The Design Matters lecture series, hosted by the Faculty of Environmental Design (EVDS), welcomes to campus influential speakers who explore design in our contemporary culture. For Earth Month the series welcomes Leon van Schaik.
van Schaik is professor of architecture at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Melbourne, Australia, where he holds an Innovation Chair in practice-based research in design. He promotes local and international architectural culture through practice-based research which focuses on creating and sustaining innovative communities.
“Leon is at the forefront of research into innovative forms of architectural practice. He has devoted his career to promoting architectural culture and brings a global perspective on how architects are responding to the world-changing challenges we all face,” notes John Brown, associate dean of research at EVDS. “His lecture will be valuable to both our students and the larger Calgary design community as a whole.”
The Royal Australian Institute of Architects honoured van Shaik at their 75thanniversary celebration with the inaugural Neville Quarry Prize for Architectural Education. Shortly thereafter, in 2006 the General Division of the Order of Australia granted him officer status for his exemplary service to architecture as an academic, practitioner and educator, and to the community through his involvement with a wide range of boards and organizations related to architecture, culture and the arts.
His longstanding research interests in knowledge-based architecture, procurement of innovative architectural investigating in peer environments, and commitment to mastery in the practice of architecture and its allied disciplines have allowed van Schaik transform design thinking in education.
van Schaik joins EVDS for Design Matters where he will present on Design Practice Research: How we release the 'sealed cognitive research capital' in established and successful creative practice.
This lecture is open to the public and takes place Wednesday, April 3 at 6 p.m. at the University of Calgary Downtown Campus (906 8th Ave S.W.). There is a $5 admission for non-students. Students are free.
For more information on the Design Matters with Leon van Shaik, click here.
Design Matters has teamed up with other groups at the university to bring an exciting and diverse series of events to campus during April to celebrate Earth Month. For information on Earth Month at the University of Calgary, click here.
Article by Jessica Wallace. Image courtesy of RMIT.