About

Dr Kevin Bradley (Architect NSW 8916) gained his PhD in Architecture in 2021. His concern was (and remains) for how architecture produces harm even when the intentions are claimed to be good (by governments and architecture firms). 

His focus is to reframe design practice so that the impact of architecture is understood and co-produced by those that experience it and seek the benefit from it.  This re-framing of practice expands the notion of the architecture practice to a more intersectional and collaborative mode of doing and realising things. 

The big picture of wanting to do good can be overwhelming. Where to start? Where to focus energy? How to understand positionality? How to acknowledge Country? What can Architecture hope to achieve?

Agency by Design was born from a PhD research project that questioned how architecture can support the notion of citizenship inside prison. This question was generated from undertaking 10 years of research projects in custodial settings and speaking with those inside. Having completed the PhD the attention is broader - beyond the prison.

Three targets of Closing the Gap specifically resonate. These dictate the focus for the Agency by Design: 

• Secure and affordable housing, 
• addressing overrepresentation of First Nations Youth and 
• overrepresentation of First Nations Adults in prison are the concern of the practice.

The practice agenda is to Close the Gap by working with communities to meet these targets. We do this through design collaborations, research projects and, teaching into design studios at universities. 

We collaborate with many diverse communities to create new environments that support their needs. 

We are open to collaborating with any community regardless of project size or complexity.