Fang Xu Joins The Constructed Environment Advisory Board

  • 2019-08-22

Fang Xu is currently an Associate Professor in Art & Design, UNSW where he is the Convener of Environments / Spatial Design program. Fang Xu’s expertise is drawn from his cross-cultural background, wide range of professional design experience and interdisciplinary research interests. With more than thirty years’ experience as a practicing designer and tertiary educator both in Australia and China, Fang has a deep understanding of the nature of design, and its social influences and cultural values that shape contemporary design education and practice.

As an educator, Fang’s interest in design education is on the relationship between culture, design process and design methodology. The research examines the influence of cultural manifestation on design teaching and learning in both Australian and Asian Universities’ contexts. It also investigates the increasingly hybrid nature of inter-disciplinary approach in response to the transformation of the design industry in the real world.

As a researcher, Fang is interested in issues central to design practice in the changing context of values, objectives and methods. His recent research concentrates on the role of public participation, community engagement, social innovation and design intervention in design practice. This approach is reflected in his research outcomes of studying public open space, urban renewal, aged care and other topics relating to the theme of environmental and social sustainability.

As a practicing designer, Fang has gained a profound understanding of the cutting-edge design practices and the future trend of the profession through constantly involving in competitions with leading design institutes. He has substantially built up his reputation and gained professional recognition by continuously winning a number of significant national-level urban / landscape design, architecture and design projects. After many years’ involvement and completion of a large number of projects ranging from small budget objects to multimillion mixed-use urban developments, Fang has cumulated rich design practice experience in the built environment / design industry. His expertise and first-hand professional experience in contemporary design practice is very valuable for both his teaching and research.

Learn more about The Constructed Environment Advisory Board here.