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Congratulations to the national winners of SuperStudio 2021, Angela Xu and Thomas Li, currently in their third year at The University of Sydney for their submission, Sedimentary Fabrics
Registrations are now closed for 2021, but we will be back in 2022!
SuperStudio is a national conceptual design competition open to all SONA members – Think of it as a creative license to do the things you wouldn’t get to do in a regular studio or assignment. Participants are encouraged to focus on the ideas and thoughts that can never be made real at all rather than a realistic approach.
Responding to one national brief, participants will be mentored to help with design development and present their proposal to a judging panel in each state and territory.
The winners from each state will go into the national competition for the chance to win $3000!
SuperStudio is open to All SONA members.
SuperStudio 2021 aske participants to explore a vision of how architecture for the future may reflect the concept of evolving identity in connection to people, practice and country. Reflecting upon self, take the opportunity to rethink the future of education and practice working together.
| Competition | Date | Time | More info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading of the Brief | Saturday 8 May | 11am AEST | Virtual Session Connect here |
| Last chance for teams to register | Monday 10 May | 7:30pm AEST | Register for SuperStudio here |
| Design Day talk | Monday 10 May | 5:30pm AEST | Virtual Session Connect here |
| Virtual Mentoring | Tuesday 11 May | from 5:30pm AEST | Virtual Session link will be shared after registration |
| Design Day talk | Wednesday 12 May | 5:30pm AEST | Virtual Session Connect here |
| Virtual Mentoring | Thursday 13 May | from 5:30pm AEST | Virtual Session link will be shared after registration |
| Online Submission Due | Saturday 15 May | 9am AEST | Submit Here |
| Face to Face Presentations | Saturday 15 May | from 3pm Local time | Face to face session check the details for your state |
| National Judging and Announcement | |||
| National Winner Announcement | Friday 21 May | 5:30pm AEST | Virtual Session Connect here |
SuperStudio Design Day presentations are an opportunity for students to dive deeper into the themes of the SuperStudio brief, spark creativity and connect with other students and design professionals.
Designed for individuals with built environment related qualifications or those holding a degree from a recognised architecture course, but not registered. Maintain and extend your connection with the profession with opportunities for networking and continuous learning.
A profile of Caleb Lee and Nithya Ranasinghe from Victoria and their winning proposal – Ceremonial Shards.
Participants of SuperStudio make a submission online and present their idea face to face to a jury in their state
The clothes we wear are more than just pieces of fabric for keeping warm. They mould to our bodies, like skin, shaping our personal identity. It changes the world’s view of us and our view of the world. What we propose unites past and present, to invite a future that celebrates the fluidity of identity. The sites we have chosen are abandoned industrial spaces across Sydney, that have not only become a neglection of land, but also our heritage and cultural identity.
Our design blends architecture with sculpture, inviting the community to bring a part of themselves, their clothes, to partake in an act of collaboration and sharing. We provide a tectonic cable-frame that occupies the husks of these existing buildings. This allows the garments to be hooked on or released by visitors. Over time, the space warps according to the collective input from the community. It becomes a process of giving and accepting, an anonymity that opens a conversation across racial divides. The celebration here lies not within your culture, but through the acceptance of another. Clothes can be expressive yet nameless, gathering to form a collage, blurring the barriers of societal categorisation, exalting the essence of the self.
The Creative Directors working closely with Aremel Tibayan, SONA Vice President Competitions and Events will formulate the 2021 SuperStudio brief. The creative team is also responsible for curating the design inspiration talks and deciding the National winner of SuperStudio.
Susan Ang
Associate Head (International) of School of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University
Susan was a registered practicing architect in Geelong, Melbourne and Byron Bay for 15 years before entering academia where she is in her 23rd year of teaching, research and academic leadership.
Through her teaching and research Susan is a champion of socially consciousness architecture, inclusive design and inter-professional education. Susan is the Founder and Consortium Chair of Intercultural Dialogue Through Design (iDiDe est.2010) – Sustainable Rural Built Environments (SRBE est.2019), a global community design study tour that acts as a collaborative education platform and research network consisting of students, researchers, academics, and industry professionals. The iDiDe-SRBE Consortium is particularly vested in meaningful engagement in participatory design with vulnerable and underrepresented communities around the world and addressing the imbalances between rural and urban environments and orientating these concerns towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
(Wei) Wei Yap, Ooi
Principal, HAYBALL Architecture
Wei is a Principal at HAYBALL, and he leads practice-based research and design. With over 20 years of architectural practice experience, Wei has worked on prominent award-winning public and private sector projects of varying scales across Australia and Southeast Asia. Currently, Wei serves as a Jury for the AIA International Chapter ‘s 2021 International Chapter Architecture Awards. During his undergraduate years, Wei was the recipient of the University Medal from the University of Newcastle, the NSW AIA Graduate Prize and was the second recipient of the AIA Student Prize for the Advancement of Architecture in 2000.
Participants of SuperStudio and all design students are invited to attend SuperStudio Design Day Talks.
These presentations are an opportunity for students to dive deeper into the themes of the SuperStudio brief, spark creativity and connect with other students and design professionals.
Evolving Identities – A discussion with Dr Samantha Ratnam, Leader of Victorian Greens
Samantha is the MLC for Northern Metropolitan and the Leader of the Victorian Greens. Prior to entering the Victorian Parliament, Samantha was a social worker for over 15 years and also spent five years as a Councillor at the City of Moreland, where she was elected the first Greens Mayor of Moreland in 2015.
Samantha discusses her personal migration journey and how the process of migration and change have helped to shape her identity. In this discussion Samantha also reflects on how differences in the built environment can influence the sense of who you are, how you relate to your community and your sense of well being.
Evolving Identities – A discussion with Luke Hayward
Luke is an Australian architect and Japanese 1st-class Kenchikushi, Architect and Building Engineer. Through his practice, atelier Luke, he collaborates closely with clients and local craftspeople to create uniquely personalised and culturally sensitive designs in both Australia and Japan.
Luke will reflect on the role of empathy in architectural practice when operating across cultures and borders. He will also examine the ways identity is defined and evolved by context and events
Evolving Identities – A discussion with Dr Tyson Yunkaporta
Dr Tyson Yunkaporta is an Author, academic, educator, Indigenous thinker, maker (traditional wood carving), arts critic, researcher, poet. Apalech clan (west cape) with ties in the south, born-country is Melbourne and adoptive and community/cultural ties all over, from Western NSW to Perth.
In this presentation our Creative Directors Susan Ang and Wei Yap Ooi discuss the theme of the SuperStuio brief, evolving identities. Tyson shares stories of personal identity and his perspectives on evolving identity and what this means to him.
Evolving Identities – A discussion with Kieran Wong
Kieran is a co-founder and Partner at TheFulcrum.Agency, a creative consultancy that leverages community and social outcomes through evidenced-based design strategy, advocacy and research
Kieran discusses in particular how the practice has started to re think the work they do in community housing and infrastructure and strengthening the ways the practice connects to community. Thinking about what does practice mean not just in the professional sense but practice as an individual.
Kieran shares advice for participants of SuperStudio on managing ideas to tackle the competition brief.
Evolving Identities – A discussion with Dr Gary Presland and Professor Mel Dodd
Dr Gary Presland
Over a 25-year period, Gary held positions as an archaeologist, historian, archivist and museum curator in the Victorian Public Service. He is a prize-winning author of nine books on aspects of Melbourne’s history.
Gary discusses the intricate ways in which identity (in both Aboriginal and colonial settler society) is connected to ‘place’, and how they differ so markedly from each other and also how elements of Melbourne’s landscapes features were regarded in vastly dissimilar ways, through disparate cultural frameworks.
Prof. Mel Dodd
Mel Dodd has led architecture at a range of Universities in London and Melbourne, and is currently Professor and Head of Department of Architecture at MADA, Monash University. Responsible for pedagogy that bridges the gap between the academic institution, the profession, and wider society, her practice-based research critically engages with urban place-making as evidenced in her recent publication ‘Spatial Practices: Modes of Action and Engagement with the City (Routledge 2020). Mel sits on the Architecture Committee for the Royal Academy of Arts, and is an Adjunct Professor at Central Saint Martins in London.
Each state will hosted a presentation day on Saturday 15 May for participants to present their proposal to their state jury.
Presentation Day Information:
Saturday 15th May 2021
Arrive from 2.30pm for a 3pm start
Level 3, G39, Griffith University, Gold Coast
Getting there:
For guests driving to the campus, it is best to enter the destination location as G39, Southport, QLD 4222.
Complimentary parking is available at G55 Multistory – casual parking area – instructions will be given to activate complimentary parking
Refer to Google Map for directions to G55.
For guests using public transport, the Tram station to get down is Griffith University Station, to not be confused with the Gold Coast University Hospital station that stops at the other side of the campus.
Queensland Jury:
Liz Brogden
Academic jury member – Dr. Liz Brogden is a Lecturer in Transdisciplinary Design at the Queensland University of Technology. After 5 years in architectural practice, Liz moved into academia in 2014. She takes a determinedly optimistic approach to teaching and research that focuses on disaster resilience and climate action through architecture and design. By integrating her teaching and research, she explores how to effectively combine curriculum knowledge and skills with transformative pedagogy in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This has implications beyond higher education as it points to the future of architecture and design practice.
Stephen Long:
Practice jury member – Dr Stephen Long is an experienced architect and anthropologist who specialises in the design and documentation of major public buildings. As leader of Architectus’ Public sector projects, Stephen’s portfolio encompasses projects across justice, health and culture. He has led design on the $1.8 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital and the award-winning Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law. He also steered the refurbishment design and construction of the Ceremonial Court in the Federal Court of Brisbane. He has enjoyed developing feasibility studies, master plans and designs for new facilities, refurbishments and exhibitions with museum clients, including the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery, Queensland Museum and the Eromanga Natural History Museum. Skilled in client and user group communication and collaboration, team leadership, and complex services coordination, Stephen has consistently managed teams to produce high quality work within project timeframes. Stephen’s PhD and postdoctoral studies explored Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage and relationships to place. He has undertaken extensive fieldwork with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities throughout Australia. Stephen has also worked alongside anthropological teams to document oral histories and record places.
Sam McQueeny
EmAGN jury member – Sam is a Graduate of Architecture from Hobart, Tasmania working with Vokes and Peters on a number of residential projects in all phases from sketch design through to project execution. His architectural experience has been heavily influenced by his upbringing and education in Tasmania, where there was an emphasis on learning-by-making, respect for place and valuing the local resources at hand. Alongside his work in practice, Sam has been enthusiastically involved in advocating for the architectural profession through various Institute initiatives including: EmAGN QLD, EmAGN TAS, the National Committee for Gender Equity, and the AIA Tasmanian Practice Committee. In addition to this, Sam was selected as a participant in the 2020 Dulux Study Tour, as Co-Creative Director for the 2016 and 2017 Tasmanian Architecture Awards, volunteered for multiple years with Open House Hobart, and coordinated and executed the Tasmanian portion of the AIA’s Hearing Architecture Podcast.
Kelton Boyter-Grant
2020 SONA SuperStudio winner Kelton is a 4th year architecture student at the University of Queensland. Architecturally, Kelton’s interests are in computational design and an architect’s technological workflow with some of his favourite architects such as BIG, Snohetta, COX and Zaha Hadid to name a few. Outside of architecture, Kelton is interested in photography, music and travel, all of which he has been doing for most of his teenage/adult life. Kelton loves creative solutions to people problems that hit the brief and deliver a well-rounded project throughout the architectural landscape. Kelton is currently working for an Apple authorised service centre while he focus his attention at uni and gaining as much knowledge as possible.
Abigail Lee
2020 SONA SuperStudio winner Abigail Lee is a fourth year Masters student who believes in people-oriented design and architecture at the human scale. Abby is interested in the design of thoughtful, impactful spaces that anticipate user needs and the moral obligation of the architect to design for accessibility, equity, and sustainability. Through her work at Maytree Studios and Studio 15B and Abby has learnt the importance of site context and relationships with the client. Abby participate in events wherever she can and am an advocate for immersing herself into the field of architecture and expanding her knowledge.
Jesse Grant 2020 SONA SuperStudio winner Jesse is a first year Master of Architecture Student at UQ, and past winner of SONA’s QLD SuperStudio with Kelton Boyter-Grant and Abigail Lee. For a year, she has been involved with the Housing Older Women (HOW) Movement, an action and advocacy group aiming to alleviate the housing stress faced by Queensland’s most vulnerable group, women over 55. Jesse has been a tutor of Architectural Communications at UQ, and a co-organiser of her End of Year exhibition Handover in 2019. She has also made contributions to the student led Barbara magazine.
Due recieving no student registrations the NT competition will not go ahead in 2021
Presentation Day Information:
Saturday 15th May 2021
Arrive from 2.30pm for a 3pm start
South Australia Chapter Office
15 Leigh Street, Adelaide, 5000
Presentations for 7 minutes duration and then Jury Q&A
South Australia Jury:
Felicity Sando FRAIA
Felicity Sando has a broad range of architectural experience encompassing community, institutional, exhibition and historic projects in New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia and Mexico. She has extensive experience in master planning, detail design, documentation, contract administration, cost control and coordinating complex project teams. Felicity is an active participant in architectural education. Since 2005 she has been a course co-ordinator for architecture studios including adaptive re-use + conservation and design at Adelaide University. Her involvement at Adelaide University and the University of SA spans over 10 years.
Nhi Trinh:
Nhi Trinh is the current SONA Representative for the University of Adelaide in 2021, and we’re excited to have her on the Local Jury this year as the 2020 state winner of SuperStudio. Nhi has been a SONA member since starting her degree in a Bachelor of Architectural Design, which she is now in her final semester of. As well as her keen interest for heritage buildings and adaptive reuse in architecture, Nhi is also passionate about student representation in both academia, and the professional industry. Nhi is not just the 2021 SONA Rep, but she is also the Secretary of the Adelaide University Society of Architecture and Built Environment (AUSABE), showing her care and consideration for students.
Aaron Davis
Aaron Davis has expertise across a range of areas relating to design and design processes. This includes architecture and sustainable design, as well as the design and facilitation of community engagement, co-design and co-creation processes. Aaron works closely with Match Studio at UniSA, exploring new pedagogical approaches rooted in design thinking to break disciplinary boundaries and engage with students, researchers, industry partners, and communities. Aaron is also a member of IVE, the Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments, and the Design Clinic, working on a range of healthcare, sensemaking, and data physicalisation projects.
Sam Aukland
Sam Aukland is the Design an Projects Manager at Catholic Education SA. He has public/civic architecture and educational facilities design, planning, and management expertise across Australia and internationally. His specific interests are in strategy, pedagogy, and stakeholder engagement.
Presentation Day Information:
15th May
Arrive from 2.30pm for a 3pm start
Australian Institute of Architects, ACT Chapter
2a Mugga Way, Red Hill, 2603
ACT Jury:
Michael Jasper
Michael Jasper is Professor of Architecture at the University of Canberra where he leads the major projects studio and advanced architectural analysis units. He was Visiting Scholar at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome, and is the author of Architectural Aesthetic Speculations and Deleuze on Art.
James Gaughwin
James is the Co-Chair of the ACT EmAGN Committee and project architect for Allan Spira Architects. James works on a range of projects, with a special interest in energy efficient, well detailed homes. James’ prior experience in an engineering firm gives him a solid understanding of both structural and architectural design. His site response and understanding of energy efficient design are a hallmark of his projects.
Michi Playford
Michi is the Co-Chair of the ACT EmAGN Committee and is a Graduate of Architecture at Cox. Her experience includes residential, civic, education, healthcare, and cultural and community architecture. In 2017 Michi was the recipient of The Parker Fellowship allowing her to undertake research in Asia on the way buildings respond to local climate. The research provided new perspectives on the ways thoughtful design can minimise environmental impacts of built structures and improve the lives of users.
Zoe Taylor
Zoe is a recent graduate of the Master of Architecture from UC but has been with Cox since 2015 as a student. Zoe provides architectural input on projects across residential, education, office, retail, and health sectors and has experience across a range of project phases and design processes. Zoe’s contributions to recent projects includes high-quality design conceptualisation, documentation and stakeholder consultation
Presentation Day Information:
Saturday 15th May
Arrive from 2.30pm for a 3pm start
Monash University
Building ‘F’ room F2.09 (second floor through the glass ‘Architecture’ doors)
VIC Jury:
Kevin Hui
Kevin Hui is the founder of Archimarathon, its YouTube channel and Discord community. For the last 18 years, Kevin has been teaching architecture design studios at various universities whilst running his practice 4site Melbourne.. He is an avid architectural traveller, seeing an astonishing amount of quality and influential projects and leading tightly curated learning tours around the world. Together with co-host Andrew Maynard of Austin Maynard Architects, Archimarathon delivers educational YouTube video contents weekly on topics that are often not talked about.
Gumji Kang
Gumji is a Melbourne based Architect with Snøhetta and a Design Studio Leader with Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne. She is also co-chair of EmAGN Victoria Chapter, co-chair of Research in Architecture Forum and Chapter councillor. Passionate about architectural education and practice of architecture, Gumji is actively involved across MSD, RMIT and Monash as design studio crits, and guest lecturer.
Mel Dodd:
Educated at University of Cambridge and with a PhD By Practice from RMIT University (2011), she has lead architecture at a range of institutions since 1995 including the CASS, in London, RMIT University in Melbourne, and most recently Spatial Practices at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London – where in her role as Associate Dean she explores innovative partnerships between the university, external agencies and communities.
Johnson Ho
NSW
Presentation Day Information:
15th May
Arrive from 2.30pm for a 3pm start
Torrens University, Ultimo Campus
Room 1.12
The available parking near the Ulitmo Campus is the Broadway Shopping Centre. There is free 2 hour parking available. It is a 2 minute walk from the Ultimo Campus.
Jury:
TBC
Presentation Day Information:
15th May
Arrive from 2.30pm for a 3pm start
Notre Dame University at Mariner’s Chapel Studio. 4 High St, Fremantle
WA Jury:
Elizabeth Barnhill/Strauss:
Registered architect in New York and in Western Australia. She is a sessional staff at Curtin University for online and on campus design units.
Alex McKenzie:
A registered architect, graduated from Curtin University with a Master of Architecture in 2010. She has gained a wealth of experience from working in various Architecture firms in both Melbourne and Perth during and after her studies.
Eva Baranyai:
A graduated of Bartlett School of Architecture in UK. She is a registered architect who worked at Kerry Hill Architects in Perth. Eva is a sessional staff at Curtin University for online and on campus design units.
Ahmed Elsayed
A graduate of Curtin University and works at Matthews & Scavalli Architects. Ahmed is co-chair at EmAGN WA.
Presentation Day Information:
15th May
Arrive from 2.30pm for a 3pm start
UTAS Stone Building/ Academy of Arts/ TASTAFE Inveresk
Invermay Rd, Launceston 7250
Park at Inveresk Carpark, walk towards QVMAG, enter building with yellow sculpture infront of it.
Jury:
Jono Buist
Daniel Lane
Paul Wakelam
Saxon Hall
Participants of SuperStudio can access 2 mentoring sessions to help with design development, ask questions and to get some advice. Mentoring sessions are virtual, and participants could be connected to any of our below mentors from all over Australia,
Levi Fletcher, City Geeks QLD
Sam Mcqueeny, Vokes and Peters QLD
Paul Worroll, Reddog Architects, QLD
Alistair Kirk, Local Architects PTY LTD
Sam Auckland, SA
Taya Brooks, BHI Architects, NSW
Paola Incer, QLD
Sarah Yap, JPW, NSW
Benjamin Greaves, NSW
Saxon Hall, SAXON HALL architecture, TAS
Gary Henighen, Architectus, NSW
Kim Mudie, VIC
Angus McNichol, John Wardle Architects, NSW
Matias Chadwick, HASSELL, QLD
Belinda Allwood, POD (People Orientated Design) QLD
Colin Strydom, design+architecture, QLD
Paola Incer, QLD
Sarah Aisworth, Cottee Parker Architects, QLD
Chloe Pellicer, TKD Architects, NSW
Simon Rochowski, studioplusthree, NSW
Bronwyn Litera, Litera Trotta Architecture, NSW
Mary Ann Jackson, Visionary Design Development Pty Ltd
Hugh Michelmore, Walter Brooke & Associates, SA
Robert Davidov, Davidov Architects. VIC
Paul Bartsch, Troppo Architects, NT
Ursula Chandler, Ursula Chandler Architects, VIC
Gina Taylor, Nettletontribe, QLD
Each state will host a presentation day where a local jury will decide the top 3 teams in their state. See who is on the jury in each state here
Submissions are now closed.
Online Submission:
Due on/or before Saturday 15 May 9am AEST
Specific submissions requirements and instructions can be on the brief document
Face to Face Presentations:
Saturday 15 May check here for information about your states presentation day
If you cant present live, pre-recorded submissions are due at 9amAEST along with online submission.
For the face to face presentations, there is no limit to the number of supplementary slides you can use for this presentation. If you want to include a video or other forms of media, it’s up to you. The time each team has to present is 5mins + 2 mins q&a with the jury. All teams should be ready to present a 3pm.
Our team immediately recalled the devastating Beirut port explosion in August, streets littered with shattered glass, possessions and paraphernalia strewn on the ground like trash – compounding Lebanon’s waste problem. We critiqued this year’s brief to be respectful of place. In order to be considerate, we strongly believed that we needed to be knowledgeable too. Thus we began the project by questioning the systems, culture, history and how would those indirectly affected resonate with this tragedy?
Under quarantine, the sphere in which we experience space has condensed yet conflated. Objects that surround us suddenly have a profound influence in how we act. Building upon the idea of lost possessions and sustainability, our team was interested in how material transmutation of objects affect our behaviour. What if we woke up and all our possessions were made from glass? Would we value them as much as our memorabilia? What would we be willing to discard?
Those who have been through trauma tend to gravitate towards rituals of consistency and routine, aspects found in religion. Therefore, we believed that a built outcome was not the answer to grief. We saw an opportunity to address Lebanon’s pre-existing problems surrounding waste disposal. Resonating with this year’s theme of “renewal”, we sought to propose a gradually dissipating ceremony, in a domestic setting to empathize with those in grief.
View the winning proposal here.
Yes you can, you must register yourself/your team as usual.
How to submit if you can’t present live:
Record your presentation via Zoom as if you were presenting live – this cannot exceed 7 minutes in length – if it does, we will cut the recording short. On the briefing document there will be clear instructions on how to submit your recording. This is due Saturday 15 May 9am AEST along with your online submission.
It is highly recommended participants present live. If you are prerecording, you will miss out on a Q&A session with the jury and the opportunity to clarify elements of your proposal.
To participate in Super Studio, you firstly need to register your team (4 people max) or register as an individual.
At the time of registering select your preferred mentor time slot links to access mentoring are above ensure you connect at the time you register for.
Attend the reading of the brief session. If you are unable to participate in this session, the recording will be available on our website afterwards.
Start designing!
Connect to one of the design day presentations during the week. We have some interesting speakers who will be conducting interactive chats around topics connected to our brief to help you to expand your thinking.
Connect to your mentoring session to get some feedback about your proposal from an industry professional.
Presentations and submission due on Saturday 15 May.
You can participate as an individual or as a team of 2,3 or up to 4 students.
Team members don’t need to come from your university but all team members should be SONA members.
Get in touch with Madelynn at the Institute – sona@architecture.com.au
This is important to let us know rather than not turning up as our mentors are giving up their time to help you.
There will be two virtual mentoring sessions available for all teams to help with their proposals.
Tuesday 11 May & Thursday 13 May from 5.30pm onwards.
At the time of registering you select your preferred mentoring time slot. The link to access mentoring time slots is above in the table titled SuperStudio dates and activities.
Refer here for more information on who the 2021 SuperStudio mentors are
Register for SuperStudio here. The last chance to register is Monday 10 May 7.30pmAEST
The Design Day Talks are not compulsary for participants. We do encourage you to come along though, its a chance to explore the themes of the SuperStudio brief further with fellow participants and design professionals. Refer here for more information about the Design day presentations.
1-2 business days after you register for SuperStudio you will receive an email with information about your states presentation day and access to your mentoring session.
you can also refer here to view the location of your states presentation day.
