Robert Adams - Gehl Architects

Robert Adams
SENIOR CONSULTANT
ARCHITECT, PROF., DIRECTOR CITY DESIGN, CITY OF MELBOURNE
Rob Adams is one of the champions of urban design
in Australia today with over 36 years’ experience as a
practising designer in both private enterprise and public
service. Rob has been awarded an Order of Australia
(AM) for services to urban design, town planning and
CURRICULUM VITAE
Qualifi cations
1999 Company Directors Course
1977 Masters in Urban Design CNNA, Oxford Brooks
1971 Bachelor of Architecture, Cape Town University
architecture. As Director City Design, he is one of 5
directors at the City of Melbourne. Recently he has made a
signifi cant contribution to the City’s ‘Zero Emissions 2020’
project through such buildings as CH2.
Memberships & Leadership Roles
Ministerial Advisory Council - Liveability Victoria (Water), Vice Chair – Urbanisation, World Economic Forum, Member –
Australia Day Committee (Victoria), Board Member – Tasmanian Climate Action Council 2009, Chair – BEDP Victorian Regional
Committee 2009, Order of Australia in the General Division (AM) 2007, Life Fellow Royal Australian Institute of Architects
Honorary Fellow Royal Australian Planning Institute, Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne, Victorian Design Advisory
Council 2004, Advisory Board Member – Architects Without Frontiers, Project Director – CityEdge Conference
Heidi Board – 1998 to 2004, Chair – Abbotsford Convent Feasibility 2001
Key awards
2009 Sidney Luker Memorial Medal
2009 Australian Award for UD – Transforming Aust. Cities
2008 Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year, Banksia Awards- Inducted into Hall of Fame-Swinburne University
2007 PIA, President’s Award – Council House 2 Building PIA, Environmental Planning – CH2 Building Committee for
Melbourne’s Achiever Award
2006 Australia Award, Public Domain –Sandridge Bridge Precinct Premier’s Leadership Award – Prof. Rob Adams
2005 Australia Award for Urban Design – Places for People United Nations – World Environment Day 2005 – CH2
2004 RAIA – Joseph Reed Award – Birrarung Marr
2003 RAIA – President’s Prize 2003 – City Edge Conference Lighting Design Awards (Victoria) – CBD Lighting Strategy
2002 RAIA Joseph Reed Award – Vending & Amenity Facilities
2001 AIPM (Vic) Restoration – Melbourne Town Hall Organ
2000 RAIA Walter Burley Griffi n Award – RMIT Urban Spaces
1998 RAPI - Federation Square Design Brief RAIA – Walter Burley Griffi n Award for UD – CBD Laneways
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1, 4.tv · 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

1997 RAIA, Joseph Reed Award – Yarra Turning Basin
1996 Australia Award for Urban Design-Melbourne’s Revitalisation AILA Project Award – Fitzroy & Treasury Gardens
1995
Masterplan
Melb Convention & Marketing Bureau Award – Town Hall Plaza
1994 RAIA – Commendation Award - Postcode 3000 Program
1993 RAIA – Outstanding UD Award – Swanston Street Walk
1992 RAIA – Walter Burley Griffin Award – Melbourne UD Strategy
Achievements
In 2009, Rob Adams produced the Transforming Australian Cities Strategy which won numerous awards and re-establish the
debate around the future form of cities in the light of population growth and climate change. This led to his appointment in
2009 as Vice Chair of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Council at the World Economic Forum.
He has a keen interest in the links between practice and education and helped establish an urban design course in Zimbabwe
in 1978-80. He has been a visiting lecturer at RMIT and Melbourne University. In June 2004, the University of Melbourne
recognised Rob’s contribution to the University and the city with the title of Professorial Fellow within the Faculty of
Architecture, Building and Planning.
He has been both a successful competitor and judge for various national and international design competitions. These included
winning the international competition for the National Assembly Complex UAE with Ron Kirby, and judging Federation Square
and the Kingston Foreshore Competition in Canberra. He is a regular keynote speaker at national and international conferences,
and has written numerous papers and articles.
Since 2000, Rob has played an advisory role to ‘Architects without Frontiers’ as well as establishing and overseeing the biennial
‘City Edge’ Conference series.
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1, 4.tv · 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk