LAVANYA ARULANANDAM
City of Melbourne - City Design
SAY IT LOUD - Naarm Melbourne Exhibitor
MELBOURNE/AUSTRALIA Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I’m most inspired when walking and experiencing places. I am inspired by buildings and places which are well used, and have history and depth in character.
LAVANYA ARULANANDAM
Bio:
Lavanya is a Senior Urban Designer and registered architect at the City of Melbourne. She has over 10 years of professional experience on a range of leading roles in public and private sector projects, from design leadership to council visioning documents and strategies. Lavanya currently leads urban design review of planning referrals within the City of Melbourne. She is a key contributor to the City’s Design Excellence Program, and in particular, the Melbourne Design Review Panel.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
My interest in design spans broadly across multiple scales – places, architecture, and art. I was drawn to architecture as I saw it as one of the most impactful forms of creative expression.
What do you do?
I am a Senior Urban Designer in City Design at the City of Melbourne. My role is focused around design advocacy and review. I provide detailed written reviews and attend meetings to negotiate high quality urban design outcomes for developments.
What excites you in the work you do? Who or what inspires you professionally?
I am excited about creativity, sensitivity, complexity and joy. I keep these core experiences in mind when reviewing the impact of development applications on precinct urban design and communities.
Who or what inspires you professionally? What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
I’m most inspired when walking and experiencing places. I am inspired by buildings and places which are well used, and have history and depth in character.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
My involvement with the establishment and coordination of the Melbourne Design Review Panel, as well as my role in a number of small scaled community focused built architectural projects.
Featured Project Name:
Heritage Design Guide
Featured Project Location:
Municipality of Melbourne
Featured Project Completion Date:
2020
Role in Featured Project:
Project leadership, research, reporting, documenting, graphics and illustrations
Featured Project Description:
The Heritage Design Guide was developed to complement the amended heritage policies within the Melbourne Planning Scheme. Amendment C258 strengthens existing heritage policy requirements, providing greater guidance on issues such as cantilevering, facadism, demolition and additions to heritage places. Through the use of diagrams, precedent photos, and captions, the guide communicates complex and highly technical language associated with planning policy, and a clear set of design expectations.
