Four staff as well as a number of graduates and current students across three different projects are among the 24 short listed projects in a national design competition ahead of the exhibition in August. 

The Australian Institute of Architects received 129 entries to the competition.

Associate Professor Justyna Karakiewicz with Professor Tom Kvan, Dr Peter Raisbeck and Steve Whitford are proceeding with their work in Stage 2 of the Design Competition, with less than a month left to develop and refine their designs and submit final proposals to the judges.

The three shortlisted projects are:

-    Symbiotic City (Steve Whitford alongside James Brearley, BAU Brearley Architects and Urbanists, Adjunct Professor RMIT)
-    Mould City (Peter Raisbeck, as part of Colony)
-    Urban Life Without Fear (Justyna Karakiewicz, Thomas Kvan and Steve Hatzellis)

The Venice Biennale, in its 20th year in 2010, is one of the peak architecture exhibitions in the world.

Professor Kvan, Dean of the Faculty, says the theme of this year’s Biennale has lent itself to some interesting projects.  “’People meet in architecture’ is a particularly appropriate theme, looking at how people can gain more benefit and relate to architecture more, and to the space it holds.”

“For Steve (Whitford), this has meant challenging the conventional planning wisdom of large scale land use zoning and low density in favour of a design based on 'continuous networks of land use.

“Peter Raisbeck and the team at Colony have looked closely at the suburbs and inner city as an integrated, interacting series of environs more akin to a living organism.  Justyna’s project focuses on city design that challenges the fear of the future and showcases the many opportunities that exist within 21st century living.

 “The Biennale has been a platform for experimentation and exploration over its several decades and my colleagues are looking forward to contributing to the debates in this fascinating city.

“It’s exciting for our staff and students to have this opportunity to participate in such a significant international event.”