Helen Norrie, Lecturer, University of Tasmania
Dr Helen Norrie teaches architecture in the School of Technology, Environments & Design at the University of Tasmania. She is the founder of the Regional Urban Studies Laboratory (RUSL), a collaborative practice-led urban design research project that engages directly with local councils and communities to examine urban issues in small towns and cities. RUSL undertakes collaborative research that examines the spatial, temporal and social aspect of urban settlements, focusing on the intersection of development, planning and urban design.
Over the last 10 years, Dr Norrie’s practice-led research has included collaboration with the City of Hobart to explore key urban issues in the rapidly transforming city. Drawing on spatial and data analysis, and evidence-based research she and the RUSL team develop speculative scenarios to explore how current policy frameworks can impede or promote new development that provides positive urban design outcomes.
Central to this research is an innovative Research Experience Programme, that has involved more than 30 UTAS undergraduate and postgraduate students working on projects with 黑料大事 Policy and Heritage, Arts and Culture, Community Development, Traffic Engineering, City Design, City Place Making, Design Services and Open Space departments.
In January 2019 Helen guest edited the Regional Dossier of a special issue of Architecture Australia, which focussed on architecture and development in regional Australia.