Professor Mark Burry has published internationally on two main themes: the life and work of the architect Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona, and putting theory into practice with regard to ‘challenging’ architecture; he has also published widely on broader issues of design, construction and the use of computers in design theory and practice.

As Consultant Architect to the Temple Sagrada Família since 1979, Mark Burry has been a key member within the small team, untangling the mysteries of Gaudí’s compositional strategies for the Sagrada Família, especially those coming from his later years, the implications of which are only now becoming fully apparent as they are resolved for building purposes.

On February 18 2004, in recognition of his contribution to this project, Professor Burry was given the prestigious award … ‘Diploma I la insignia a l’acadèmic corresponent’ and the title Senyor Il. Lustre by la Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi. In May 2006 Mark was awarded an Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship and he was recently the recipient of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) Award for Innovative Research.

Professor Burry is director of RMIT’s state-of-the-art Spatial Information Architecture Laboratory, which has been established as a holistic interdisciplinary research environment dedicated to almost all aspects of contemporary design activity. The laboratory focuses on collocated design research and undergraduate and postgraduate teaching with associated advanced computer applications and the rapid prototyping of ideas. The laboratory has a design-practice emphasis and acts as a creative think-tank accessible to both local and international practices, including ARUP in Melbourne and London, dECOi in Paris and Gehry Partners in Los Angeles.

For further information: www.sial.rmit.edu.au