About Us

BE recognises that representatives in business, government and industry associations are important stakeholders in the success of the Faculty. To assist in working with these stakeholders more closely, BE's Advisory Council Members have generously agreed to lend their energy, experience and influence to pursuing BE's vision. The Advisory Council shares a belief that the Faculty’s success and leadership position depends on excellent teaching and scholarship, in all its dimensions.

The Faculty’s Advisory Council comprises leading members of the creative, design and planning professions as well as the construction industry.  It is Chaired by award-winning alumnus Ken Maher, Architect, UNSW Professor and Chairman of HASSELL.  

Members

Professor Ken Maher, Chair B Arch (Hons1), M.Arch, Dip LD, Dip ES, LFRAIA, FAPI, FAILA

• Executive Chairman, HASSELL
• Professor, UNSW Faculty of Built Environment
• Chair, UNSW Built Environment Advisory Council

Ken Maher is a leading Sydney based architect and is Executive Chairman of HASSELL, Australia’s largest international multidisciplinary design practice involved in major urban projects throughout Australia and Asia. He has postgraduate qualifications in landscape architecture and environmental studies, a strong interest in multidisciplinary thinking and the role of design in contributing to public life and the critical relationship between design and achieving a sustainable future.

Mr Tim Casey

• Executive Chairman, St Hilliers

Tim Casey is the Proprietor and Executive Chairman of St Hilliers, which he founded as a construction company in 1989.

Ms Oi Choong BSc (Arch), BArch (Syd) GradDip Landscape Design (UNSW), Grad Dip Environmental Studies, Fellow AILA 

• Director, context Landscape Design
• Registered Landscape Architect

Oi Choong is the Managing Partner of context Landscape Design.  She has been in practice for over thirty years and has worked on major projects in Australia, South-East Asia, China and the UAE.  

Mr Sacha Coles Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Hons 1) RMIT

• National Studios Director and founder of ASPECT Studios

Sacha Coles is the National Studios Director and founder of ASPECT Studios Sydney.  Over the last 12 years as a director of ASPECT Studios, he has received over 20 design awards and has written and been published widely in relation to the Studio’s work.

Mr Nicholas Collishaw SA (Fin), AAPI, FRICS

• Managing Director, Mirvac

Nicholas Collishaw was appointed Managing Director of Mirvac in August 2008.  Prior to this appointment he was the Executive Director - Investment responsible for Mirvac’s Investment operations including MPT, funds management and hotel management, having been appointed to the Mirvac Board on 19 January 2006.  

Adjunct Professor Philip Cox AO B Arch (Hon1), Dip T and CP University of Sydney, PhD Science UNSW, H.C., LFRAIA, HonFAIA, FAHA, MRAPI, RIBA

Philip Cox is the founding partner of the firm, Cox Architecture. The firm has grown to become Cox Architecture Pty Ltd with 315 personnel. He is responsible for the concept design of most of the firm’s projects and reviews all the designs produced by the practice. He is also responsible for the design management of the firm and is presently active in major overseas projects in the Middle East, Singapore, China, Malaysia and India.

Professor Sue Holliday BA (Economics) MPhil (Town and Country Planning), FPIA, CPP, GAICD

• Managing Director, Strategies for Change

Sue Holliday is a City Planner and Economist. She is currently the President of the Building Professionals Board NSW, a member of the National Housing Supply Council and is Chair, Built Environment Industry Innovation Council. Sue Holliday was recently appointed to the COAG Expert Panel on cities by the Prime Minister, and is a Director of GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia).

Dr Penelope Seidler AM B. Arch The University of Sydney, B.Bus UTS, D.Litt (Hon.) UNSW, FRAIA

• CEO, Harry Seidler & Associates, Architects

Penelope Seidler is an architect and an accountant.  Her particular interests are international and contemporary and ethnographic art, which she collects. Penelope Seidler is directly responsible for commissioning artists for projects of Harry Seidler & Associates and has an intense concern for both the built and natural environments.

Mrs Alice Spigelman MA, Dip.Clin.Psych. The University of Sydney

Alice Spigelman is a writer and clinical psychologist and was director of the Benevolent Society’s Leadership Program and later the organisation’s marketing director. She was director of the Bundanon Trust and NIDA and is currently director of Australia for UNHCR.

Role

The role of the Advisory Council is to facilitate and enable the achievement of Built Environment’s vision through:

• serving as a source of independent advice to the Dean;
• reviewing the external relevance and potential development of curriculum and research agendas;
• building the industry profile, brand and reputation of Built Environment;
• increasing engagement with industry and the wider community;
• seeking and acquiring funding for research, scholarships and projects as identified by Built Environment;
• engaging with students and alumni through attendance and participation in Built Environment activities.

Advisory Council Charter

Charter

Built Environment recognises that representatives in business, government and industry associations are important stakeholders in the success of the Faculty.  To assist in working with these stakeholders more closely, Built Environment has established an Advisory Council.  Its members have generously agreed to lend their energy, experience and influence to pursuing Built Environment’s vision.  Similar faculty advisory councils are active across UNSW.

Activities

Advisory Council members commit to an annual program of active engagement with Built Environment.  This program typically includes one or more of the following activities:

• direct engagement with the Built Environment student body (either in the classroom or in other fora);
• serving on Built Environment faculty reference or advisory groups or research centre boards;
• serving on a task force or working party to examine a specific issue;
• recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students;
• developing and hosting events such as graduate exhibition, symposia, fora, conferences;
• hosting Alumni networking and professional development events; and
• participating in fundraising and sponsorship activities.

Members are included in the life of the Faculty and invited to attend events such as significant public lectures, graduate exhibitions and alumni dinners as well as hospitality with the Dean and/or distinguished alumni and academics.