Swinburne architecture lecturer helping students build a bright future
Inaugural Excellence in Architectural Design Visuals award winner Alan Kenyon (middle) with Department Chair of Architectural and Industrial Design Associate Professor Gianni Renda (left) and Lecturer and award donor Dr Linus Tan (right) at the School of Design and Architecture’s 2024 Graduate exhibition.
In summary
Dr Linus Tan is a researcher and lecturer in design and AI, as well as a Swinburne alum
In 2024, Dr Tan donated the Excellence in Architectural Design Visuals award for a first-year architecture student to support and celebrate the success of his students
Bachelor of Design (Architecture) student Alan Kenyon received the award and says it has continued to motivate and refine his design work
Swinburne architecture lecturer Dr Linus Tan is not only passionate about his research area of design and AI, but also about empowering his students to thrive in their education journey.
After hearing of the challenges students in his classes were facing, Dr Tan was motivated to set up and donate an annual award for first-year architecture students – the Excellence in Architectural Design Visuals award.
“Life is getting tougher for many, and it’s important our students know their perseverance and hard work don’t go unnoticed,” says Dr Tan.
Dr Linus Tan is a Swinburne alum and now a researcher in Architecture, Design and AI. He hopes the award he is donating will encourage students in their time at Swinburne.
As a Swinburne alum, completing his PhD in Design and Architecture, Dr Tan acknowledges that many students today face complex challenges and multiple responsibilities alongside coming to class each day.
“When I was at university, I had fewer distractions and life pressures, which allowed me to concentrate and invest deeply in my studies,” he says.
“Today’s students are navigating a far more complex world, with financial pressures, mental health challenges, and constant digital noise.
“Supporting students now means acknowledging those realities and finding ways to ease their burden, so they can focus on learning and growing.”
Dr Tan hopes this award will go a long way in helping a student throughout their course at Swinburne.
“I hope this award signals to students that we see them, we understand the pressures they’re under, and we genuinely care.”
Excellence in Architectural Design Visuals winning submission, Alan Kenyon’s Museum of Emotions design was an interpretation of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida.
The inaugural award recipient, Alan Kenyon, is now in his second year studying a Bachelor in Design (Architecture) at Swinburne and says receiving the award is an honour.
“Receiving this award has motivated me to continue growing creatively and technically," he says.
The award will allow him to keep building on the valuable lessons he has learnt throughout his first year at Swinburne.
Alan is grateful to everyone involved in helping him make a successful and quality project.
“With support from my tutor and peers who helped me refine my work throughout the year, they taught me the importance of readability in storytelling and the impact that visuals have in conveying ideas.”
The Excellence in Architectural Design Visuals award is open to all students studying Architectural Design Studio 1 (Communication), without the need for applications.
At the end of the year, the tutors of the Architectural Design Communications unit (excluding Dr Tan) review the top submissions from each class and pick the one they believe shows great architectural design visuals in their work.
“We didn’t announce the prize in advance. It wasn’t about creating competition between students or dangling a reward. It was about recognising tenacity, initiative, and resilience,” says Dr Tan.
Dr Tan encourages fellow colleagues and alumni to consider how they can support students throughout their study at Swinburne.
“Offering a small token of support, a prize, a scholarship, or even just recognition, can make a world of difference to them,” he says.
Visit the Giving to Swinburne webpage to learn more about opportunities to support students.
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