Biography
Mirjana Lozanovska is Professor in Architecture at Deakin University. Her work investigates the creative ways that architecture mediates human dignity and identity through multidisciplinary theories of space; and examines migration/mobility and the reinvention of the city. Mirjana is an eminent authority on migration and architecture. Her books include Migrant Housing: Architecture, Dwelling, Migration (2019) and Ethno-Architecture and the Politics of Migration (2016). The co-authored anthology Immigrant Industry: Building Postwar Australia, (Berghahn 2024) and exhibition, Immigrant Networks is part of Mirjana’s work as CI on ARC Discovery Project on refugee and immigrant contribution to nation-building in the built environment (2019-2024, $344,741). Mirjana’s work readily contributes to interdisciplinary publications including International Handbook of Transnational Studies (2024) and Routledge Handbook of Landscape and Food (2018). Mirjana’s work advances a society of equality and dignity with major uptake in the public domain: ABC film Palazzo di Cozzo (2021), ABC four-part documentary, The Homes that Built Australia (2022). Her work is influencing third generation immigrants as in the project ‘Stubborn House’ Sydney (2023); and the profession as in the Special double issues “Migration.Women.Architecture,” of Architect Victoria.
The exploration of ‘otherness’ expands onto research and publications on alternative transnational architectural historiography which facilitate a new wave of socialist architecture knowledge (with exploration on Macedonian women architects, brutalism, Kenzo Tange’s work on the reconstruction of Skopje).
Mirjana is Director of the Architecture Vacancy Lab. In collaboration with nine academic staff and their HDR students, mentoring EMCR, this lab advances critical and creative research in architecture with highlights comprising two of the school’s ARC projects, “Industry and Architecture: immigrant contribution to nation-building 1945-1979” (CI Lozanovska), and ARC SRI “The Australian Mosque Today: Architectural Collaboration” (CI Rashid); four key monographs; and major original creative works and exhibitions. Mirjana is dedicated to architectural pedagogy with thirty years of expertise teaching in design and history/theory. In recent years she has developed stronger research-teaching pathways attracting HDR students in architecture.
(https://architecturevacancylab.deakin.edu.au). Mirjana’s research scholarship informs creative works, including Venetian Blinds (2021) and Dignity of Labour (2023) shown by the European Cultural Centre/Venice Architecture biennale. Interwoven with traditional research scholarship Mirjana leads the VacantGeelong series of collaborative projects relating industrial landscape and past immigrant communities of Geelong, Victoria (with partners and funding Creative Victoria, City of Greater Geelong, National Wool Museum). Major projects include installation, VACANTCity – 1000 year BackForward (2021), Oro (2020), Industry Tracks (2017).
Biography summary
Professor Mirjana Lozanovska is an architectural educator, academic leader and researcher with international collaborations and professional experience and awards. Her executive roles include Associate Head of School International (2014-2016) in the School of Architecture and the Built Environment at Deakin University. In the period 2009-2014 she led the Socio-cultural Research Cluster and currently leads the Architecture Vacancy Research Lab (13 academic staff), generating a strong architecture research culture in the School. Her expertise in teaching and creative practice combine with critical research to shape her vision of twenty-first century architectural education preparing students for changeable professional futures.
Research interests
1. #VacantGeelong is a non-traditional creative research project that responds directly to vacant industrial spaces and the memories that have shaped the culture of the town of Geelong. The decline of industrial towns is a global phenomenon. Regional cities and towns have been seeking to revitalise their identities. This project takes an alternative approach to this crisis.
#Vacant Geelong is developed by an effective, high performing, cross-faculty team: M. Lozanovska, D. Beynon, C. Bishop and D. Fullaondo. I lead the project, and invested initial work, original conceptualisation, but the immense team collaboration, commitment and dedication is rare and precious. #Vacant Geelong has four components:
Documentation: • mapping the level of VACANCY in Geelong: buildings, land, sites; and documenting Geelong’s industries - car manufacturing, ultra-fine wool manufacture, oil refinery, aluminium smelter, agriculture, Timber Sawmills; Paper, wool Mills, Pilkington Glass, Cement Works, Shipping industry.
Creative and Critical Exploration: 6 artists have been appointed to respond to the latent creativity of the blank canvas that constitutes abandoned industrial facilities. The project calls for a pause in the rapacious development of these spaces to focus artistic processes on the re-activation of memory and erasure.
Engagement: , and to community groups - including past Ford workers from Geelong's Macedonian Community, and the local artist communities.
Vision: Exhibition and Symposium: National Wool Museum August to October 2017
#Vacant Geelong has secured two Category 2-4 Research Grants, and developed significant community engagement activities, an exhibition in 2016, a major forthcoming exhibition, with forthcoming symposium (September 2017) and catalogue.
https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/ab/vacantgeelong/
2. The Impact of Migration on Architecture and Place
Studies of migration are prevalent in disciplines including geography, politics and cultural studies. My work has identified how architecture mediates the processes of migration. A study of the architecture and urban forms imported or developed through migration and multicultural interaction is critical to understanding new forms of globalisation. This work makes an innovative contribution to the theory of migration and architecture research: i) it established two sites of migration and place - the quintessential city of immigration and the village of emigration ii) it translated the ideas of French theorists Lefebvre and de Certeau, together with postcolonial theory, into a discussion about architecture, migration and culture; and iii) it drew on psychoanalytic theory to develop a framework for the relation between the migrant and the house in the resettlement process. This is significant in the field because it provides insight and understanding through a new perspective of the discipline. It makes a significant contribution to the interdisciplinary discourse on cohesive and sustainable communities. It has established three areas: Migrant houses; Transformation of the Village after Migration; Émigré Architects
Tabula Rasa: Destruction and Invention of the City
Research about the reconstruction of the city after disaster is approached as urban process, morphology, infrastructure or typology. My role is to develop a critical framework that examines the city in relation to collective memory embedded in the fabric. This work makes an innovative contribution to theories of the destroyed city and its reconstruction. The theoretical framework has been applied to cities and reconstruction projects: the CBD of Beirut (field work 1995-1998) after the 17-year war; Yugoslavia and Kosovo; and the reconstruction of Skopje after the 1963 earthquake.
Teaching interests
A core strength and achievement in the last 10 years is the advancement and development of a strong research-teaching nexus, contributing to significant curriculum leadership. I have initiated and developed 2 history/theory units (with 5 major revisions) that have contributed to the critical content and internationalisation of the curriculum. These are research led in content. The research elements in teaching make students think, and disseminate research into the class rooms. These units assist in creating globally informed, confident and articulate students, and raise questions of ethics, environmental awareness, and societal challenges as they relate to the impact of contemporary architectural and urban production.
Informed by the central place of design in architecture courses and in the discipline, my role has been to improve and develop design pedagogy in order to elevate the discussion and application of creativity and innovation in the school. I have initiated and developed 12 design studio programs: in first year to introduce creative thinking; in the middle levels to understand design methods and develop design positions; and to provide opportunity for students to apply their creative practice in competitive environments.
I have initiated 4 research units that establish research pedagogy related to architecture and the allied disciplines, planning, landscape and urban design. With the global change to Master courses, the role of research in the curriculum increased.In recognising the increasing role of research in the discipline, it has also identified that the 21st century student has access to information, but requires skills in evaluating, synthesising and analysing this information, in order to engage and produce knowledge.
Units taught
History and Theory Teaching
TNMP Trans National Mega Projects
This subject examines the theory and practice of accelerated urbanism. Its focus is on the analysis of large urban projects resulting from global networks, emphasising the role of collaboration, cultural exchange and critical theories of globalisation. TNMP sits between the pedagogy of design studio and critical theory seminars. It is an analytical subject that transforms and translates urban theory into analytical methods and techniques in order to develop critical perspectives of current practices.
Contemporary Architecture
The focus of this unit is on architectural and urban projects that were designed in the period between 1968 and the present day. Specific investigations of projects to exemplify the dynamic ways in which architecture participates in the production of the world will be put in the context of a broad range of projects and the larger scale of world history. The significance of western and non-western projects will be examined. An innovative navigation platform of resources (weblinks, audio, interactive map, with initial CD-rom) has made Contemporary Architecture, a vital resource and effective presence on the online education platform.
Research Methodology
The unit gives an overview of research in architecture and contemporary definitions of research. It aims to familiarise students with methods used to define, carry out and document a research programme, with emphasis on architecture research methods.
Design Studio Teaching – Postgraduate (4th and 5th year)
Urban and Housing Typology/International Studio Preston/ Kriva Palanka
This studio explored strategies for housing typology that evolve from local context, but can be implemented on any site. Typologies included Infrastructure-house, Creek-house, Re-use-house, Social-house.
AIA State Student Competition 2008 Social Housing Dandenong. Winner Deakin: Jaka Sedovnik “Dandenong Housing”
Process, Product, By-Product
Studio programme and lectures focus on multi-use development brief for site - housing, work and recreation. It explored the inventiveness of programme to generate design. This studio explored the trajectory of the design process and the ‘thing’ that is produced as a set of decisions to discard or absorb the various processes.
Urbanism [Plan] Architecture. 2007 Preston; 2006 Broadmeadows
This studio developed a program that experimented with the IT era of digital information and research and their impact on design processes. Three platforms for how the urban designer operates were proposed: Off Site, On Site and Intervention. Each explored a focus on how to interact with the site. The development of a plan mediated city as network and its physical scale.
RAIA Student Competition “Public Intervention in the Periphery.” Winner Deakin Matthew Drysdale, AIA State Student Competition 2004
Design Studio Teaching – Undergraduate and selected program description
Architecture 1
Space and Matter
Architecture is a concrete thing made with physical materials and yet it also produces a non-material void or series of voids, and we call this phenomenon – architectural space. Space is the part that is inhabited by people, in which individuals can exist or just be, and in which all the human action and drama take place (no matter how public, private, intimate or secret).
Architecture 2
Materialities And The Technologies Of The Social
Measurement and documentation is used to realise precision and detail in what an environment comprises that is visible and physical.
Post Graduate Supervision (Thesis in Master of Architecture course)
demonstrate link to research area
Knowledge areas
Architecture history and theory, migration, cultural diversity in the built environment, socialist architectural history, alternative architectural historiography
Conferences
European Architectural History Network, EAHN, Dublin 2016.
Society of Architectural Historians Australia and New Zealand (SAHANZ), Melbourne
Media appearances
Migrant Housing: Architecture Dwelling Migration (Routledge 2019)
The Guardian, 11th February 2024
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/feb/11/doilies-are-beautiful-celebrating-australias-mid-century-migrant-design
ABC four part social history series, The Homes that Built Australia (2022)
https://iview.abc.net.au/settings/subprofiles
ABC Arts Documentary on Palazzo di Cozzo, Director, Madelaine Martiniello (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jm1WeYnn88
The Age newspaper
Double central page book review in the Spectrum section of The Age newspaper ("Underneath the Arches" 31.06.2019: pp.16-17)
Blueprint for Living (9.00am 05.10.2019)
Interview with Jonathon Green (9.00am 05.10.2019)
ABC online article
interview by Alan Weedon for the ABC (09.02.2020
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-09/post-war-australian-housing-future-urbanism-southern-europe/11924116)
Academic journal book reviews:
Sobti, M., Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review (TDSR, 2020), 32.1, 89-91
Byrne, D., Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, (2021) 80(1): 116-118. https://doi.org/10.1525/jsah.2021.80.1.116
Gunew, S., Journal of Intercultural Studies, (2020) 41:6, 793-795
Beeckmans, L., “A tale of two twin houses,” Architecture Beyond Europe (ABE) 2020:17
Page, B., Migration and Society: Advances in Research 4 (2021): 203-212
Gim, J. Review, Space and Culture (March 23, 2021) https://www.spaceandculture.com/2021/03/23/2348/
Chekki, D.A.. In: CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries. March, 2020, Vol. 57 Issue 7, p757, 1 p.; American Library Association CHOICE. Language: English, Database: Gale Literature Resource Center
Other media
BBC News, 26th July 2023 (28 pages)
https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/balkan-66297360
Research groups
https://deakin.academia.edu/MirjanaLozanovska
Alfred Deakin Institute of Globalisation and Citizenship: Identity and Diversity Stream; joined 2016.
Socio-Cultural Architecture Research Group
In 2009 SCAR was established as one of three cluster research groups in the School of Architecture and Built Environment. I have lead the direction, co-ordination, and management of the Group. This has included application for funding, management of budgets, Research Fellow, and Data Base. The development and focus of the cultural research platform in the school is an outcome of this work. I mentored and motivated members, and collated individual research expertise.
#VACANTGeelong rethinks, reinterprets and revisions the way we inhabit the city, redefining Geelong as a vibrant 21st century city.
This project develops models of ‘counter-representation’ to address Geelong’s identity - creative mapping of documents, data, practices, histories and movements, including those difficult to map/measure - temporality, atmosphere, trans-cultural mobility. An alternative projection of town identity develops on this platform.
Phase 1 2015: identified and documented Geelong vacant industrial buildings and community cultural memories. Research-Teaching model: Master architecture students investigated ‘vacancy’ in Geelong; representation of ‘vacancy’ at a broad mapping level; and ‘vacancy’ in relation to the Ford Factory complex.
Phase 2 2016: The artist, Alex Hamilton is working with existing architecture – spaces, site and signage – to reimagine the Ford Building.
Phase 3 VicArts 2016 Application: Local artists will collaborate to create interpretations of cultural memory through various art forms (funding application submitted). Project Lead: Lozanovska, Members: a + b Beynon, Fullaondo, Deakin Arts: Cameron Bishop, David Cross; CoGG Kaz Paton, P. Fisher.
Children’s Vision of the City
Lead Lozanovska, team Xu and Ang, in collaboration with Northern Bay College, Geelong. Developing a pedagogical model for children’s engagement with their city through design.
Awards
Deakin Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Student Mobility for the STEM team.
Publications
No publications found
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Architecture and Industry: Immigrants' contribution to nation-building
Anoma Pieris, Prof Mirjana Lozanovska, A/Prof Andrew Saniga, Dr Alexandra Dellios, Dr David Beynon
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2024: $25,000
- 2021: $46,404
- 2020: $40,052
- 2019: $22,105
Other Public Sector Funding
Geelong Food Hub Feasibility and Implementation Plan
Prof Anthony Mills, Prof Mirjana Lozanovska, Prof David Jones
Department of State Development, Business and Innovation, City of Greater Geelong - Creative Communities Grants
- 2016: $12,000
- 2014: $60,000
Vacant Geelong: rethink, reinterpret and revision the way we inhabity the city (two applications)
Prof Mirjana Lozanovska, Dr Anne Wilson, A/Prof Cameron Bishop, Dr David Beynon
City of Greater Geelong - Creative Communities Grants
- 2019: $6,000
- 2018: $6,000
- 2016: $10,000
Vacant Geelong
Prof Mirjana Lozanovska, Dr Diego Fullaondo, A/Prof Cameron Bishop, Dr David Beynon
Creative Victoria
- 2017: $35,000
Vacant Geelong - Iconic Industry and Vacancy and Preservation
Prof Mirjana Lozanovska, Dr Diego Fullaondo, Dr David Beynon, A/Prof Cameron Bishop, Dr Anne Wilson
National Wool Museum
- 2017: $16,636
Geelong After Dark Sensory Portals
Prof Mirjana Lozanovska, Mr Stewart Seaton
City of Greater Geelong
- 2019: $39,000
VACANTCity - 1000 years BackForward
Prof Mirjana Lozanovska, A/Prof Cameron Bishop, Dr Anne Wilson
City of Greater Geelong
- 2021: $20,000
Industry and Other Funding
A pedagogical model of children's participation in architectural design
Prof Mirjana Lozanovska, Dr Leilei Xu, Ms Susan Bee Gek Ang
Myer Foundation Grant & Sidney Myer Fund
- 2012: $5,935
Micro-village Phase 1
Prof Richard Tucker, A/Prof Fiona Andrews, Prof Louise Johnson, Dr Nicole Johnston, A/Prof Ursula De Jong, Ms Fab Michaux, Prof Mirjana Lozanovska
Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation - General Grants
- 2019: $50,000
Supervisions
Chayakan Siamphukdee
Thesis entitled: Conceptualising Sensitive Design Patterns in Adaptive Reuse of Industrial Architecture
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Alexandra-Anda Florea
Thesis entitled: An Architectural Study Of Romanian Villages In The Twenty-First Century
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Nasim Yazdani
Thesis entitled: Migration, Landscape, and Culture: Urban Parks and Iranian Immigrants in Melbourne
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Jeremy Paul Schluter
Thesis entitled: Towards an urban Melbourne: negotiating suburban renewal by understanding place identity
Master of Architecture, School of Architecture and Built Environment
Hussein Madi
Thesis entitled: Investigating the development of traditional and modern housing design in Libyan Architecture
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Diasana Putra I Dewa Gede Agung
Thesis entitled: The impact of tourism on the transformation of the traditional balinese house
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Fiona Kate Gray
Thesis entitled: Rudolf Steiner's theories and their translation into architecture
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Peter Gustav George Rosenberg
Thesis entitled: The 1970s Australian Ecologically Designed House
Master of Architecture, School of Architecture and Built Environment
Sally Anne Winkler
Thesis entitled: The expression of cultural identity in Diaspora architecture
Master of Architecture, School of Architecture and Built Environment
Sumita Jayapalasingam
Thesis entitled: Malaysia's Terraced Housing - Towards an Environmentally Sustainable Future
Master of Architecture, School of Architecture and Built Environment
Sze Lay Ng
Thesis entitled: The Interactive Urban Language and City Growth
Master of Architecture, School of Architecture and Built Environment
Lai Wen Jenny Wong
Thesis entitled: The Executive Architect: Designers becoming Leaders through the 'Stakeholder Approach'
Master of Architecture, School of Architecture and Built Environment
Sanaz Memari
Thesis entitled: An Investigation into Future Proofing in the Architectural Design Process of Hospital Buildings
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Shilpi Tewari
Thesis entitled: Changing Neighbourhood Character in Melbourne - Multiculturalism in Planning
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Leila Mahmoudi Farahani
Thesis entitled: Australian Neighbour(less)hoods: Investigating the role of the built environment in encouraging a sense of community and social life in low-density suburbia
Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture and Built Environment), School of Architecture and Built Environment
Sela Kiek
Thesis entitled: Dancing the Building: Movements between Bodies and Built Structure
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Communication and Creative Arts