Kevin O'Brien

• Name — Kevin O'Brien

O'Brien was born in Melbourne, Australia. He graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1995. In 2006, he studied Aboriginality and Architecture, gaining a Master of Philosophy under Paul Memmott.

O'Brien also established Kevin O'Brien Architects (KOA) in Brisbane, and has completed architectural projects throughout several states in Australia. In 2000, he travelled around the Pacific Rim as a Churchill Fellow to investigate regional construction strategies in indigenous communities. O'Brien directed the Finding Country Exhibition at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale in 2012, and he was appointed as a Professor of Design at the Queensland University of Technology. In 2014, he was a juror at the Australian Institute of Architects' 2014 Brisbane Regional Architecture Awards. Kevin O'Brien Architects merged with BVN Architecture in 2018.

O'Brien's "Finding Country" Exhibition, focused on the tension between concepts of City and Country in an Australian context, and was exhibited at the 13th International Architecture Exhibit in Venice, Italy in 2012. A large drawing highlighting the city method of title management (by labelling places such as parks or roads), was emptied through a 50% population reduction as a way into revealing Country as something found; the exhibition developed from discussions with Michael Markham in 2005.

Construction began on the Archibald Street House in August 2009, and reached practical completion in 2011. It is a two-storey residential building in Brisbane, which has a 3.5 kW solar power system that has produced enough energy to maintain a household of four. The building combines a house and a studio with a central courtyard. It is built using concrete and timber. Designed to minimise energy costs, the house efficiently uses new insulation techniques by employing water and solar collections. To achieve an effective energy consumption, the house was designed to make use of building orientation, ventilation access, thermal mass, insulation systems and energy-economical openings.

• Year — Project name and Location • 2013 — Casino Aboriginal Medical Service, Casino, NSW • 2013 — GUMURRII student support, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD • 2012 — GUMURRII staff offices, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD • 2012 — Finding Country Exhibition, 13th Venice Architecture Biennale • 2011 — Indigenous Family Hubs and Long Day-Care Centres, Doomadgee and Mornington Island, QLD • 2010 — Indigenous Family Hubs and Short Day-Care Centres, Mareeba, Mt Isa, Ipswich, QLD • 2010 — Woorabinda State School, Library and Administration, Woorabinda, QLD • 2010 — AGNEW School Library, Brisbane, QLD • 2010 — Art Facilities for Lockhart River, Mornington Island, QLD • 2010 — Retail Store and Offices, Lockhart River, QLD • 2009 — Cherbourg Retail and Office Hub, Cherbourg, QLD • 2009 — Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Health Care, Inala, Brisbane, QLD • 2008 — Wellers Hill, General Learning 8, Brisbane, QLD • 2008 — Remote Indigenous Housing Design Standards, QLD • 2007 — Gallang Place ATSI Counselling Services (Refurbishment), Brisbane, QLD • 2007 — Krurungal ATSI Welfare and Health Services (Refurbishment), Gold Coast, QLD • 2007 — Carbal Aboriginal Medical Centre, Toowoomba, QLD • 2005 — 2nd Chance Residential Facility, Northern Rivers NSW • 2004 — Cape York Institute (Refurbishment), Cairns, QLD