Ben Thorp
Summary
I am an urban designer who is motivated by a strong interest and commitment to urban issues. I have studied and worked in architecture and I am now building my urban design skills through roles in local government. My professional interests are in urban design for precinct and place regeneration, built form codes and urban research through fieldwork and mapping
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Urban Designer
Yarra City Council
06.2023 - Current
- Design referral advice on development applications including all residential typologies, commercial development, signage and streetscape upgrades
- Coordinating UD referrals and mentoring junior staff undertaking referrals
- Project lead for internal guidelines on streetscape design based on typologies
- Urban design advice on greening private land project
Urban Designer
City of Greater Geelong
11.2022 - 06.2023
- Design referral advice on development applications including townhouses, apartments, childcare centres and greenfield subdivisions
- Urban designer as part of a multi-disciplinary team undertaking greenfield precinct structure planning - Creamery Road PSP and Marshall PSP
- Drafting medium density guidelines
Urban Designer
Hume City Council
02.2022 - 11.2022
- Project manager for multiple streetscape upgrade projects including consultant management, design review, internal stakeholder management and budget control
- Community engagement for streetscape upgrade projects including developing engagement plans, running the engagement and integrating outputs into the design process
Urban Designer/Planning Advisor - Central Hobart Precincts Plan
City of Hobart
04.2021 - 02.2022
- Urban Design Framework, working with consultants MGS Architects to develop the UDF including mapping, developing urban codes and review of consultant outputs
- Built form impact assessment - capacity analysis modelling, growth modelling, development of scenarios for testing and management of external consultants undertaking testing
- Discussion paper - writing, background research and graphics
- Land use and built form data - managing and analysis of data including land use survey
- Input into Council review of Greater Hobart Plan and Tasmanian Apartment Code
Urban Designer and researcher
City of Hobart
04.2017 - 04.2021
- Mapping and research for baseline report for Central Hobart Precinct Plan
- Graphics for community consultation Mid-Town Retail Precinct Upgrade Project
- Walkability study examining the influence of built environment factors on walkability across the City of Hobart area to inform future transport strategy
- Supervised University of Tasmania students undertaking a study of urban density and planning control in an infill area: https://www.hobartcity.com.au/Projects/Speculate-Research-Experienceprojects/Expanding-City-underutilised-sites
- Project manager and report author for walkability study: Walkability of the Elizabeth Street/New Town Road corridor
- Urban Designer on the New Town Streetscape Upgrade Project undertaken by the Infrastructure Design Unit
- Assistant and researcher in the office of the City Architect
- Including streetlife studies and urban conditions reports
Summer Intern
City of Hobart/UTAS
12.2016 - 01.2017
- Research project examining the impacts of the student housing development in Melville Street Hobart
Census Area Supervisor
Australian Bureau of Statistics
04.2016 - 10.2016
- Managing a team of 10 Census fieldworkers for the 2016 Census of population and housing
- Responsible for effective conduct of Census enumeration in my area and provided training and support for a team of collectors
- Role involved high level administrative skills and the ability to operate independently and make critical decisions in a timely manner
Urban Designer and Cartographer
Cyclespace International P/L
12.2014 - 06.2016
- Graphic artist and researcher as part of the team assisting Dr Steven Fleming in writing the text Velotopia: The Production of Cyclespace
- Cartographer and urban designer for commissioned bicycle mapping projects for Brisbane, Canberra, Newcastle and Sydney
Student Architect
Terroir Architects
02.2015 - 01.2016
- Undertook a year long contract as a student architect with renowned Tasmanian architectural practice Terroir
- Participated in the design of projects across a range of scales and typologies including: multi-residential housing, single family housing, bicycle and pedestrian access bridge, public amenities, multi-purpose community centre, masterplanning and educational facilities
- Architectural office tasks such as report preparation, model making, drafting and assisting in preparing tenders and quotes
Education
Master of Urban Planning -
The University of Melbourne
01.2023
Bachelor of Environmental Design - Architecture
University of Tasmania
01.2014
Skills
- Urban design
- Report preparation
- Map making
- Statutory planning
- Strategic planning
- Community engagement
- Stakeholder collaboration
- Economic development
- Walkability assessment
- Public space design
- Placemaking techniques
- Public policy development
- Project management
- Budget control
- Managing internal stakeholders
- CAD drawing
- 3D modelling
- Adobe Suite
- GIS
- Microsoft Office Suite
Timeline
Urban Designer
Yarra City Council
06.2023 - Current
Urban Designer
City of Greater Geelong
11.2022 - 06.2023
Urban Designer
Hume City Council
02.2022 - 11.2022
Urban Designer/Planning Advisor - Central Hobart Precincts Plan
City of Hobart
04.2021 - 02.2022
Urban Designer and researcher
City of Hobart
04.2017 - 04.2021
Summer Intern
City of Hobart/UTAS
12.2016 - 01.2017
Census Area Supervisor
Australian Bureau of Statistics
04.2016 - 10.2016
Student Architect
Terroir Architects
02.2015 - 01.2016
Urban Designer and Cartographer
Cyclespace International P/L
12.2014 - 06.2016
Bachelor of Environmental Design - Architecture
University of Tasmania
Master of Urban Planning -
The University of Melbourne
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