Academic Practice

The client for this project wanted to expand their current operations to increase capacity for their after-school services and expand their functions to include youth diversion housing. 

UTS students travelled to Wagga Wagga for a week to co-design with the young ones and Elders and spend time on Country.

Junee Correctional Centre wanted to build cultural amenity to their visitor's space. The concept recognised the many cultures in the prison and the common expression of identity through food. Students researched the details and movement of various festivals across cultures. They combined this research into a design for a Cultural Kitchen that could be used by inmates to celebrate significant cultural events throughout the year.

Students undertook fieldwork inside the prison to gain insights to support their initial research.

Corrective Services NSW facilitates restorative justice conferences between the victim and perpetrator of the crime. Having discovered there is no dedicated location for these meetings, the students undertook research of trauma-informed design to develop concepts for a place sympathetic to the needs of the victim and perpetrator. Close attention to materiality, spatial amenity and safe passage was a significant focus in the studio.

Photo: Student work. Thebridge, Gu, Nocon 

link: Studio work various students

Boomgate Gallery has operated at Long Bay Correctional Centre since the 1990s. The current gallery is located in a repurposed building just beside the entrance to the prison. 

Art practice in prison is broadly accepted as a way of building cultural identity and self-confidence among other benefits.  The students were tasked to design a new gallery on the site of the carpark adjoining the existing gallery. The concept was to design a gallery that highlighted the talent and industry of those inside. 

Image: Gallery model by Christina Pavladis 

The Boggabilla studio investigated new house designs for the Aboriginal Housing Office. Students researched issues of remote construction to develop their own modular system.

Model: Allegra Healy, Margherita Pozzi

link: Studio work various students

This field studio was tasked with designing a new community centre for the people of Bombarerry. Students travelled to the site to meet with the owners and other stakeholders to design a community centre on a rural site with no services. 

Photo: Design session with clients Lissa and Andrew

link: Studio work various students

This studio was concerned with the qualities of the built environment inside prison. Students visited John Morony Correctional Centre to interview staff and inmates in their research. Students selected an open area or family visits to design their concepts based on the lived experience information collected on the visit.

Photo: Student fieldwork with inmates.

link: Studio work various students