Session 1 – Practice Matters

As architectural educators, we believe in the value and potential of architecture to deliver social, cultural, and economic benefits to the communities in which we work. However, architects can only deliver this value if they are able develop and sustainably maintain practices. Design and professional competency within architectural education are often viewed as distinct concerns, delivered by separate and at times competing ‘camps’ within the academy. This panel proposes that the integration of design and professional expertise are essential for the delivery of architectural value and will investigate a range of ways that professional competency and practice literacy education is being delivered in Australia.

Session 2 – The ethics of architectural practice

When considering the ethics of architectural practice, we are faced by the somewhat overwhelming scope of professional, societal, environmental and behavioural expectations placed on architects as both a group and as individual practitioners. These expectations shape the architect’s career-long commitment to competency, which extends well beyond adhering to legislation, standards and codes of conduct. As a result, educators and practitioners are thinking more ambitiously about how to cultivate practical approaches and tools for ethical practice and convey these to student, employees, colleagues and beyond – these topics and more will be explored further in this session.

Session 3 – Studio X Practice

Across many Australian architecture schools, it may be perceived that skills for practice are consolidated into Professional Practice subjects instead of distributed through the curriculum. This session showcases the work of 3 inspiring practice-based educators whose studio programmes where speakers will walk us through how their course design speaks to concerns relevant to contemporary architectural practice; and how it seeks to equip students with the skills, values and ways of thinking necessary for their future professional roles.

Session 4 – Professional ways of being: Embracing a future (architectural) self 

In this session we’ll explore the ethical dimensions of manner, attitude, and approach in developing the professional, architectural self; and the value of “un-learning” a range of assumptions and expectations about what it means to be an architect. This session will engage ideas around the value of authenticity, unknowing, anti-mastery, reflective practice, recognising our role as part of a broader collective, and the responsibilities that entails to people and planet.

Session 6 – Towards a Research capable Profession 

For many architects, ‘research’ is an ad-hoc project activity which may affect the way things are done. Sometimes, it seems like the terms ‘search’ and ‘research’ can be used interchangeably like when an architect is searching for new technologies and materials. However, research in architectural practice should be about collaboratively developing knowledge and expertise in a particular area of architecture that the practice is interested in, both within and beyond the practice. It needs to be a deliberate and organised activity with a specific scope and built-in review points. Its aims and methods need to be curated, its results need to be analysed and the methods updated moving forward. It should be in line with practices’ strategic alignment and develop competitive advantages for them. In short, it is an investment that can improve commercial returns, but many architects do not see the value in it, or do not have time to engage in it rigorously. How can we improve research capability in the profession?

Session 7 – What Students Want 

The role of architects is rapidly evolving in today’s world due to environmental and technological pressures, making certain practice-oriented skills more critical than ever. However, over the last 25 years, the depth and breadth of architectural education has shrunk to bring contact hours in line with typical university courses. Once, there might have been seven separate practice subjects. Now, most Australian architecture programs teach architectural practice as one subject, maybe two. This puts additional load on a profession already under pressure. Considering this, what do architecture students want from their architecture programs in terms of architectural practice content, and what do they need to prepare them for practice? Is there a place for more practice-based learning in architecture programs? This session aims to bring together student perspectives and industry insights.

Session 8 – Teaching Cultural Security

Learning about cultural security has become key to Australian architectural education, facilitated in part by the 2021 NSCA and documents such as GANSW’s Connecting With Country Framework. By fostering inclusive and respectful design approaches that acknowledge the diverse cultural landscapes, rich histories and varied perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, immense learning and teaching opportunities have arisen, but these are not without their complexities and tensions. In this session, leading practitioner-educators will discuss the approaches they use to help students develop cultural safety; and ways architectural education more broadly can support these efforts.

Session 9 – Projecting futures for the business and practice of architecture

Traditional business models of architectural practice are under increasing pressure from a variety of sources, including downward trending fees, regulatory change, risk allocation and disruption associated with technological change within design practice and the wider construction industry. This panel will investigate the drivers of change within architectural practice, how architectural practices are developing business models responsive to these pressures and what is the role of architectural education in preparing graduates for an uncertain practice future.