Friday 17 October 2025                                 Saturday 18 October 2025

9:00am Registration opens                            Tours available with Robin Boyd Foundation -REGISTER HERE

9:30am - 4:30pm Sessions held                     

5:30pm - 7:00pm Networking Drinks at Deakin University (Optional)

7:00pm - EmAGN Geelong Pub Crawl - REGISTER HERE

 

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Session 1: Regional Density Context: Macro

Explore the big picture shaping regional Victoria’s housing and settlement future. This session will unpack the economic, social, and planning forces driving increased density in regional areas, and how practitioners can position themselves to respond strategically and sustainably.

Session 2: Regional Density Infrastructure: Ancillary

Great density demands great infrastructure, from childcare and civic spaces to digital connectivity. This session examines the often-overlooked services that make regional places liveable, and explores how better planning and partnerships can enable these foundational elements.

Session 3: Regional Density Case Studies: Micro

See how density is already being delivered in regional Victoria through small, smart, and locally led projects. This session showcases successful architectural and planning responses to housing challenges, led by practitioners deeply embedded in their communities.

Session 4: Forum Discussion – Level the Field: Equity, Visibility and Growth for Regional Design Practices

This forum brings together regional practitioners, government, and metro-based allies to confront the barriers facing regional professionals in accessing larger and public projects. Through honest discussion and shared strategies, the session aims to build momentum for a more equitable and collaborative procurement landscape across Victoria.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

On completion of this course, participants should be able to:

• Be able to apply planning principles and statutory planning requirements to the site and conceptual design of the project.
• Understand the processes for producing project documentation that meets the requirements of the contract and procurement procedure and complies with regulatory controls, building standards, codes, and conditions of construction and planning approvals.
• Be able to apply creative imagination, design precedents, research, emergent knowledge and critical evaluation in formulating and refining concept design options, including the exploration of three dimensional form and spatial quality.
• Be able to apply project budgets, or work with quantity surveyor to establish project budgets, based upon understanding of cost planning, value management and factors influencing project cost relevant to the project type and scale.
• Understand risk management and mitigation principles and strategies – including safety in design, project risk, requirement for resilience from the impacts of climate change and appropriate insurances – across architectural services.
• Be able to develop and evaluate design options in terms of the heritage, cultural and community values embodied in the site, and in relation to project requirements.
• Understand the operational and embodied carbon implications of chosen materials, components and systems.
• Be able to integrate community, social and ethical considerations in the formulation of design concepts and strategies. 

 

MC - Mena Kubba 

Mena Kubba is an Architect and Urban Designer based in Ballarat on Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Her work spans transport, infrastructure, cultural, and residential projects across Victoria. She is the founder of KUBBA, an empathy-driven design studio grounded in collaboration and partnership.

As Chair of the AIA Regional Committee for the Victorian Chapter, Mena advocates for architectural practice and design excellence across regional Victoria. A committed public transport user and avid walker, she also champions safer, more inclusive environments for women, girls, and marginalised communities. She frequently contributes to panels on social infrastructure and community-focused design, with recent collaborations involving the City of Melbourne, Open House, and the Department of Planning and Transport. 

Mena works closely with both state and local government, bridging the gap between policy and design to deliver projects that are responsive, inclusive, and community centred. "As Chair, I am honoured to contribute to the Regional Architecture Symposium, supporting conversations that shape design across Victoria."

 

Jonathan Daly - Department of Transport & Planning

Dr Jonathan Daly is Director of Precincts in the Victorian Government Department of Transport and Planning. He has 25 years of experience in urban renewal working across private consulting, academia and more recently in local and state government. He received his PhD in urban design from the University of Melbourne.

 

Colleen Peterson - Department of Transport & Planning

Before taking on her role as Head of State Planning, Colleen was a part of the private planning sector for over thirty years. For the past twenty years, Colleen has been part of Ratio where she has enjoyed a long tenure on the leadership team, occupying the roles of Director, Managing Director and CEO, where she played a significant role in establishing the company’s standing as a prominent professional consultancy. As the Head of State Planning, Colleen leads both the statutory planning functions and the planning reforms at the department. Colleen is known for her passion for planning and its role in creating a liveable and more equitable future, as well as creating real and meaningful change for the benefit of all Victorians. Recognised as a thought leader in planning and the issue of social impact, Colleen advocates strongly for the role of planners in contributing to liveable and equitable communities.

 

Andrew Milward-Bason - Urban Creative Studio

Andrew is a passionate designer with a breadth of experience and skills developed over 30 years working across a range of award-winning architectural and urban design projects within an international context. His practice, Urban Creative Studio, is committed to making a positive transformational contribution to our built landscape and seeks an architecture that engages with its urban, social, and historical context, and that fosters a sustainable future through innovation, rigorous analysis, and inspiration.

Clare Richards - Mount Alexander Shire Council

Clare is the Housing Solutions Broker with Mount Alexander Shire Council. She has over 35 years' experience across social services and community development and has worked at every level of government. She works within a complex systems framework and has a history of identifying change opportunities and successfully implementing innovations.

 

Geoff Crosby - Crosby Architects

Geoff Crosby, director of CROSBY architects has 30 years of experience in housing and sustainability, first in Melbourne, and the last 15 years in the regional Victorian town of Castlemaine. His latest project, a 27 unit cluster housing development won the 2025 Vic Chapter Sustainability Award and is short listed in the National awards.

 

Brett Ince - Regional Development Victoria

Brett is the Regional Director of Regional Development Victoria Barwon South West and is the Executive Officer for Regional Development Australia Barwon South West, the Barwon Regional Partnership, and the Great South Coast Regional Partnership. Regional Development Victoria (RDV) is the Victorian Government’s lead agency responsible for rural and regional economic development. RDV operates in partnership with regional businesses and communities, and all tiers of government to deliver the Government’s regional development agenda and instigate positive change for regional and rural Victorians. Our work includes enabling businesses to invest to consolidate and grow jobs, strengthen regional economies and enrich the social fabric of Victoria’s regional cities and towns. 

 

Rosella Sciurti - Cumulus Studio

Rosella is an experienced architect at Cumulus Studio, based in Naarm/Melbourne. She works on medium to high-density residential, commercial, and public projects. Early exposure to large-scale, community-oriented projects helped shape her appreciation for architecture that not only functions well but also inspires and engages. She is particularly drawn to concept design, where the foundation of a project is laid through narrative, context, and creative vision. 

 

Matt Delroy-Carr - MDC Architect

Matt Delroy-Carr is the principal of MDC Architects, a practice founded to fulfill a vision to make sustainable architecture more affordable for more people.  Matt established MDC Architects as a platform to research and advocate for an improved status quo in the quality of our housing, with particular focus on the affordable and sustainable, including single homes and multi-residential developments. Matt's interests extend to the development of good planning policy to inform the evolution of our urban environments.

 

Damian Madigan - University of SA

Damian Madigan is an Associate Professor of Architecture at UniSA, a registered architect, and creatorof ‘Bluefield Housing’ – a re-definition of established suburbs and an accompanying adaptive reuse infill model. In May, ‘Co-located Housing’ became a new Land Use Definition and permitted form of infill in South Australia; the first time in Australia a new housing model has been legislated through a bottom-up design-led process.

 

Panel Moderator: Professor Tuba Kocaturk - Deakin University

Professor Tuba Kocaturk is Deputy Head of School of Architecture & Built Environment at Deakin University and Director of the Mediated Intelligence in Design (MInD) Lab. She collaborates with governments, industry, and communities to pioneer circular economy strategies and system-level design, creating pathways for resilient, intelligent, and future-ready built environments.

 

Panel Moderator: Kim Irons - Stonehouse Irons Architecture

Kim is co-partner of regionally-based architecture practice Stonehouse + Irons Architecture. She serves on State and local Design Review Panels, and is a former AIA Victorian Chapter Councillor and Regional Chair. Her advocacy for regional architecture and profession was recognised the awarding of the 2024 Regional Practice Prize. Kim advocates high quality architecture believing small interventions in the regions can significantly impact Country and community.   

Panel Moderator: Lucia Amies, Architecture Media

Lucia Amies is associate editor of ArchitectureAu, a registered architect and a writer based in Naarm/Melbourne. Lucia studied at the University of Queensland and at the University of Melbourne, where she also tutored design studio and architectural history. She has served as a juror for various architectural awards, and was previously a co-curator of New Architects Melbourne and co-editor of Inflection Journal.

 

Panel Moderator: Margie McKay, Urban Design and Place, City of Greater Geelong 

Margie is an experienced public sector leader who finds creative, innovative solutions and delivers complex design and planning programs. With over 20 years’ industry experience, Margie is passionate about improving social outcomes in cities. Margie has a broad range of expertise in architecture, urban design, placemaking, strategic policy and planning in both public and private sectors.

 

Non-Members: $234.50

Members: $199.50

EmAGN (Graduate members): $99.50

SONA: $49.50

Online attendance: $79.50

Networking Drinks (additional guest): $24.50

 

Note: All prices listed above include the Networking Drinks at Deakin University. Additional guests may be added by purchasing an additional guest ticket for $24.50 pp.

GROUP DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE (MIN 4 PEOPLE) - Please contact [email protected] for more information.

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