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The Australian Institute of Architects has announced the names of three international architects for its Droga Architect in Residence 2015/16 program.

UK emerging architect Nick Wood, Finnish stalwart Juhani Pallasmaa and Californian champion of change Liz Ogbu were selected for their broad experience and engaging program proposals by the jury chaired by Brit Andresen.

Now in its second year, the Residency invites international architects to participate in a three-month program encouraging the exploration of new approaches, exchange of ideas, international collaboration and cross-fertilisation.

Introduced by the Australian Institute of Architects Foundation, the Residency is named after cultural philanthropist and supporter of the Institute, Daniel Droga, who generously gifted his award-winning Droga Apartment in Surry Hills for use as an architect residency.

Wood, Founder and Director of How About Studio, will commence the Residency in September 2015, focusing on the role of the awning in inner urban environments. A London based design practice, How About Studio works internationally on projects ranging from event based installations, to furniture and permanent buildings.

Wood has worked with large cultural institutions and international arts festivals to create a diverse portfolio of high quality interventions. Wood has been a visiting critic at a number of London schools and teaches at Brighton University.

Finnish architect Pallasmaa will begin his Residency in February 2016. Pallasmaa has practised architecture for over fifty years, and has been active in urban, exhibition, product and graphic design. His Residency will feature a series of public talks.

Pallasmaa has taught and lectured widely in Europe, North and South America, Australia, Africa and Asia, and published numerous books and essays on the philosophy and critique of architecture and the arts in over thirty languages. He was a speaker at the 2011 National Architecture Conference – Natural Artifice in Melbourne.

Ogbu, whose Residency will begin in Spring 2016, is a designer, urbanist, social innovator and founder of Studio O. A Harvard graduate who specialises in disruptive innovation in challenged urban environments, she has worked extensively with communities in need to leverage the power of design to deliver social impact, from designing shelters for immigrant day labourers in the US to a water and health social enterprise for low-income Kenyans.

Ogbu is also on the faculty at UC Berkeley and Stanford d.school, and has won numerous honours including Public Interest Design’s Top 100, 2014 Aspen Ideas Scholar and Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council.