fi and exhibited as part of Junction Arts Festival with presentations at the Harvest Launceston Community Farmers’ Market and Princes Square in Launceston and live-links to creative communities at Pelem Festival in Java, Indonesia. Public Kitchen took place in Hobart's Brickworks Design Studio. It was a joyful event around a beautiful 9m long table laden with fresh produce, also hanging from above, with a menu of Virgin Sangria and Stone Soup communally constructed by the guests and completed with tasty honeyed fruits fed to each other from long chopsticks.
As well as the graduate exhibitions held at the School, the Furniture Design graduates held an exhibition at the Design Centre in Launceston which opened on 2 December 2016. A small cohort of Furniture Design students worked with architect, Mark Bagguley, and Technical Officer, Luke Dineen to fit out the two Enterprize launch spaces in Hobart and Launceston.
Marketing activities included the production of a new School profile booklet and Design days that introduced the School programs to secondary school students. Open Day was a fun-filled day at Inveresk in August with food vans, street art, workshop demonstrations and the main attraction a Skate Ramp! The ramp was designed and made by our students and was put to the test by professional skateboarders. We also had a visit from the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull who was impressed with the education vision of the University, its approach to innovation in relation to interdisciplinary connections especially in STEM, and its importance to the rejuvenation of Tasmanian cities.
As the year comes to end we have had fabulous exhibitions of graduating work from Architecture, Furniture Design and Interior Design, a happy bunch of students graduating and lots of memories made within the walls of the School of Architecture & Design.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone! May your holidays be safe, fun and joyous!
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