Ann Cleary

Ann Cleary FRAIA is a Senior Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Canberra's Faculty of Arts and Design. With 25+ years of global experience, she has contributed to projects like Australia's Parliament House and co-founded the design studio a r k k u: architecture and urban design. Her work bridges academic research and creative practice, focusing on Canberra as a 'design laboratory'.

Education:

• Master of Architecture (2014)
• Bachelor of Architecture (1984)
• Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Design (1981)

Research Focus: Urban renewal, spatial resonance, and architectural artifacts. She explores enduring cultural value through adaptive reuse, light/space studies, and cultural precinct initiatives, integrating these into project-based teaching.

Publications & Creative Works: Her output includes dissertations, exhibitions (e.g., Urban Line), and articles analyzing Canberra's urban fabric, with recurring themes of heritage reinterpretation and public space innovation.

Awards:

• AIA ACT Light Rail Competition 1st Prize (2014)
• AIA Clem Cummings Medal (2009)
• NAWIC Design Achievement Award (2001)

Teaching & Collaboration: Leads studios like Architecture Laboratory, partnering with institutions (National Portrait Gallery, AIA) for urban design projects. Supervises student competitions, resulting in award-winning proposals for Canberra’s cultural precincts.