Dr David O'Brien
BPD, BArch (Hons) (Melb), PhD (Melb)
Lecturer in Architectural Design and Technology
Email: djobrien@unimelb.edu.au
David O'Brien joined the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning in a part-time teaching only position in 1996 whilst also maintaining a successful architecture practice. In 1999 he was offered a full-time ongoing teaching and research position in the Faculty enabling him to assist an internationally funded non-government organization developing low-cost houses in rural Thailand. To fund his research David was awarded the Sir Edward Weary Dunlop Fellowship, and later the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Award. In 2005 he spent a further six-month period in northern Thailand completing his PhD thesis Global ideas and local practices: Unearthing the 'glocal' in Thailand’s low-cost housing market.
David still maintains strong connections with architectural practice and NGO activities but has focused his attentions with the academic world. His research unites architecture with other disciplines – anthropology, sociology, engineering and building technology – to identify how real world problems might be addressed. To this end he continues to work in Australia and internationally and is responsible for both academic and built projects. In rural Thailand he has advised in the construction and evaluation of prototype houses and has worked alongside builders, engineers, sociologists and aid workers. Within Australia he has been involved in the design of over seventy completed buildings.
Current Teaching Responsibilities
Architectural Design (undergraduate and postgraduate)
Construction Technology (undergraduate)
Research Interests
- Tropical architecture, low-cost housing ideologies, low-cost housing technologies, informal settlements, sustainable construction materials and systems.
Recent Publications
Chapters in Books
O'Brien D. 2003. Hybrid space: New housing prototypes in north-eastern Thailand. In J Haswell & D MacCallum (eds), Liveable communities. Perth, Australia: Black Swan Press, pp. 107-116.
O'Brien D. 2003. Modernity's Legacies: from Corb to CBIRD. In RJ King , O Panin & C Parin (eds), Modernity, tradition, culture, water, Bangkok: Kasetsart U.P., pp. 269-274.
Journal Articles
Morton J & O'Brien D. 2005. Selling Your Design: Oral Communication Pedagogy in Design Education. Communication Education. 54(1):6 - 19.
O'Brien D. 2004. Eurocentrism: Do Thai and Australian Housing Developers Have a Case to Answer?. Na Jua – Journal of the Faculty of Architecture, Silpakorn University. 20:130-138.
O’Brien D. 2002. Moderated Influence: Globalisation and Thai Housing. Na Jua – Journal of the Faculty of Architecture, Silpakorn University. 18:59-75.
Conference Proceedings
O’Brien D, & Dovey K. 2006. Reality/Television: Hype, Tradition and Everyday Life in Rural Thailand. In N. Al Sayyad (ed), Hypertraditions. International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE). University of California, Berkeley.
O'Brien D. 2006. Lightweight tropical: Reconnecting construction technologies with thermal comfort. In S. Shannon, V. Soebarto & T. Williamson (ed), Challenges for Architectural Science in Changing Climates, ANZAScA 40th Annual Conference of the Architectural Science Association, The University of Adelaide.
O'Brien D. 2005. Can New Construction Technologies Drive a Sustainable Housing Industry in Rural Thailand?. In F Shafii & MZ Othman (eds), Conference on Sustainable Building South East Asia. 484-492. Johor, Malaysia: Construction Technology and Management Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
O'Brien D, Sintusingha S & Dinh QP. 2004. Regionalism and the Global Suburb in Southeast Asia. In A Kasemsook (ed), Current: Reflection of Society. Silpakorn Architectural Discourse 2003: 3rd Mini Symposium. 23.1-23.15. Bangkok, Thailand: Faculty of Architecture, Silpakorn University.
O'Brien D. 2004. Modeling Asian Modernity: New Technologies and their Impact on Rural Spatial Structures. In J Wu , Z Wu & S Muramatsu (eds), Modern Asian Architecture Network 4th International Conference Proceedings: Safeguarding and Revitalizing Local Heritage. 346-351. Shanghai, China: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University.
O'Brien D. 2003. Regional housing development: pitfalls and possibilities. In T Trong Hanh, T Hong Doan, D Hau & U Dinh Chat (eds), Creating better cities in the 21st century. 550-556. Hanoi, Viet Nam: Hanoi Architectural University.
O'Brien D. 2003. Timber, earth or concrete? Towards a new housing industry in South-East Asia. In G Gilbert , C Langston & JRW Robinson (eds), Proceedings of the Postgraduate Construction Research Conference. 1-15. Melbourne, Australia: RMIT University.
O'Brien D. 2001. Mediating Cross-Cultural Exchange: Curriculum Design for Teaching Programs in South East Asia. In S Pullen , V Mehrtens & G Zillante (eds), Proceedings of the Australasian University Building Educators Association 26th Annual Conference. Constructing and Managing the Built Environment: Education and Research for the Future. 27-31. Perth, Australia: Australasian University Building Educators Association (AUBEA).
Design Awards
2005. Best Use of Timber Award at the Architeam Awards for the Littlewood House, Bunbury O’Brien Architects.
2004. Exhibit award from the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria for the Trail of the Elephants at the Royal Melbourne Zoo, Green and Dale Associates and David O’Brien.
2003. National Award for Excellence in Heritage Interpretation from the Interpretation Australia Association for the Trail of the Elephants at the Royal Melbourne Zoo, Green and Dale Associates and David O’Brien.
2000. S Whitford, D Radovic, Q Guo, D O’Brien, et al. International Urban Design Competition for Shenyang University Campus and Student Housing, (Third Prize).
Research Grants
2005. Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Award, Awarded by the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Science and Training ($25000)
1999. Sir Edward Weary Dunlop Asia Fellowship, Awarded by Asialink ($15000)
1999. Multimedia Pilot Grant ‘Developing Computer Based Learning Techniques To Enhance Curriculum Delivery: Computer-based learning in Communications’, Teaching and Learning (Multimedia and Educational Technologies) Committee ($9500)
Jury Member
2005. Association of Siamese Architects (Lanna Chapter) Jury Member, Annual Architecture Awards (Domestic and Commercial).