Industry PhD project title: Circular Urban Design Strategies for Net Zero Precincts
RACE University and Industry partners: School of Architecture & Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology
Previous education and work background: I hold a master’s degree in architecture for sustainability from Politecnico di Torino, where I completed my thesis on circular cities. In Brisbane, I worked as an Architectural Graduate, contributing to projects such as social housing, aged care, and preparing a design excellence report for mixed-use developments.
What attracted you to the RACE Industry PhD?
I was drawn to the RACE Industry PhD project Circular Urban Design Strategies for Net Zero Precincts because it bridges research expertise with the motivation to create real-world impact. Circular Urban Design offers a pathway to translate theory into practice, developing strategies that make urban living more resilient, collective, and respectful of nature. Such strategies directly support net zero by closing material loops, enabling adaptive design, and fostering shared modes of living that reduce emissions and resource demand. What excites me most is RACE’s collaborative structure, which provides the opportunity to apply and refine the Circular Urban Design (CUD) Model with industry partners, contributing to the creation of more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive precincts.
When you were young, what did you want to be when you were older?
An explorer who discovered new worlds and built a few along the way, imagining collective ways of living that respect nature.
What do you hope to achieve?
I hope to translate research on circular urban design into practical strategies that make urban living more resilient, collective, and respectful of nature.
What are you most looking forward to?
I am most looking forward to seeing ideas become places, turning research into precincts and neighbourhoods that people can experience and enjoy.
What innovation/change would you like to see in 5-10 years’ time?
I’d love to see cities that recycle themselves, where what we build today becomes the resource for tomorrow.
Fun fact about you
Exploring urban precincts has become my version of a holiday and I love discovering how people live in different places.
Favourite quote:
“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” Winston Churchill