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Faculty history

The Faculty of Architecture, Design & Planning has enjoyed a long history of firsts in the teaching and research of the built and digital environments in Australia.

A history of innovation

  • 1919: 1st Architecture degree in Australia commences with the undergraduate professional Bachelor of Architecture program within the Faculty of Science under Leslie Wilkinson (1882-1973)
  • 1920: Wilkinson appointed foundation Professor of Architecture of the newly formed Faculty of Architecture
  • 1919-27: Sir John Sulman (1849-1934) delivers the 1st town planning lectures at an Australian university
  • 1948: Department of Town and Country Planning (now the Discipline of Urban & Regional Design and Policy) founded
  • 1953: Chair of Architectural Science created, the first such appointment in the world, around which the Department of Architectural Science (renamed the Department of Architectural and Design Science) developed
  • 1963: Peter Smith becomes Australia's first PhD graduate in architecture
  • 1964: World's 1st graduate programs in Architectural Science, the Master of Building Science offered
  • 1960's: Centre of Design Computing and Cognition (now Design Lab) established
  • 1978: First Design Computing program offered
  • 1979: First Illumination Design course offered in Australia
  • 1990's: First Heritage Conservation specialist program offered in Australia
  • 2007: 1st professional Master of Architecture in NSW
  • 2009: 1st Interaction Design and Electronic Art program in Asia Pacific
  • 2009: 1st combined Architecture and Engineering program in NSW

The growth of disciplines covered by the faculty is reflected by the change of name in 2006 from Architecture to Architecture, Design and Planning. As the faculty has grown it has also moved to progressively larger and better-equipped premises. The 1959 Wilkinson Building has grown incrementally, including extensive additions in 1972 by the then Dean Peter Johnson. Additions in 1984 and later in 2002 saw new wings and facilities added to the building. The Denis Winston Library, the largest academic collections of its kind in Australia, was incorporated into the Sci-Tech Library in 2008 to make additional space for studios.

The Faculty of Architecture has a fine internationally recognised tradition of undergraduate, graduate education and research under the direction of the senior academic staff. Many former students now hold senior professional and academic posts in Australia and around the world. Notable alumni include:

  • Louise Cox - President of the International Union of Architects
  • Howard Tanner - President of the Australian Institute of Architects
  • Alec Tzannes - Immediate Past President of the Australian Institute of Architects and Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment, UNSW
  • Deborah Dearing - Immediate Past President, NSW Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects
  • Phillip Cox, The Cox Group (Sydney Superdome, Sydney Aquatic Centre)