Kirsten Bevin - Urban strategy & Research

I’m an independent urban design advisor in Melbourne.

I help government, universities and property development teams turn complex policy, stakeholder and technical materials into clear briefs, plans and strategies.

I draw on 20 years of urban design practice, a PhD in housing studies, and experience directing visual communication materials for infrastructure and built environment projects.

Experience

Front end design strategy for precincts and public realm projects. I write strategic briefs and performance requirements, synthesise technical studies into plain language communicable documents, and validate design options to support institution decision-making. Recent work: open space plans for University and Local Government, design advice for State Government precinct projects.

Design lead working across investment cases, precinct development strategies, and competitive tender processes to meet state government sustainability, employment and housing policy. Experience in project and consultant management, state and local government stakeholder engagement, brief preparation, problem definition and succinct communication of project objectives and impacts.

Part time research role in an Australia-wide team conducting an inquiry for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI). Course coordination of the Housing Policy module, part of the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies Masters of Environment and Planning.

Client-facing role in creative technology studio operating within engineering firm Aurecon. Direction of digital communication tools to help explain built environment and infrastructure projects to industry, government, and community stakeholders.

Architectural and urban design for a range of master plan, mixed-use, workplace, cultural and civic projects in Australia and internationally.

Design and delivery of a pilot project for the transformation of underutilised car parking into small-scale enterprise spaces.

Strategy, master planning, and community engagement for urban renewal projects throughtout the UK and in East London in the lead-up to the Olympics.

Education

The thesis Making housing, shaping old age: Industry engagement in older persons housing explored the housing industry response to an ageing population and the mechanisms of housing provision that shape expectations and options for old age.

2015

Graduate Certificate

Environment and Planning, RMIT

2005

Masters of Architecture

University of Tasmania

2001

Bachelor of Environmental Design

University of Tasmania