Darwin university introduces Bachelor of Architectural Design

The Northern Territory is anticipated to soon have its own crop of locally educated architects, following an announcement that Charles Darwin University has launched a Bachelor of Architectural Design course.

The course has been developed to foster a community of locally trained architects with firsthand knowledge of the unique environmental conditions in the territory. According to the university, the course will focus on equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to design buildings that are suitable for and resilient to these conditions. It will also provide students the opportunity to explore quintessential Northern Australian architecture - such as Darwin's cyclone-proof residences, Queenslander homes and desert dwellings - and the concepts and theories underpinning these architectural styles.

Previously, Charles Darwin University (CDU) offered a major in architectural design as part of its Bachelor of Arts program. The university's decision to introduce a dedicated course stemmed from the need to address the shortage of homegrown architects.

Director of CDU's Academy of the Arts, Dr Amanda Morris, said the course is expected to reduce the reliance on architects from southern states, who are often engaged in major projects and natural disaster rebuilding efforts.

"Following the destruction of much of the domestic housing in the northern suburbs of Darwin from Cyclone Tracy, new building codes were introduced and new homes were constructed, but these were built as replicas of southern designs which didn't suit the tropical environment of Darwin," Morris said.

"Fifty years on, we are starting to design domestic houses and public buildings for the tropical environment with the territory having only a small workforce of architects.

"We need more architects who understand the unique challenges of designing buildings for tropical environments and this is where CDU's new course fits in, providing a local workforce which understands the unique tropical and arid environments of the territory."

Enrolled students will be offered opportunities to gain industry experience through work placements and a desert project based in Alice Springs. Additionally, students will be provided collaborative study opportunities through the design studio.

"Students will be able to create architectural designs in response to extreme environments as well as being able to build sustainably for domestic and public infrastructure and develop methodologies to engage with Indigenous communities and those living in regional and remote areas," Morris added.

CDU acting vice-chancellor Professor Fiona Coulson said there is high employability demand for architects in the territory. "CDU is proud to be able to meet the needs of the territory by supporting construction growth and providing a foundation for students to get a local education that will see them make a difference to the territory's skyline."

President of the Northern Territory Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects Miriam Wallace said a local profession with experience and detailed understanding of the territory is critical to the sustainable development of cities and communities.

"Long-term strategic attention to a locally grown territory architecture profession does deliver dividends," Wallace said. "This is evident, for example, in the alumni from CDU's previous built environment degrees who now fill key positions in NT Government and local industry, and who have made long-term commitments to living and working in the NT."

The university will soon appoint a professor of architecture to help facilitate the new course.

To achieve accreditation as an architect, students must complete a total of five years of education, which includes both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. CDU is in the process of launching a Master of Architecture course, which will enable architecture students to complete their study in its entirety at CDU.