DAY 1, Thursday 12th September 2024

AMDC301 (Lecture Hall), Advanced Manufacturing & Design Centre, Level 3, Hawthorn Campus, 453 Burwood Road, Hawthorn Victoria
Note: Details updated 5 September 2024 Download Conference Program (PDF)

DAY 2, Friday 13th September 2024

AMDC301 (Lecture Hall), Advanced Manufacturing & Design Centre, Level 3 Hawthorn Campus, 453 Burwood Road, Hawthorn Victoria

Note: Details updated 5 September 2024. Download Conference Program (PDF)

Pre-dinner drinks & Design Awards Conference Dinner
Dress Code: Smart Casual

Venue – Sky Lounge AMDC Building

Time  - 6.30pm for 7.00pm

Welcome

Peter Lim (President -LSAA)
Professor Blair Kuys (Dean School of Design & Architecture)
Professor Emad Gad (Dean School of Engineering) 

Dinner Address by

Professor Mark Burry AO (Swinburne Smart Cities Research Institute)
As background, Mark has worked on the Gaudi project for some 30 years

Master of Ceremonies

(Robert Cahill LSAA & Dr Sofia Colabella)

Note: The LSAA will be conducting its AGM prior to the Dinner and Drinks.
Financial Members may Vote but others interested in joining are welcomed.

Alastair is a Director of COX, and one of the pre-eminent sports architects in Asia Pacific. He is responsible for the design and delivery of global sporting projects that deliver a fan-first experience, providing enhanced revenue for owners and operators.

Alastair's Keynote Address on Day 1 is titled "CONTEXTUALISATION THROUGH STUCTURE AND DESIGN"

The use of innovative light weight structures has helped shape contextualisation of major stadia through out the world.  Alastair will explore the use of contextualisation and designing for place in the cathedrals of sport, from the use of the velum at the Roman Coliseum to the recently completed Allianz Stadium, roof’s have defined these buildings.  The speech will explore where next with the next generation of lightweight structures and how sustainability will drive the next typological evolution of the stadium roof.

As Professor of Urban Futures I lead Swinburne’s Sustainable Built Environment Initiative. Since January 1st 2023 I have been working across the university helping foster a unique dual sector vocational education and training (VET) and higher education collaboration: combining applied research with exemplary construction and manufacturing trade practice. Our current focus is the quest for novel solutions for assisting financially stretched remote and communities closer to home gain access more affordable dwellings and community buildings. The originality of our approach is bottom-up community participation focussing on local skills development. This role, along with directing iHUB, Swinburne’s urban research platform (lead for a national network) complements my former role as Founding Director of Swinburne University of Technology’s ‘Smart Cities Research Institute' from May 2017. 

Rachaporn Choochuey,  Design Director, all(zone)

Born in Bangkok, received her B.Arch from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, M.S.AAD. from Columbia University and Ph.D. in Architecture History from The University of Tokyo. She was a faculty member of Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University during 2002-2022. Rachaporn regularly gives a lecture and teaches internationally. In Fall 2022 she was Louis I. Kahn Assistant Visiting Professor at Yale School of Architecture. She is currently Dean’s Visiting Assistant Professor at Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University.

Peter Lim is a director of Tensys and working in the field of lightweight structures, complex geometries and space frames for the past 35 years.   His expertise and experience is not only in design but also project management, execution and delivery of these unique structures internationally

He is a recipient of The Indian National Group (ING) of International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) 2007 ING-IABSE medal.

He provided expert advice and review on the 2010 Commonwealth Games Stadiums in New Delhi, India (especially the Jawalharlal Nehru Stadium, S P Murkurjee Aquatic Stadium, Wrestling Stadium and Weightlifting Stadium)

In the field of ETFE structures, he has broken new grounds in designing the first ETFE structures in the several countries. The design combination to use large tensile lightweight cable systems with cable mesh net systems has resulted in the involvement in several zoological aviary projects.

He has also lectured at the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) USA 2005 Expo in San Antonio Texas and 2006 Expo in Atlanta Georgia.  In 2008, he lectured at the Textile Roof 2008 held in Berlin.  He is also a frequent speaker at various conferences involving tension lightweight structures.

In the Lightweight Structures Association of Australasia and he serves as the president of the Committee. Over the past few years, he has also been actively involved with several academic institutions.

Rowan Murray

Rowan Murray is General Manager of Ronstan Tensile Architecture, a division of Ronstan International he founded with his partners in 1991 and which today is recognized as a leading global manufacturer, supplier and sub-contractor of tensile elements for Lightweight Architecture. Rowan’s knowledge of cables and cable structures has helped realize structures on three continents.  

For the past twenty five years Rowan has been the Secretary of the Lightweight Structures Association of Australasia (LSAA).

Dr Daniel Prohasky is an architectural engineer and roboticist passionate about translating research towards accelerating the scaled adoption of exciting, resourceful and low-carbon architecture.

Daniel pursues the multidisciplinary integration of knowledge and systems of design with a focus on the development of novel elegant robotic systems to build exciting cities of the future. Daniel has worked as a research engineer with two of the most innovative engineering firms in the world, Arup and Aurecon. Where he encouraged and implemented new ways of tackling engineering problems using the latest in computational tools and innovative thinking.

Daniel is passionate about building resourceful and elegant architecture. He believes that, as engineers and architects, one of the most important challenges of our time is the need to reduce waste and atmospheric carbon emissions - yesterday. He’ll help you develop the abilities to create, not only environmentally sustainable architecture, but also, beautiful buildings that people love and are excited to dwell within!

He is devoted to invigorating your innovative thinking. Leading by example, he has created Curvecrete, a new advanced manufacturing and architectural engineering practice tackling these challenges. So, you can have the chance to tap in to firsthand experiences with the construction industry and real-world low-carbon construction projects.

He was voted the Victorian Professional Engineer of the Year award in 2023 Engineers Australia Excellence Award.

Amongst the throngs of summer tourists outside the world’s most famous building site, the Sagrada Família, New Zealander Mark Burry stands out in the crowd. Not only because he’s tall and silver-haired but because he looks out of place amongst the colorful, casual, camera-carrying crowds bumping into each other, trying to get to the end of the miles-long queue or find a better angle for that photo. Burry instead seems more like a popular university professor: a kind smile, glasses, softly-spoken and just a little formal. He is making his way through the tourists because he is taking a short break from his work as one of the principal architects on the Sagrada Família.

Burry has been working on the construction of Antoni Gaudí’s basilica since 1979 and has been instrumental in the development of the project over the last 30 years, steering it through some once-unimaginable technological advances. He is the only person working on the project today who has used both the traditional manual architectural drawing of plans as well as digital computation techniques. In 2004, the Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi awarded Burry the prestigious "Diploma i la insignia a l’acadèmic corresponent" and given the title "Il·lustrisim Senyor," in recognition of his work on this important Catalan landmark.

The above extract is credited to Metropolitan Barcelona where the complete article may be found.

Dr Nic Bao – RMIT University School of Architecture and Urban Design

Bio:

Dr. Ding Wen 'Nic' Bao is a Senior Lecturer in Architecture, and Architecture Technology Courses Coordinator at RMIT University, specializing in performance architecture, computational design, structural optimization, behavioral algorithms, additive manufacturing, and robotic fabrication. He has authored over 60 publications, including high-impact journal papers, book chapters, and conference proceedings, and serves on the editorial boards of the Architectural Intelligence Journal, Sustainable Structures Journal, and the Journal of Chinese Architecture and Urbanism.

Nic is an award-winning architect, holding Australian and US Registered Architect, and UK RIBA Chartered Architect. He directs B.W Architects (BWA) and Wonderform Studio, founded the FormX Research Lab, and is a partner at Ameba. His work has been showcased at prestigious venues including the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Melbourne Design Week, Hong Kong BoDW, Venice Biennale, Shenzhen Biennale, and the Barcelona IASS Expo. Nic holds his PhD in Civil Engineering and Architecture from RMIT, receiving two Research Excellence and Impact Awards. He has received numerous accolades, including the Young CAADRIA Award, DigitalFUTURES Young Award, MUSE Design Award, GPDP Gold Award, IAI Design Award, A'Design Award, and the 2023 Engineering Structures Journal Best Paper of the Year, among others.

Nic also holds key roles as Secretary of CAADRIA, Organizing committee member of the DigitalFUTURES Association, Member of the Board of Directors at ACADIA and key member of organizer team of IASS 2023 conference in Melbourne. He has been invited as a scientific reviewer and session chair for international conferences including CAAD Futures, CAADRIA, ASCAAD, eCAADe, and DigitalFUTURES, and has led 14 workshops and masterclasses at international conferences such as DigitalFUTURES, CAADRIA, SIGraDi, IASS, and ACADIA. Additionally, Nic has been invited as a guest lecturer and critic at universities worldwide, including Tsinghua University, Shenzhen University, Tongji University, Southeast University, The University of Newcastle, The University of Queensland, The University of Melbourne, Università di Pisa, UCL Bartlett, ETH Zurich, Architectural Association (AA), and the University of Michigan.

Dr Sofia Colabella is an architect and Lecturer in Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning of the University of Melbourne, with a PhD in Architectural Technology.

Sofia co-founded Gridshell.it, a company specialising in the design and construction of performative timber architecture and acoustic shells, designed through digital tools and full-scale prototypes.

She co-founded the Italian-based architecture practice CMMKM Architecture and Design, specialising in residential architecture. Her research interest and expertise relate to design, timber tectonic cultures, digital design & fabrication, and the reuse of reclaimed materials for architectural purposes.

As visiting Scientific Partner at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), she provided a novel approach to the feasibility of reuse of discarded high-tech sports equipment for structural purposes. She is a member of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS).

James Marr is a Director of Tensys and has been working in the field of structural engineering design for over 20 years.  His expertise and experience has been gained while working in offices around Australia and in the UK on many international projects.  With a board design base from these travels, he now enjoys specialising in designing lightweight structures. Whether it be tensioned membranes, cable-nets, pneumatic or geometrically challenging, he is passionate about structural detailing which both looks good and is simple to build.

Tensys is an international specialist engineering design practice in lightweight structures.  This field encompasses fabric tension and cable net structures and complex geometric forms.  Offices are located in Bath UK and Melbourne Australia.

Dr Ivana Kuzmanovska is interested in the ways that building design and building production can inform one another to achieve more beautiful, more sustainable, and more efficient outcomes. Ivana has spent her career exploring this relationship through architectural research, practice, and teaching.

In 2020, Ivana received the Mollie Holman Medal for her PhD thesis on the importance and value of the ‘D’ (design) in DfMA and how a production-informed design approach might be applied to building design and delivery. Ivana’s most recent research explores data-informed pathways towards more sustainable and efficient built outcomes in the construction industry.

Ivana is experienced in managing interdisciplinary research teams within a university context, and she has an excellent track record of industry collaboration in applied research settings.

Prior to joining Arch_Manu in her current role as Manager, Ivana worked on several Building 4.0 CRC projects as a researcher with the Future Building Initiative at Monash University.

Oliver’s Bio:

Oliver first discovered his passion for unique and challenging projects in 2008 when he first joined the window shading industry as an installer. After graduating from university with a degree in project management, he delved into managing and successfully delivering national rollout programs for fit outs in the retail, commercial, education, hospitality and health sectors. His experience also expanded internationally into multiple areas such as Macau, the Maldives and Port Moresby to name a few. Fascinated by their unique approach to custom based solutions for window shading systems and sustainable facades, Oliver decided to join the Climate Ready Engineering team in 2020. Since joining, Oliver has managed multiple iconic projects and has always championed the vision of the Designers and Architects and brought them to life. Oliver’s background and understanding in window shading system installation and project management makes him the perfect candidate for managing, coordinating and delivering large scale projects.

Title: A discussion of the Façade shading and automation systems of the One Sydney Harbour Project

Bios:

Dr Jenny Underwood

Jenny Underwood is the Associate Dean of Research and Innovation, in the School of Fashion and Textiles at RMIT University, Melbourne Australia. Her research is practice-based and focused on methods for material circularity, responsible design innovation, and systems-based approaches to sustainability in the context of textiles, fashion and architecture. She is recognised internationally as a leading expert in advanced knit design and 3d seamless knitting technology. 

Dr Leanne Zilka

Dr Leanne Zilka is a registered architect and academic based in Melbourne, Australia. Her architecture practice, ZILKA Studio and her academic position at RMIT University in the School of Architecture and Urban Design is a multidisciplinary one that brings together architecture, fashion, textile design and material research that develops fabrication solutions utilising technologies and techniques from fashion and textile design to develop light weight solutions at the scale of buildings.

Using fashion and textile techniques but scaling them to building scale has been the focus of the research/design practice and now this knowledge is being applied to solving problems of retrofitting obsolete building facades, passive urban lighting, and using digital techniques to create efficiencies in the fabrication of complex forms. The benefits of looking broadly across disciplines allows for the adaption of technologies not common to construction that produce no waste as is the case of industrial 3d knitting machines.

Leannes most recent work includes the 2022 MPavilion with Allzone Architects, NGV commission for the ‘Sampling the Future’ exhibition, 5^th Tamworth Textile Triennale commission, Floppy Logic book published by Actar.

Title: Cross disciplinary

Bio

Stanislav Roudavski is an academic at the University of Melbourne and the founder of Deep Design Lab, a collective focusing on more-than-human design. His work addresses practical and theoretical aspects of more-than-human relationships in ecology, technology, design, and architecture. In collaboration with scientists, engineers, and Indigenous scholars, Stanislav's publications cover topics such as engagements with nonhuman agents in design imagination, creative computing, digital fabrication, and conservation ecology. He has participated in numerous international exhibitions and has received multiple awards and honours. Before his current academic role, Stanislav was involved in research projects at the University of Cambridge, taught at MIT, and practiced architecture in various European countries.

Title:

BioHavens: Open Research Questions in Structural Innovation for Urban Biodiversity

Synopsis

The aim of this presentation is to highlight a critically significant and largely overlooked field that urgently needs the expertise of innovative designers. Human activities are rapidly destroying habitat structures worldwide, leading to the extinction of entire nonhuman cultures, civilizations, species, and countless individual organisms. This loss profoundly impacts all life, including human societies and is difficult to reverse. However, there are many proven opportunities for positive intervention, such as the creation of artificial reefs, nesting places, tree-like structures, and bioreceptive surfaces. Unfortunately, current designs are often simplistic, as few designers or engineers focus on these topics. Instead, the responsibility typically falls to biologists or conservationists, who have expertise in ecology but not in innovative structures or advanced fabrication techniques. The central question of this presentation is: can designers, engineers, and builders of lightweight structures respond to this need? I believe that their involvement presents exciting creative and business opportunities, as well as an ethical imperative. To illustrate this, I will showcase a range of projects focusing on artificial habitat structures developed by Deep Design Lab and others, covering our methods for data collection and analysis to inform design, the concept that innovation can flow from nonhuman agents into more-than-human communities, the characteristic challenges in designing artificial habitat structures, areas where future research and innovation are needed, and opportunities for collaboration on ongoing and emerging projects.

Short Bio

Jane Nixon is an Associate Principal at Arup. She has been with Arup as a Structural Engineer for over 20 years and has been involved in an array of long span roofs and light weight structures around the world.  From the original light weight cable and fabric structure of  Khalifa stadium in Doha for the 2006 Asian Grames to the Singapore Sports Hub stadium roof in 2014. Jane’s Skills and experience has been through the concept stage, detailing and through to the construction sequencing stages of the project. As the re-use of existing building and adaptability becomes are more important topic of conversation in sustainability, Jane is interested in using light weight structures and simple cleaver solutions to enhance existing infrastructure as well as providing efficient structural solutions.

Title of Presentation

Evolution of the Ken Rosewall Arena Sydney.

Short synopsis of the presentation

Arup  carried out the structural design of the Tennis Centre for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, this included a light weight cost efficient structure to cover the seating.   The Ken Rosewall Arena was then given a new roof for the inaugural 2020  ATP cup. Arup’s skills and knowledge of the project as well as light weight structural skills resulted in an engineering led project from conceiving the solution and then delivering the project through tender, fabrication and erection.  The simple sustainable design brings new life to an existing facility and  enhances its use for the client and the public. Linked with the structural design was an integral services engineering team  who developed and demonstrated  a natural ventilated solution under the tent-like structure though detailed CFD analysis.  In this presentation we will take a brief step back to the original Sulman Award winning arena but then run through the roof development, digital documentation and the details to deliver the new roof in under 12 months.

Bios:

Rowan Murray

Rowan Murray is General Manager of Ronstan Tensile Architecture, a division of Ronstan International he founded with his partners in 1991 and which today is recognized as a leading global manufacturer, supplier and sub-contractor of tensile elements for Lightweight Architecture. Rowan’s knowledge of cables and cable structures has helped realize structures on three continents.  

Angus Macleod

Angus Macleod has been a Director of Vector Foiltec in Australia and New Zealand since 2003 and has delivered well over 75 ETFE projects in that region including Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, Eden Park Stadium’s Great South Stand in Auckland, Southern Cross Station in Melbourne.

In addition, Angus acts as one of the Technical Directors for the Vector Foiltec Group – primarily focussing on VF projects through SE Asia and Oceania. Significant projects include Changi Airport Jewel and the Surbana Jurong Campus, both in Singapore, Hong Kong’s Ocean Park Aquatic Centre and many others.

Bio:

Andrew joined Baytex in 2002. His extensive experience in mechanical engineering and fabric membrane design has been very beneficial to the many projects Baytex have created during his tenure. Andrew’s role in Baytex has evolved over the years from Design Manager through to his current role as General Manager in mid-2020. This role change has been a natural transition of his leadership style ensuring every aspect of the manufacturing process is monitored with experienced team leaders to ensure the customer receives the Baytex product they have come to expect. Providing projects to clients worldwide, Andrew and his team have gained an international reputation for design, engineering, quality workmanship and dedicated project management which have all contributed to Baytex’s world class performance.

Presentation Title: We can measure more accurately, while saving time and money

Bio –

Tom Gastin -  is the owner of Pattons. He has been in the industry for 27 years designing, fabricating and installing textile solutions and fabric structures for the event and construction industries – He has a passion for creative fabric solutions and lightweight fabric structures - temporary and permanent – to provide innovation with lightweight solutions that can be an alternative to traditional construction methods.

Synopsis –

Collaborating for project success - Trinity point tension membrane structure

The architectural vision was exceptional - the application, site conditions and tight timeframe were challenging…yet with industry collaboration, this project came to fruition and resulted in an internationally award-winning project. In this presentation, Tom walks you through how Pattons and his alliances worked to their strengths in collaboration to achieve this goal.

Bio

Martin has over 18 years of industry experience and has worked with MakMax for 15 years. A design leader whose specialist knowledge in manufacturing and installation ensures MakMax Australia’s architectural solutions are designed with buildability at their core. Martin is a registered Structural Engineer and has supplemented his design capability with extensive site and Project Management experience.

Title  
The Link at Langley Park, Western Australia An ETFE project.

Synopsis: 

As a design trend grows around revitalising and reusing existing buildings, the Link at Langley project shows how major transformation and upgrades can be made while maintaining existing buildings and carbon sinks. The project is a great example of the challenges and complexities that need to addressed when combining new construction with old, along with constructing alongside operational offices and hotel facilities.

Bio

Danziger Engineering Collaborative, Inc. (Los Angeles, US) –otis.edu/faculty/bruce-danziger

The Danziger Engineering Collaborative structural engineering consultancy was founded in 2020 by Bruce Danziger. From 1988 to 2020, Bruce worked with Arup in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, London, and Seville. He has been the Lead Structural Engineer for many complex and challenging projects including exposition pavilions, performing arts centers, tension membrane structures, embassies and consulates, and long-span structures for airports and stadia.

Bruce organizes an international group of tensioned membrane experts called Lightweight Footprint that meet regularly to define best practices for quantifying the sustainability of membrane structures.

Biography

Dr Alberto Pugnale is an Architect and Senior Lecturer in Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning of The University of Melbourne. He is a co-director of the Advanced Digital Design + Fabrication (ADD+F) Hub.

In 2003, he graduated in “Architecture Sciences” (Bachelor level) at Politecnico di Torino. In 2006 he graduated with Honours in “Architecture and Construction” (Master of Science level) at the same university, and in 2010 he got a PhD in “Architecture and Building Design”.

Rafael is an accomplished Design Manager with 20+ years of specialization in designing, fabrication and construction of membrane structures. Currently contributing his expertise at Fabritecture, he adeptly manages concurrent projects, applying his extensive experience and engineering qualifications, and is dedicated and solution driven within the end to end cycle of a project to ensure full risk management, cost management and achieve a high quality outcome in both performance and design.

Rafael's remarkable design management skills shine through in successfully delivering key projects like the remarkable Bank of Indonesia ETFE skylight, Te Kaha Christchurch Stadium and Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Title of Presentation

Te Kaha Stadium, Christchurch, NZ

Synopsis:

Dr Leanne Zilka and Dr Jenny Underwood have been pursuing alternative ways of making building elements that utilize fashion techniques and technologies. This research has utilized these techniques and technologies to develop light weight solutions for the use in buildings. Given the climate crisis and that cities are largely constructed, retrofitting has become a favourable way to treat existing stock as we pivot away from new buildings.

Developing light weight solutions that able attach to interior or exteriors of buildings while utilizing technologies such as flexible solar cells, plant supportive materials, environmental sensors, and water harvesting, can make existing building stock reduce their carbon footprint and give back to their local environment.

This presentation will discuss the techniques that have been explored to date and then speculate on how buildings can adapt using this new hybrid cross disciplinary approach.

Synopsis:

This research posits an innovative design methodology that establishes a complementary relationship between topological optimization, behavioural generative design algorithms, and robotic fabrication. It describes a hybrid of architectural and structural performance behaviours through the integration of multi-agent generative design algorithms and the BESO method. This approach creates a negotiation between concerns of architectural design and structural optimization in a simultaneous generative approach. This is an important shift from the normative sequential workflows that either inform generative approaches with structural analysis or operate sequentially to optimize the complex geometries already created within generative processes structurally.

A series of installations have been completed to prototype this approach at a small scale, to understand the implications of long-span large spatial structures. This approach enables the creation of complex, expressive architectural form which is highly efficient in terms of material and structural performance. The complexity and intricacy of the geometry generated through this process are demonstrated to be feasible to build through large-scale additive manufacturing.

It is part of the wider agenda, exploring the fabrication of algorithmically generated architectural forms through robotic fabrication techniques involving additive manufacturing. It also has the potential to create a closer working collaboration between architect and structural engineer in the early stages of design and to avoid the structural rationalization of unfeasible architectural forms in the AEC industry.

Ed Daines is the Director of WilkinsonEyre’s Australian studio, with over 20 years of experience working on high-profile projects around the world, including CIBC Square in Toronto and Battersea Power Station and 21 Moorfields in London. In Melbourne he is working with Architectus and Hines to deliver 600 Collins Street, a new landmark office tower with a distinctive articulated façade and incorporating ground-breaking sustainability initiatives and the latest in workplace amenities.

Ed is passionate about the role of architecture in creating beautiful and sustainable buildings and places that enrich our cities and bring pleasure to those that use them. 

Peter Kneen is a retired structural engineer and academic. His first lightweight structure, in 1965, as an undergraduate at Melbourne University was the unique Aluminium MUMC Memorial Hut on Mt Feathertop. As a result of this he was invited to Canada where he completed post graduate studies in computer aided design of spaceframes – an example studied was the world’s largest Aluminium structure at Sao Paulo. He later returned to the University of New South Wales in 1972 and became involved as a specialist consultant for the design of numerous spaceframe and tensioned membrane structures in Australia and around the world - specifically the Melbourne Arts Centre Spire. He also pioneered the use of knitted shadecloth for hail protection in nurseries, car dealerships and to some extent domestic applications.

He is a founding member of the MSAA – now the LSAA – and since 2006 has acted as a part-time Executive Officer of the Lightweight Structures Association and maintains their website and coordinates the industry leading Design Awards.