Dr Stephanie Liddicoat

Biography

Dr Liddicoat is a Lecturer in Architectural Design in the School of Design at Swinburne University of Technology and Director of her own design and research consultancy, LiddicoatDesign.  Dr Liddicoat’s research interests are at the nexus of architecture and health, and include how the built environment can support wellbeing within hospital settings, and the role of design practice in mental health service environments. 

Dr Liddicoat’s recent research includes explorations of design practice in pediatric hospital environments, mental health service user perceptions of built environments, and implications for the field of architectural practice. She is also interested in participatory research methodologies, and furthering the field of evidence-based design, through research and community engagement projects. She is a regular speaker at conferences and colloquia regarding design for health and wellbeing, and directs her own design consultancy focused on developing supportive environments which enrich health and wellbeing across sectors, including youth justice, mental health services and hospitals. 

Dr Liddicoat also utilises emerging digital design and visualisation technologies in her research and teaching. Key to this is the recognition of how emerging technologies such as virtual reality, gaming, prototyping and mass customisation will impact not just design but also research processes (particularly participatory research processes). Dr Liddicoat offers a range of specialisations including: expanded and emerging drawing practices; virtual reality technologies in design process and visualisation; design approaches and methods; collaborative/participatory design; design with and for sensitive populations; phenomenology/the somatic; wellbeing in justice/detention environments and design for health