SPEAKERS

MODERATOR:

Fleur Watson, Associate Professor, School of Architecture & Design, RMIT University

Fleur Watson is an Associate Professor, School of Architecture & Design, RMIT University and the founding director of collaborative curatorial practice Something Together. Fleur's practice is focused on research, exhibitions and programs that ask questions of architecture and design's role in the world today and its agency in responding to the issues that shape contemporary life. She is the author of The New Curator: Exhibiting Architecture & Design (Routledge) and the series editor of Editions: Australian Architectural Monographs (Thames & Hudson).

PANELLISTS:

Kerstin Thompson AM, Director & Principal of Kerstin Thompson Architects

Kerstin is the design director and leader on all projects undertaken by KTA, supported by a dedicated and skilled team. Her design excellence, project success and strategic thinking has been recognised through a raft of architectural awards at state, national and international levels. In recognition of her work and contribution to the profession and tertiary education, Kerstin was elevated to Life Fellow by the Australian Institute of Architects in 2017. In 2022, she was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and, in 2023, she was awarded the Gold Medal, the Australian Institute of Architects’ highest honour.

Katelin Butler, Editorial Director, Architecture Media

Katelin is the editorial director at Architecture Media. Prior to her appointment as editorial director, Katelin was the design portfolio manager at Architecture Media, editor of Houses (2010-2018) and assistant editor of Architecture Australia (2005–2009). She has coedited three books, The Forever House: Time-Honoured Australian Homes (2014), The Terrace House: Reimagined for the Australian Way of Life (2015) and The Apartment House: Reframing the Australian Dream, all published by Thames and Hudson. Katelin holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Tasmania and a Master of Architecture from the University of Melbourne.

Georgia Birks, Associate Editor, Architecture Australia

Georgia Birks is the multimedia editor at Architecture Media, curator for Design Speaks and host of the Design Speaks Weekly podcast. She is a graduate of architecture and a proud descendant of the Kamilaroi, Dunghutti and Birpai people. Her experience in the built environment industry and in publishing has developed her critical eye for good design and processes. Georgia has been a juror on Australian and international architecture awards programs, written a number of reviews, curated industry conferences, participated as a guest university critic and lecturer, and has been a guest speaker on podcasts and panels across Australia. Currently, Georgia is a member of the Australian Institute of Architects' First Nations Advisory Committee and a member of the City of Melbourne’s Design Excellence Advisory Committee.

Naomi Stead, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Engagement, College of Design and Social Context, RMIT University

Professor Naomi Stead is an architectural critic, researcher and academic leader, currently Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor Engagement in the College of Design and Social Context at RMIT. Previously the Head of Architecture at Monash University she has, throughout her academic career, been committed to research-based advocacy - particularly into gender equity and work-related wellbeing in creative workplaces. She has edited or co-edited six books, including the award-winning After the Australian Ugliness (NGV & Thames and Hudson, 2020) and been the recipient of three Australian Research Council grants. She is widely published as a critic and commentator in architecture and related fields – most recently as architecture critic for The Saturday Paper. In 2023 she was the state winner of the Bates Smart Award for Architecture in the Media and in 2024 was made an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects.

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