APrf Damian Madigan
Associate Professor of Architecture
School of Architecture and Built Environment
College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities
Associate Professor Damian Madigan is a multi award-winning architect and urban infill housing researcher recognised for coining the term ‘Bluefield Housing’ to describe the established suburbs, and for creating the associated bluefield co-located housing model. His work centres on using the patterns of suburban alterations and additions to sensitively add new low-rise infill houses in established suburbs while recognising local character, enhancing suburban tree canopy, responding to demographic needs, and encouraging social connectedness amongst residents.
His book ‘Bluefield Housing as Alternative Infill for the Suburbs’ (Routledge 2024) has been described as “design research at its best”, and "a grand vision for a future of housing and practical guide for how to achieve it". In 2025, Damian's bluefield ‘Co-located Housing’ model was signed into South Australia’s Planning & Design Code as a new Land Use Definition and permitted form of infill development - the first time in Australia a new housing form has been created through a process of architectural design research.
Damian works with academics, industry, and government, and individually and collaboratively his design research has been recognised through international design competition awards, shortlistings, and commendations from the City of Los Angeles, the City of Denver, the American Institute of Architects (Colorado), the City of Sydney, NSW State Government, Architecture Australia, the Australian Institute of Architects (SA), and the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation.
Outside of his research and teaching, Damian is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects, Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), Expert Member of the South Australian State Government’s Design Review Panel, Expert Member of the AACA National Accreditation Standing Panel for the accreditation of Architecture Programs across Australia and New Zealand, and a Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of the Board of The Cottage Homes Incorporated - a not-for-profit housing provider for older people living on the full aged pension.
In 2025, Damian was awarded the Sir James Irwin President's Medal by the AIA (SA) "for Exemplary Service to, and Promotion of the Profession of Architecture".
His design research can be downloaded at bluefieldhousing.com.au.
Where do people go when their suburban housing no longer suits them or they cannot find a way into their suburb of choice? Through the process of design research, Damian has developed and authored Bluefield Housing as Alternative Infill for the Suburbs. Bluefield Housing is a way of creating small, sensitive infill housing within established suburbs that are usually quarrantined from density increases and are at risk of gentrification (a process that can lock people into their suburbs as they become asset rich but cash poor, while locking other people out through a lack of affordability). Working at the intersection of NIMBYism and YIMBYism, Damian's work demonstrates that infill housing is possible in older suburbs whilst retaining and enhancing neighbourhood character. This research matters to a broad audience: to those wanting greater housing choice in the suburbs, and to those wishing to maintain the status quo. Importantly, it matters as equally to those in decision-making roles as it does to end-users, and its communication methods are easily understood. You can download Damian's design research at bluefieldhousing.com.au.
Outside of his own research, Damian is a design-review writer. You can read some of his work at Architecture AU.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 - ongoing | Associate Professor of Architecture | Adelaide University |
| 2025 - 2025 | Associate Professor of Architecture | University of South Australia |
| 2023 - ongoing | Non Executive Director & Deputy Chair | The Cottage Homes Inc |
| 2019 - 2024 | Senior Lecturer in Architecture | University of South Australia |
| 2018 - ongoing | Expert Member, Architecture Program Accreditation Review Panel | Architects Accreditation Council of Australia |
| 2017 - ongoing | Expert Member, State Government Design Review Panel | Office for Design and Architecture SA |
| 2006 - 2019 | Director | Madigan Architecture Pty Ltd |
| 2005 - 2018 | Lecturer in Architecture | University of South Australia |
| 1998 - 2006 | Associate | Flightpath Architects Pty Ltd |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Distinction | Sir James Irwin President's Medal | Australian Institute of Architects (SA) | Australia | - |
| 2025 | Award | Winner, Denver Affordable Housing Ideas Challenge | City of Denver and the American Institute of Architects (Colorado) | United States | US$10,000 |
| 2025 | Award | Winner, People Places Prize | Future Leaders Initiative | Australia | $10,000 |
| 2025 | Research Award | Winner, Innovation in Research | UniSA Creative | Australia | - |
| 2021 | Award | Shortlisted Entry, Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation | 5th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation | China | - |
| 2021 | Award | Shortlisted Entry, AA Prize for Unbuilt Work | Architecture Australia | Australia | - |
| 2021 | Award | Honourable Mention and Jury Citation, LA Low Rise Challenge | City of Los Angeles | United States | - |
| 2020 | Research Award | Early Career Researcher of the Year | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Teaching Award | Outstanding Student Evaluation Attainment Award, Postgraduate Teaching | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 2019 | Teaching Award | Teaching Excellence Student Choice Award | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 2019 | Award | Winner: City of Sydney Alternative Housing Ideas Challenge | City of Sydney | Australia | - |
| 2017 | Teaching Award | High Achievement in Student Evaluation Attainment Award - Postgraduate Teaching | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 2017 | Award | Winner, NSW Missing Middle Competition | New South Wales State Government | Australia | $10,000 |
| 2015 | Teaching Award | Student Nominated Teaching Award | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 2015 | Teaching Award | Outstanding Student Evaluation Attainment - Undergraduate Teaching | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 2014 | Teaching Award | Citatation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 2014 | Teaching Award | High Achievement in Student Evaluation Attainment - Undergraduate Teaching | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 2012 | Award | UniSA Chancellor's Award for Community Engagement | University of South Australia | Australia | - |
| 1998 | Award | Woods Bagot Scholarship in Architecture | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
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Contract Research – Affordable Housing with Bates Smart, Bates Smart Architects Pty Ltd, 01/08/2025 - 31/12/2025
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Apartment Design, Historic & Character Area Design and Demographics & Housing Choice Research Project, SA Dept for Trade, Tourism and Investment, 03/06/2024 - 30/06/2025
Courses I teach
- ARCH 1007 Design Construction Principles (2025)
- ARCH 1032 Architectural Design Studio (Dwelling) (2025)
- ARCH 1033 Architectural Documentation (2025)
- ARCH 1007 Design Construction Principles (2024)
Programs I'm associated with
- DBAE - Bachelor of Architectural Studies
- DMAE - Master of Architecture
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Co-Supervisor | Retrofit Catalogue: A design study of retrofitting Australian housing for health, climate and cost | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Bec Boland |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Hybrid live-work architectural morphologies: Exploring resilient housing design strategies in South Australia | - | Doctorate | Part Time | Mr Hossein Mosavi |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Planning a creative profession: the role of creativity in Australian urban planning practice | - | Doctorate | Part Time | Mr Darren Milton Starr |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Planning a creative profession: the role of creativity in Australian urban planning practice | - | Doctorate | Part Time | Mr Darren Milton Starr |
| 2023 | Co-Supervisor | Parameterisation of Game Design Concepts for Procedural Generation of Virtual Urban Environments | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Darcy Holmes |
| 2022 | Co-Supervisor | Immersivity and fidelity: Architecture, design and game engines | - | Doctorate | Part Time | Mr Andrew Lymn-Penning |
| 2020 | Co-Supervisor | Responsible Housing: Creating a strategy to facilitate holistic sustainable development in the Australian housing industry | - | Doctorate | Part Time | Ms Madeleine Elyse Hughes Parkyn |
| 2020 | Co-Supervisor | Responsible Housing: Creating a strategy to facilitate holistic sustainable development in the Australian housing industry | - | Doctorate | Part Time | Ms Madeleine Elyse Hughes Parkyn |
| Date | Role | Board name | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 - ongoing | Vice-Chair | Cottage Homes Board | The Cottage Homes Inc | Australia |
| Date | Institution | Department | Organisation Type | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 - ongoing | Architects Accreditation Council of Australia | Architecture Program Accreditation Review Panel | Legislative and political | Australia |
| 2017 - ongoing | Office for Design and Architecture SA | State Government Design Review Panel | Business and professional | Australia |
| Date | Title | URL | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 - ongoing | Fellow, Australian Institute of Architects | - | - |
Connect With Me
External Profiles
Available For Media Comment.