Fibre Architecture and Assembled Projects and Zilka Studio

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RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Leanne Zilka was one of 14 women architects and designers invited by the Design Institute of Australia to exhibit their work at 45 Downstairs, a Melbourne not-for-profit theatre and gallery. Daniella Casamento was the curator. The Design Institute is the peak professional membership national body for designers and design practices and this exhibition was a satellite event of the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne NOW blockbuster art, architecture and design exhibiton (22 Nov-23 Mar 2014). DIA Women in Design celebrated the contribution women make to Melbourne's built environment and offered exhibitors a chance to 'tell the story of their careers'. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: Zilka exhibited models, knitted prototypes, drawings and video that demonstrated her two areas of research. The first explores how new materials that are embedded in fibres offer alternative architectural opportunities. Digital knitting technology together with the digitial architectural model is an important emerging area of research and Zilka used video to document the process from model to fabrication. The second strand of research explores the integration of prefabricated elements into housing design; a new way of conceiving of utilitarian, purely functional elements in a home. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: Aside from the peer review inherent in being an invited exhibitor the significance of the exhibition and Zilka's work is further recognised by the wide coverage it received. Coverage included: Laura Held, 'Women in Design' Archiecture Australia (1 April 2014); Sonia Sarangi, 'Make it big so the boys can see', Parlour 18 March 2014 (the 'Parlour' blog is part of an Australian Research Council-funded research project Equity and Diversity in the Australian Architecture Profession: Women, Work, and Leadership). Zilka gave a floor talk in February 2014.