Gregor H. Mews

Dr Gregor H. Mews MURP (TU-Berlin), PhD EnvirDes (University of Canberra), MPIA, ISOCARP, is currently an academic at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) and senior leadership figure in the international NGO space. His multidisciplinary research focuses on urban healthy, regenerative design, emphasising the convergence of public health, public space, ontological design theory, spatial justice, and more-than-human urbanism. Research Interests & Themes Public Health & Urbanity: Integrating health and well-being into public open space and urban design frameworks, particularly in response to COVID-19's spatial implications for children and community life. Culture and identity: Advancing design in pursuit of (re) humanising the urban within a more-than-human world. Situated awareness of urban ecologies and place stewardship nested in culture and identity. Play & Participatory Urbanism: Exploring the role of play and youth co-design as catalysts for transformative and transgressive urban experiences—with a global perspective on localised practices. Flux Cities & Ontological Design: Investigating the emergent urban condition through conceptual frames like Flux Cities, focusing on non-linear, regenerative urban processes. Previously, he was the Executive Director of Urban Synergies Group, a Co-Founder and Director of the Australian Institute of Play, a Steering Committee Member of UN-Habitat’s World Urban Campaign, a Council Board Member of City Space Architecture and a Strategic Advisory Board Member of the Journal of Public Space. Currently, Greg is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Association and a full member of the International Federation of National Teaching Fellows. As for his practice contributions, Greg has led local, national and international projects in the nexus of urban design and health, been an Urban Thinker voice for UN-Habitat and strategically to advocate for vulnerable population groups with impact transcending boundaries across the Global North and South and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Under the conceptual approach of "Right to the City", he advocated for better health and well-being outcomes at the United Nations Habitat III conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development held in Quito (Ecuador) in 2016. Over the course of two decades, he has been teaching, researching at universities in Europe (University of Kassel, Technical University of Berlin), North America (Yale University), Africa (University of Makeni), and Australia (QUT, University of Canberra, UNSW Canberra). Previously, he served as the Study Area Coordinator for the Landscape Architecture Program at QUT and co-led the transdisciplinary Impact Labs framed around Planet as part of the new Bachelor of Design. Greg received multiple work-related awards including the prestigious ‘Oscars of Education” QS Wharton Reimagine Education Award in the category Presence Learning & Teaching as well as the 2021 overall Education Award, the 2022 national AAUT Citation Award in the category Advanced learning on curriculum transformation and innovative and pedagogy practice, ISOCARP's Gerd Albers Award for best book in planning 2022 as well as the best research project award 2022 from the Planning Institute of Australia QLD. His latest research projects include an MRFF-PPHR Initiative grant in Australia and a Civil Society in Development grant in Sierra Leone. Greg has published four books and 64 other publications internationally, including “Perspectives of sustainable urban development for cities in Central Asia”, the recent “The future of Asian and Pacific Cities: Transformative pathways towards sustainable urban development in the post covid-19 era” for UN-ESCAP, and the multiple award winning book “Transforming Public Space through Play”, guest editor of “Special issues Journal - Public health and wellbeing in public open spaces through climate responsive urban planning and design” in the Journal of Public Space. Between 2008 and 2013, he was the Vice-President and advocacy coordinator of the Planning Institute of Australia (ACT Division), held an Adjunct Prof. Associate position at the Health Research Institute at the University of Canberra, and is an active member of ISOCARP (International Society of Urban and Regional Planners) Community of Practice Urban Health. In his pursuit of adding quality to urban environments, he served on juries and boards in Denmark, Germany, Sierra Leone and Australia, including the ACT Government, National Capital Authority, Logan Together, Dreamtown, Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk, advising government, non-government and industry on urban design and public space projects.