Researchers from UQ’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning and the National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture came together on Thursday, 13 March for the inaugural symposium on Climate Resilience for Healthy Urbanism.
The online event, attended by staff and higher degree by research candidates, included a dozen 15-minute presentations by leading researchers from the two institutions. Presentations were grouped into four primary themes that align with shared research interests: Social Resilience, Tropical Design, Climate Resilience and Digital Twin.
The event was created as a platform for future collaboration between the two departments, a priority shared by Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi, Head of the UQ School of ADP, and Professor Jeffrey Hou, Head of the National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture.
“The symposium and broader collaboration initiative between our institutions is a valuable opportunity for our researchers to make meaningful connections and work together on shared research interests,” Professor Cheshmehzangi said.
“The School is committed to advancing impactful research that tackles today’s most pressing challenges. Our collaborative, interdisciplinary focus empowers our researchers to think outside the box – finding innovative solutions to current issues, and creating a more sustainable, healthy and resilient future.
“I am excited about the future collaborations we will have with the National University of Singapore.”
The School of ADP’s symposium presenters were Associate Professor Paola Leardini, Dr Sara Alidoust, Dr Paul Matthew and Dr Fred Fialho Teixeira.
Presenters from the National University of Singapore were Professor Jeffrey Hou, Associate Professor Emi Kiyota, Associate Professor Shinya Okuda, Dr Terrence Tan, Associate Professor Rudi Stouffs, Associate Professor Chao Yuan, Assistant Professor Qui Jingda and Assistant Professor Filip Biljecki.
Topics explored in the symposium included:
- Guerrilla resilience
- Building resilience and social capital: empowering Elders and strengthening communities through design
- Liveable and resilient city planning
- Challenges and possibilities of mass timber architecture in the tropics
- Healthy timber construction in tropical/subtropical climates
- Landscape design optimisation
- Climate modelling and analytics for urban heat risks mitigation and adaptation
- Multi-objective assessment of urban heat mitigation techniques
- City modelling for low-carbon urban planning and design
- Modelled and actual thermal comfort and indoor air quality in Queensland public housing
- Research insights and perspectives of urban digital twins.
Both institutions are planning follow-up discussions in the specified research areas, with the aim of co-creating new opportunities for research, teaching and exchange.
Discussions for the development of this initiative began in September 2024, when Professor Cheshmehzangi and delegates from UQ visited the National University of Singapore (NUS). The initiative involves the UQ School of ADP, UQ Visualisation Lab, the NUS Department of Architecture, and the NUS Cities Institute.
