Bond University has appointed internationally recognised architect, researcher and innovator Professor Paul Loh as Head of the Abedian School of Architecture.
Professor Loh has more than 15 years of architectural experience in Australia, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom, and has lectured at institutions around the world including ETH Zurich, Lund University in Sweden, and Tsinghua University in China.
Professor Loh joins Bond from the University of Melbourne where he was a Senior Lecturer in Digital Architecture Design and co-director of the Advanced Digital Design and Fabrication research hub.
“I am humbled and excited to be appointed as the Head of the Abedian School of Architecture at Bond University. It’s a privilege to lead a school with an innovative and professionally focused curriculum with world-class facilities,” Professor Loh said.
"I look forward to leading and fostering innovative design research within the school that could be transformative to the profession.
“Working closely with students, staff and colleagues from the industry, we can actively shape a more relevant school of architecture and question our role as architects in dealing with the issue of climate change, diversity, decolonisation, place and identity.”
Bond University Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford, said: “Professor Loh’s extensive experience in academia and industry perfectly aligns with Bond’s partnership approach that ensures our graduates are among the nation’s most work-ready and capable of creating and leading change.”
Bond University Executive Dean of the Faculty of Society & Design, Professor Derek Carson, welcomed Professor Loh to the faculty.
“We are delighted to attract such a leading name in robotics, digital fabrication, and patented technology to lead the Abedian School of Architecture,” Professor Carson said.
“Professor Loh’s expertise will be invaluable as we look to build upon our reputation as an excellent provider of cutting-edge architectural education.”
Professor Loh is a registered architect in the UK, where his built projects have been widely published and awarded.
He is the founding partner and Principal Designer of LLDS, an architectural design practice based in Melbourne.
“My practice and research enable me to bridge academia with industry, taking research into real-world environments and testing them,” Professor Loh said.
“This integration of design with research has shaped my career, and I look forward to applying my experience in design research and innovation to the role, so that we can positively impact society, and our profession more broadly.”
Patron of the Abedian School of Architecture, Dr Soheil Abedian, said: “I warmly welcome Professor Loh to his new position and look forward to his stewardship as we aim to be among the best architecture schools in the world.”
Professor Loh will succeed Professor Chris Knapp, who has led the Abedian School of Architecture for four years and coordinated a range of architecture programs.
Professor Knapp played an instrumental role in establishing the school’s reputation as a leading design-driven institution.
Bond University’s Abedian School of Architecture offers students unrivalled access to state of the art equipment, personalised attention and mentoring from world-class educators, and features one of the lowest student to staff ratios of any architectural program offered in Australia.