Dear staff,

Fabricate is the official student newsletter at the Melbourne School of Design. You are receiving this email as a current student or staff member of the Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning. The cover image is of the Palace of Westminster in London, UK. This Perpendicular Gothic styled building complex houses the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Designed in 1840 by Charles Barry, it was built to replace the previous medieval houses of parliament which was destroyed in a fire in 1834. The palace contains over 1100 rooms and 100 staircases and took over 30 years to be built and internally decorated – largely watched over by gothic revivalist Augustus Pugin. Pugin who designed the interiors and ornamentation of numerous neo gothic buildings including the beautiful St Francis Xavier's in Berrima, New South Wales, was savagely vilified by art critic John Ruskin after his death – leaving his legacy hidden until a re-emergence in the late 21 century.

Date: Tuesday 23 July
Time: 11.00 am – 12.30 pm
Venue: Baldwin Spencer Theatre, Baldwin Spencer Building

Not sure of which elective to choose for Semester 2 or in 2014? Want to enrich your degree by selecting an elective from one of the 5 different disciplines in the MSD?

The MSD is organising a discussion panel which aims to give students a better perspective on the different electives on offer in the fields of Architecture, Construction Management, Landscape Architecture, Property, Urban Design and Urban Planning – the 6 different disciplines areas within the Melbourne School of Design.

The panellist will share insights into their subjects and students will be able to ask questions about the electives on offer.

Click on the button below to book a place for the event via the Student Booking System: MSD Elective Discussion Panel category

Date: Friday 26 July
Venue: Carillo Gantner Theatre, Sidney Myer Asia Centre
Time: 10:00 am – 4.00 pm

Student enrolled in a Master of Architecture Studio C, D or E Design Studio are invited to attend this session to view presentations by all the studio leaders offering studio topics this semester.

The Melbourne School of Design and the Environments and Design Student Centre have prepared individual webpages for the studios on offer. These pages give a brief outline of the different studios on offer and include specific objectives and teaching modes. The allocated studio times are for each offering is also provided.

Click on the button below for more information

Date: Thursday 25 July
Time: 12.00 pm
Venue: Room 108, Level 1, 757 Swanston St

The award winning Bower Studios has students designing and building community infrastructure alongside Indigenous groups in remote locations in Australia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.

The Bower 13 program will have students working at the Belyuen Community (about 2 hours from Darwin) to construct a sheltered outdoor living area with an Indigenous family. Check out the website www.bowerstudio.com.au and come to the information session to find out more.

The subject ABPL90356 Bower Studio is worth 25 points, open to all MSD students and can be taken as an elective, design studio or thesis subject. Places are strictly limited.

Click on the button below for more information

Date: Applications close 5pm Monday 2 September
Location: Oxford University

Would you like to study at Oxford University? Will you have completed, by December 2013, at least four years of undergraduate study? Do you enjoy success at sports, involvement in community activities, and have a desire to lead and further develop your talents? If so, then you have the qualities of a Rhodes Scholar!

The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the oldest and most distinguished scholarships in the world. Previous winners from Australia include former prime minister Bob Hawke, Justices Hayne and Heydon of the High Court of Australia, businessman and footballer Mike Fitzpatrick, Nobel Prize winners Sir John Eccles and Lord Howard Florey, and infrastructure expert Sir Rod Eddington. Successful candidates will receive assistance with their travelling expenses to the UK, as well as a monthly allowance to contribute towards their living expenses whilst in Oxford. In addition, all University tuition fees are paid on the scholar's behalf by the Rhodes Trust.

Click on the button below for more information

Date: Applications close Friday 2 August

The Melbourne School of Design is looking for ten first year Masters by Coursework students to join our Graduate Ambassador program commencing in Semester Two 2013.

This program is designed to assist MSD in promoting the built environment disciplines at events and outreach programs.

Successful students will possess demonstrated passion for their program, and an interest in gaining leadership and marketing experience. We are looking for an Ambassador team who will represent the range of programs and nationalities in MSD.

Click on the button below for more information

Date: Semester 2
Location: Parkville campus
Design Studio Leader: Sarah Backhouse, with Carolyn Whitzman (MUP) and Peter Lawther (MCM).

Are you interested in affordable housing? The Getting to Yes Design Studio will bring together MArch, MUP, MUD and MCM students to tackle a real world problem: developing realistic and fund-able proposals for family-friendly housing that can meet the needs of low and moderate-income households.

Multi-disciplinary group work will be a special feature of the Studio, from urban planning and design collaborations, to refinement of architectural proposals, and construction and cost reviews. You will gain invaluable experience and a new lens through which to view your own work.

Email your specific student adviser for more information

Date: Tuesday 6 August
Time: 7.00 pm
Venue: Carrillo Gantner Theatre, Sidney Myer Asia Centre
Topic: Cities, Growth and Design: Perfect Together

Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Director of Commerce, City of Philadelphia, will discuss urban governance and designing for economic vitality through issues of American sprawl. He has been with the City of Philadelphia since 2008 and prior to that, he was in private practice as an architect and planner with MGA Partners and its predecesor, Mitchell/Giurgola Architects.

Under his leadership, the City of Philadelphia has rewritten the Philadelphia Zoning Code and has initiated a five-year long comprehensive plan for the city, entitled Philadelphia 2035.

Cities, Growth and Design: Perfect Together, discusses the inherent interplay between place, ambition and character, and how successful cities balance these sometimes competing objectives.

Click on the button below for more information

Dates: Saturday 27 July - Sunday 28 July
Location: Throughout Melbourne

We are very excited to share with you the 2013 Open House Melbourne Program! This year we'll be opening up 111 doors around Melbourne, giving you access to the city's most interesting, entertaining, scientific, well designed and historic buildings. The program also features new tours to take, precincts to discover and 40% new content!

Each year, we bring you exciting new buildings you've never seen before, and this year we're opening up 45 of them! Discover the Channel 9 Studios, RMIT Design Hub, National Tennis Centre, Airlie Leadership Development Centre, Southbank Theatre, MacRobertson Girls' High School, Como House & Garden, Cairo Flats, and many more.

Click on the button below for more information

Date: Wednesday 17 July - Sunday 28 July
Venue: Hume Global Learning Centre Broadmeadows, 1093 Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows (enter from Tanderrum Way)

An exhibition of architecture projects developed as part of the Victorian Eco Innovation Lab's (VEIL) Eco-Acupuncture studio in Broadmeadows 2013. The projects envision a sustainable and resilient future for Broadmeadows.

Students were based off campus at Broadmeadows Town Hall one day per week giving them direct access to sites, community and stakeholders.

The exhibition showcases a range of innovative design projects including the reimagining of the former Ericsson site as a closed-loop, green academy for food production, and reinvigorating and adapting the underutilised town hall as a thriving community hub.

Click on the button below for more information

Date: Semester 2
Location: Parkville Campus

Are you interested in an exciting “real” project at the Werribee Park Open Range Zoo? Are you interested in design and research, architecture, environmental conservation, the landscape, native and African fauna, eco-tourism, way-finding and sustainability? If you are then enrol now in ABPL90303 Facilities for Social Sustainability for Semester 2, 2013.

This elective subject will be run under the expert eye of Studio Leader Greg Burgess and staff from the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning.

Click on the email button below to contact Lindy Joubert for more information

Dates: Monday 30 September - 4 October
Location: Parkville campus

ABPL90120 Building Sustainability is a week long intensive planned for the non teaching week of semester 2.

This year the conference like program will feature discussion on sustainability through out the design process, from concept design to detailed design to construction.

Leading speakers will take you through their projects to illustrate the theory presented. The new architecture building will be used as the case study through out the subject, with John Wardle Architects, Multiplex, Umow Lai and Aurecon invited to speak. We also have speakers on the use of prefabrication in large scale construction specifically looking at CLT.

Click on the button below for more information

Dates: Semester 2 - commences Friday 2 August
Location: Frank Tate Building and at offsite locations

What do ‘innovative’ learning spaces look like? How can spaces best be utilised by students and teachers?

This exciting elective will tackle such issues during four ‘intensive’ weekend sessions during Semester 2, 2013. Co-taught by Education and Architecture staff, the activities will include a site visit to an exemplar school and an architecture studio, and hands-on design and pedagogy workshops. MEd and MArch students will work in collaborate teams to develop mutual understandings that make effective the design, occupancy and pedagogical use of innovative learning spaces.

Click on the email button below to contact Ben Cleveland for more information

Date: Semester 2
Location: Parkville campus

This subject aims to develop an understanding and awareness of the environmental effects of building design and construction, including the approaches that can be used to assess and minimise them. It provides critical knowledge and skills for students within all discipline areas.

The subject is run as a series of seminars and includes hands-on activities, guest lectures from industry professionals and site visits.

Assessment is assignment-based and focuses on developing your ability to identify opportunities for improving the environmental performance of the built environment. The format of assessment is through presentations, reports and peer review.

Click on the button below to email Dr Robert Crawford for more information

Date: Wednesday 24 July
Time: 6.00 - 7.00 pm
Venue: Room 102, 757 Swanston Street

CSA and Young Builders Alliance invites you to hear first hand from CFMEU management about OH&S/IR issues facing the construction industry.

Food and beverages will be available from 5pm - 6pm. This is a great way to meet other Construction Management students as well as gain a unique insight on the union's perspective.

Click on the button below for more information