Mr Craig Atkins

Research project:
An Historical Account of Burialscapes in Australia 1788 - 2038: Reconciling the Sacred and Secular
Project description:
Since Australia’s colonisation in 1788, the importation of successive waves of commemoration practices and inhumation preferences has profoundly affected the distribution of burial sites, their internal spatial composition, mnemonic content, and cultural significance. Concurrently, the emergence of local crises and changing preferences have further impacted on the commissioning and care of funerary architecture and landscapes.
Many sites and institutions are struggling to remain relevant in the face of these challenges. The socio-spatial history of these events is understudied and fragmented, with several distinct omissions. Consequently, my investigation combines archival research and the appraisal of selected sites to delineate a new architectural history of burial in Australia and reveal new socio-spatial interactions.
Researcher biography:
Craig earned his Bachelor and Master of Architecture degrees with distinction from the University of the Free State, South Africa. He received numerous awards during his studies, including the South African Council for the Architectural Profession’s Medal for the Best Student over Five Years of Study. His master’s dissertation was shortlisted for the Africa Thesis Award convened by the African Studies Centre at the University of Leiden.
As a team leader for prominent South African practices Craig has contributed to architectural projects in India, Thailand, Great Britain, and across six African countries. Subsequently, Craig founded a boutique practice in Durban, South Africa, which he led for six years before relocating to Australia in 2017. He continues to practice and is a registered architect with the Board of Architects Queensland. Since 2018, Craig has tutored design and history courses at the University of Queensland's School of Architecture, Design and Planning.
Research interests:
The encoding of memory and commemoration across various architectural typologies, with a current focus on spaces for the dead. The historical development of (Critical) Regionalism in architecture and its impact on contemporary design. The life and oeuvre of the artist Paul Klee.
Principal Supervisor:
Dr. Andrew Wilson
Selected Publications:
Craig Atkins. 2021. “(Re)creating Architectural Form, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus”, in The South African Journal of Art History, Volume 36, Number 1: 66-93.
Craig Atkins. 2017. “Transforming the Architecture of Death: Monument vs. Anti-monument”, in The South African Journal of Art History, Volume 31, Number 3: 36-57.
Contact email:
craig.atkins@uq.edu.au
Associate supervisor: Dr. Nicole Sully