Urs is passionate about the impact that practice-based research in architecture can have on making sustainable, experiential, and socially-focused urban environments. His commitment to architectural education foregrounds these concerns through design studio teaching that engages students with practice and the community in the context of real-world problems. As an Academic Manager, Urs has demonstrated the capability to navigate the complexity of contemporary university environments to repeatedly deliver exceptional student experiences. As a leader and mentor, he consistently provides his colleagues with opportunities for development in a strategic and supportive manner. Building from participation in 'DAPr', a national OLT grant, Urs has successfully developed and facilitated the growth of the Adelaide practice-based PhD program to a point where it has now delivered its first PhD graduates with several further candidates to complete in the coming years. Urs' broad experience in research through practice has been built up through a range of professional and creative activities that span from being based within the avantgarde of international architecture (Coop Himmelb(l)au) to designing a culturally sensitive and sustainable building in a developing country (HTMTI Hotel, Bhutan). Urs’ expertise in Architectural Design has been recognized through national and international exhibitions and publications. Amongst others, his works have been shown at the Architectural Biennale Venice, the AEDES Architecture Gallery Berlin and the FRAC Centre Orléans. They have also been published by ARCH+, Architektur Aktuell, Architektur und Bauforum and Wallpaper* Magazine. His recently published book ‘Architecture in Dialogue with an Activated Ground’, UCL Press, London, unpacks the core values of his practice. Main concerns revolve around the relationship between existing urban fabrics and a secondary layer of architectural form. Urban consolidation policies are increasingly challenging architects to work on sites that are articulated by multiple custodians and stakeholders. The work explores not just how these interests are accommodated, it also asks about finding even more histories and voices to inform the site-related production of architectural character and space.