Today we’re speaking to Paul van Herk – urban design and architect in Melbourne, and someone with a perfect mix of humour and frustration towards our city for a conversation on the Super Urban podcast. 

As his own website says: Paul is an urban designer, architect and writer who articulates the intentions, instruments and outcomes of contemporary urban development. His research and design projects produce cut-through cultural and political insights, direct public discourses and new spatial opportunities for complex urban sites. 

Paul applies skills and knowledge from extensive international experience in architecture, urban design, public art and academia. His industry roles have included Project Architect at McBride Charles Ryan, Urban Designer at MVRDV and Senior Urban Designer at Snøhetta. In 2018, he was a Research Fellow at Strelka Institute and has been Associate at Monash Art Projects since 2021. He is an experienced educator, teaching innovative spatial analysis, design and communications techniques at postgraduate and undergraduate level since 2015. In 2022 he was a founding director of EXCX, a collaborative practice designing playful public installations for local and state government authorities seeking to reactivate public spaces following the pandemic.