Kevin O’Brien                           

Kevin O'Brien Architects / BVN, Brisbane: Professor of Creative Practice University of Sydney, School of Architecture, Design and Planning. Formerly he was a Professor of Design at the Queensland University of Technology. O'Brien was born in Melbourne, Australia. He graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1995. In 2006, he studied Aboriginality and Architecture, gaining a Master of Philosophy. He established his practice KOA based in Brisbane has been the recipient of many architectural awards in Australia

In 2012 Kevin took his project finding country to the Venice Biennale.

Most recently Kevin O’Brien Architects merged with large firm BVN and with it comes a complex body of work based on his understanding that an idea is required in order to pursue genuine architecture and for him that idea is “Finding Country”. It addresses the questions of urban settlement and territory, questions that Kevin has pursued through four spheres of action, Profession, Academia, Creative Practice and Community Service.

John Bingham-Hall 

Urban researcher, he is the director of Theatrum Mundi, a research centre that seeks to improve the public life of cities by stimulating new thinking in urban design through exchange between artistic and built environment practices. Through an academic background in both music (BMus, Goldsmiths) and urban theory (MSc & PhD, UCL), John’s research seeks to better articulate relationships between urban form and the spaces, performances, media, and politics of the public sphere. John has previously undertaken research at LSE Cities and UCL Engineering demonstrating how artistic disciplines can inform urban design, and was a Critical Context tutor for BA and MA Communication Design at CSM from 2014-16. He has created programmes for Theatrum Mundi on Cultural Infrastructure, Urban Commons, and Acoustic Urbanism, and regularly chairs professional workshops and public events. Recent publications include articles for the journals Architectural Design,

Big Data & Society, Visual Communication, a chapter in the 2015 Routledge book The Everyday Practice of Public Art. John has also curated and advised on cultural programmes in the context of urban regeneration and meanwhile use strategies for developers, creative agencies, and local communities.

Linus Gruszewski                   

Architectural project manager, Los Angeles.

A French-Australian designer, trained in architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture Paris-Malaquais and later gained a Masters Degree at the University of Melbourne. He has worked in architecture and art studios in Europe, Australia and California, where he is currently based, project managing at Ball-Nogues Design Studio in LA.
He thinks with his hands and is quick on his feet. Inquisitive and adaptive, a cultural omnivore, he is always seeking to expand his horizons and challenge any preconceptions.
His architectural criticism has been published in the Evening Standard (UK), his work was featured on the cover of Architect Victoria (Australia) and was recently interviewed by ALU magazine (Germany). 
His installation, Cumulus, an inflatable structure assembled out of 304 polythene shopping bags, made its first appearance as part of Activate:Space at Loczi Design (San Francisco) in November 2016. In 2017 he was a faculty member at the inaugural FSA free School of Architecture in Los Angeles.

Robert Grace            

robert grace architecture, founder state of grace and ELa Ecole Libre d’architecture.

Robert Grace is Franco-Australian, he graduated from the University of Melbourne & from Columbia University., conducted PhD research at  the University of Melbourne in Paris and later at the AA in London.

Based in Paris, he has completed and worked on projects in Australia, Europe and the West Indies and is a registered architect in Australia, United Kingdom and France.  robert grace architecture was founded in Melbourne in 1984, and has been established in France since 1991. His projects have won prizes in Australia, United States and England. Many of these have been the subject of numerous publications as have his critical commentaries. He has been a member of international juries and has taught and lectured at Australian, American and European Universities. 

In 2016 he established state of grace as the research arm of robert grace architecture. rencontres (in partnership with Columbia Global Centers | Paris) gathering actors in the world of architecture and associated realms to discuss their works, speculations and their collaborations. The series numbered 9 in total in 2016 & 2017 and 7 were conducted in Paris, one at the Venice Biennale and one in Los Angeles. In 2016 his Des'Esparon series of papers / talks around the specific, personal and reflective experiences of building a home in the town of Esparon in the Cevennes in the South of France, have been given at conferences in Istanbul, Paris, Copenhagen and Melbourne.

In May 2018 state of grace  will present ELa Ecole Libre d'architecture.