Dr Chris Brisbin

Chris Brisbin is the Program Director of the Bachelor of Architectural Studies and the Master of Architecture at the University of South Australia. He is an award-winning educator and internationally recognised researcher whose work explores regional benchmarking of architectural curriculum and multi-disciplinary approaches to criticism, critique, and criticality across the fields of art, architecture, and design. His research has been widely published in books, journals, and conference proceedings.

Chris is a national educational leader as a standing panel member of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) and as Honorary Treasurer of the Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia (AASA). He has co-convened symposia and conferences on criticism and criticality since 2012, facilitating interdisciplinary dialogue across art, architecture, and design. These events have informed a body of work including essays, invited talks, and magazine articles, particularly focusing on architectural copyright and the philosophical implications of counterfeiting in China. He is co-editor of The Routledge Companion to Criticality in Art, Architecture, and Design (Routledge, 2018), with Dr Myra Thiessen.

Research Interests

Chris’s research spans several interrelated areas, including:

1. Australasian benchmarking of architectural design philosophy and studio teaching in higher education;
2. The activation of street life and community engagement through architectural elements such as verandahs and thresholds;
3. Urban place-making and the activation of public space;
4. Contemporary architecture and architectural copying in China;
5. Questions of authorship, originality, and copyright in architecture;
6. The interplay of image and space in contemporary architectural design; 

Key Research Projects

Australasian Architecture Education Longitudinal Study (AAELS)

Since 2022, the AAELS dashboard has become the primary external benchmarking tool used for national benchmarking of architectural programs. By shifting the focus from anecdotal insights to data-driven evaluation, the AAELS has established a framework for continuous improvement in architectural education. The longitudinal dataset tracks student experience, graduate outcomes, diversity indicators, and alignment with the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA). Each participating school receives a comparative dashboard, enabling Deans and program leaders to identify areas of underperformance—such as in QILT, CEQ, or ERA results—and strategically reallocate resources to strengthen program quality and graduate outcomes.

Architectural Counterfeiting and Criticality in China

Chris’ research seeks to understand the philosophical and legal implications of creative authorship and architectural counterfeiting in China. His work explores how Western architectural icons are appropriated in Chinese developments as symbols of modernity and status, raising questions about authorship, originality, and cultural identity. This research includes comparative studies of buildings such as Zaha Hadid’s SOHO complex in Beijing and its unauthorised replica, the Meiquan 22nd Century in Chongqing.

Chris has presented on these issues at major conferences, including critic|all in Madrid and Architecture, Law and the Senses in Sydney. His work critiques the limitations of Western copyright law when applied in cross-cultural architectural partnerships and argues for greater engagement with Chinese academics to enrich this discourse.

Visuality to Visualistic : Architecture as Image

This project investigates the shifting relationship between space, representation, and the viewer—tracing key moments in visual culture from the invention of linear perspective to contemporary virtual reality. Chris examines how contemporary architecture is increasingly visualised and conceived as image, and how this affects its spatial and cultural reception. The project aims to provide architects and educators with strategies for designing façade systems that use emerging image technologies in meaningful, contextually responsive ways.

The Anatomy of the Edge : Verandahs as Social and Spatial Thresholds

This long-term design-research project focuses on the cultural and environmental value of verandahs in Australian architecture. Through measured drawings, fieldwork, and literature-based research, Chris investigates how verandahs operate as liminal spaces that mediate climate, privacy, and social interaction. His research argues for the importance of verandahs in fostering sustainable, connected urban and suburban life, particularly in the context of climate change and growing cities.

Affiliated academic member of the ATCH (Architecture, Theory, Criticism, History) Research Centre at The University of Queensland

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy University of Queensland

• Bachelor of Architecture (hons) University of Queensland

• Bachelor of Design Studies University of Queensland