Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Gene Bawden is a communication designer and Deputy Head of MADA’s Design Department.
His research and design practice embraces the confluence of the material, the visual and the spatial, and the narratives of belonging articulated in each. Specifically he interrogates the design of Australian domestic spaces constructed as a prescriptive but highly charged representation of cultural belonging, social alignment and gendered expectation. His work reveals the historical context of Australia’s highly gendered spatial alliances, and the rich interplay of semiotics embodied within the constraints of the country’s Western-centric domestic milieu.
Gene is a member of the Faculty’s XYX Lab, which affords him the opportunity to combine his knowledge of gendered spatial practices and his communication design expertise within collaborative research projects aimed at mitigating gender inequity in Australia’s urban environments. Key to the Lab’s methodologies is the facilitation of Design Thinking processes using bespoke material tools of enquiry. This is an area of investigation that is increasingly part of Gene’s expanding area of material/spatial research; and manifests in his teaching through MADA’s design curriculum and the Monash MBA “Design Thinking” unit.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Design, PhD, Comfort and Judgement: Nineteenth Century Advice Manuals and the Scripting of Australian Identity
Award Date: 18 Nov 2015
Research area keywords
- gender and design
- design and co-design
- Communication Design
- Social History
- Interior design history
- Graphic Design
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
Projects
- 18 Finished
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Safer Cities Crowd Mapping Project
Kalms, N. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Ainsberg, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bawden, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Berry, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sturmfels, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Matthewson, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Larin, T. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Department of Communities and Justice (New South Wales)
28/06/23 → 31/05/24
Project: Research
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Communications package for dissemination of the Design for Impact learnings to various stakeholder groups.
Heiss, L. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Thiessen, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Killen, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Bawden, G. (Chief Investigator (CI))
2/01/23 → 28/02/23
Project: Research
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Co-design Workshop for the development of Design Toolkit for WHO Guideline Developers: Principles and Tools
Heiss, L. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Mcgee, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Thiessen, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Killen, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Bawden, G. (Chief Investigator (CI))
25/11/22 → 31/01/23
Project: Research
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Co-designing health futures
Heiss, L. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Bawden, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Roberts, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Page, R. (Chief Investigator (CI))
16/05/22 → 16/06/22
Project: Research
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Gender-sensitive training for safe and inclusive communities: A pilot for transformative placemaking in the public sector
Kalms, N. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Bawden, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Berry, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Matthewson, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Rowland, D. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Bowler, J. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Wyrdeman , G. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Bantock, L. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Beech, C. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Finnerty, J. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Ledovski, T. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Ashby, S. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Cox, S. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Ellis, B. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Dening, C. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Hatcher, J. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Lee, A. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Hetherington, B. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Collins, A. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Moore, S. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Griffiths, B. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Watson, T. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Cost, F. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Murphy , K. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Carroll, L. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Carling, N. (Associate Investigator (AI))
21/06/21 → 28/02/22
Project: Research
Research output
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Data design and dissemination: Visualising gender inequality statistics for public audiences
Bawden, G., Kalms, N. & Webb, I., 2025, Designing Gender Sensitive Spaces for Consenting Cities: Practices and Provocations. Berry, J., Kalms, N., Moore, T. & Bawden, G. (eds.). Oxon UK: Routledge, p. 72-84 13 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review
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Designing gender-sensitive spaces for consenting cities: An overview
Berry, J., Kalms, N., Moore, T. & Bawden, G., 2025, Designing Gender Sensitive Spaces for Consenting Cities: Practices and Provocations. Berry, J., Kalms, N., Moore, T. & Bawden, G. (eds.). Abingdon UK: Routledge, p. 1-8 8 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other
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Need for Fostering Knowledge Sharing in Self-help Groups in India Through Participatory Design in Product Development: A Case Study from Kamrup, Assam
Deka, N., Malhotra, S., Fridman, I. & Bawden, G., 2025, Responsible and Resilient Design for Society, Volume 12: Proceedings of ICoRD 2025. Chakrabarti, A., Singh, V., Onkar, P. S. & Shahid, M. (eds.). Singapore: Springer, p. 327-342 16 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review
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Consenting Cities
Bawden, G. (Designer), Kalms, N. (Designer), Berry, J. (Designer), Webb, I. (Designer) & Hwang, I. (Designer), 2023Research output: Non-textual form › Design / Architecture › Research
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'Consenting Cities' - SM - No Vacancy Gallery
Bawden, G. (Designer), Kalms, N. (Designer), Berry, J. (Designer), Webb, I. (Designer) & Hwang, I. (Designer), 2023Research output: Non-textual form › Design / Architecture › Other
Prizes
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2018 Dean's Award for Research Impact
Kalms, N. (Recipient), Bawden, G. (Recipient), Salen, P. (Recipient), Matthewson, G. (Recipient), Edwards, A. (Recipient) & Korsmeyer, H. (Recipient), 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2019 Premier's Design Awards - Service Design - Finalist: 'SHEcity'
Kalms, N. (Recipient), Bawden, G. (Recipient), Berry, J. (Recipient), Salen, P. (Recipient), Korsmeyer, H. (Recipient), Edwards, A. (Recipient) & Condliffe, Z. (Recipient), 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2020 Good Design Awards - Communication Branding and Identity - Gold Winner: 'Yours, Mine, Ours'
Bawden, G. (Recipient), Webb, I. (Recipient), Kalms, N. (Recipient) & Korsmeyer, H. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
File -
2021 AGDA Awards - Spatial/Exhibition Design - Distinction: 'HyperSext City'
Bawden, G. (Recipient), Kalms, N. (Recipient), Webb, I. (Recipient), Berry, J. (Recipient), Matthewson, G. (Recipient) & Moore, T. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
File -
2021 Designers Australia Awards - Interact Category - Winner: 'HyperSext City'
Kalms, N. (Recipient), Bawden, G. (Recipient), Berry, J. (Recipient), Webb, I. (Recipient), Matthewson, G. (Recipient) & Moore, T. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Consenting Cities
Bawden, G. (Organiser), Kalms, N. (Organiser), Berry, J. (Organiser), Webb, I. (Organiser) & Hwang, I. (Organiser)
24 May 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
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Addressing safety for Women and Girls on Public Transport: Presentation of Toolkit for Gender-Sensitive Communication Campaigns
Bawden, G. (Contributor), Matthewson, G. (Contributor) & Kalms, N. (Advisor)
5 Apr 2022Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
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Making Spaces Public
Dodd, M. (Host), Bawden, G. (Contributor), Floyd, E. (Contributor), Moore, T. (Contributor) & Rees, S. L. (Contributor)
2 Mar 2022Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
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Melbourne Design Week 2022: Make inclusive public spaces
Bawden, G. (Host), Berry, J. (Contributor), Kalms, N. (Advisor), Webb, I. (Contributor) & Matthewson, G. (Advisor)
18 Mar 2022Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public event
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HyperSext City: Gender Justice Workshop #2
Bawden, G. (Invited speaker)
8 Apr 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
Press/Media
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3CR: 'New Anti-Protest Laws, Consenting Cities, Occupy for Climate Narrm, An.Other Collective, 25 Years Since Jabiluka Blockade - No to AUKUS Art Auction'
Kalms, N., Bawden, G., Berry, J., Webb, I. & Hwang, I.
30/05/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Consenting Cities - the art, design and Venice biennale x Melb design week
Kalms, N., Bawden, G., Berry, J. & Hwang, I.
28/05/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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SYN: 'Researcher Gene Bawden on 'Consenting Cities' and urban design's hidden impacts'
Bawden, G., Kalms, N., Berry, J., Webb, I. & Hwang, I.
21/05/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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INSIDE DESIGN REVIEW: 'Designing better cities for women and gender diverse people'
Kalms, N., Bawden, G., Berry, J. & Matthewson, G.
20/12/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Women designers and feminist cities: it’s not what you think Dismantling ideas don't need to dismantle a city.
Kalms, N., Bawden, G., Webb, I., Berry, J., Matthewson, G. & Moore, T.
7/10/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature