Linus Tan, Ph.D.

Hello, and welcome to my website!

My name is Linus and this is my digital portfolio of works as a researcher, educator, and designer. I’m currently a lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology, where I research on how architects and designers think, act and learn. I also investigate how using Generative AI changes the way designers think, behave, and learn.

I’m gradually turning my website into a resource page to keep architects and designers updated with emerging technologies, so stay tuned!

Qualifications
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Design (2018 – 2021)
    Swinburne University of Technology
  • University Learning and Teaching Graduate Certificate (2019 – 2020)
    Swinburne University of Technology
  • Research & Innovation Management Graduate Certificate (2018 – 2019)
    Swinburne University of Technology
  • Master of Architecture (2011 – 2012)
    University of Melbourne
  • Bachelor of Environments (2008 – 2010)
    University of Melbourne
Journal publications (10)
  • Tan, L., Kocsis, A. 2024. Ill-defined problems in wicked learning environments, She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, 10, pp456-473, doi:10.1016/j.sheji.2024.11.004
  • Tan, L. 2024. Designing an AI Career Mentor for Early Career Researchers, CERN IdeaSquare Journal of Experimental Innovation, 8(3), pp42-51, doi:10.23726/cij.2024.1576
  • Tan, L., Luhrs, M. 2024. Using Generative AI Midjourney to enhance divergent and convergent thinking in an architect’s creative design process, The Design Journal, 27(4), pp677-699, doi:10.1080/14606925.2024.2353479
  • Kocsis, A., Kenderline, S., Tan L. From art introspection to selfie co-creation, Research in Arts & Education, 2024(1), pp68-77, doi:10.54916/rae.142473
  • Tan, L., Kocsis, A., Burry, J. 2023. Advancing Donald Schön’s Reflective Practitioner: Where to Next?, Design Issues, 39(3), pp3-18, doi:10.1162/desi_a_00722
  • Tan, L., Kocsis, A., Burry, J. 2023. Picking a design, or a design team? The role of reflective practice and team learning in architecture competitions, The Design Journal, 26(4), pp580-603 doi:10.1080/14606925.2023.2215418
  • Tan, L., Kocsis, A., Burry, J., Kyndt, E. 2023. Performance of architectural teams: The role of team learning, reflexivity, boundary crossing and error communication, Design Studies, 89, doi:10.1016/j.destud.2023.101190
  • Tan, L., Mesa, D., Kocsis, A., Down, A., Thong, C., Mattila, P., Lodewyckx, S. 2022. Building team research targets and capacity in innovation hubs, CERN IdeaSquare Journal of Experimental Innovation, 6(2), pp4-11, doi:10.23726/cij.2022.1396
  • Tan, L. 2021. Collaborative cultures of architecture teams: Team learning and reflective practice, The Design Journal, 24(3), pp489-98, doi:10.1080/14606925.2020.1864942
  • Tan, L., & Kvan, T. 2018. Finding and using ambiguity to search for innovation opportunities, Design Management Journal, 13(1), pp17-29. doi:10.1111/dmj.12045
Refereed conference articles (26)
  • Tan, L., Luke, T. 2024. Accelerating future scenario development with text-based GenAI (ChatGPT), in Proceedings of the 29th CAADRIA Conference, Singapore, 20 – 26 April 2024, Vol. 1, pp39-48. doi:10.52842/conf.caadria.2024.1.039
  • Yang, L., Tan, L., Xu, J., and Fan, F. 2024. Design for Manufacturing: Learning Processes of a New Product Development Design Team, Proceedings of the Design Research Society 2024, Boston, USA, 2328 June 2024. doi:10.21606/drs.2024.507
  • Tan, L. 2024. Integrating the Theory of Experience into architectural design workflow, in Proceedings of 7 Experiences Summit 2023, Auckland, New Zealand, 28 Nov – 1 Dec 2023, pp191-194, doi:10.24135/7es.6
  • Ranscombe, C., Tan, L.., Goudswaard, M., Snider, C. 2024. Inspiration or indication? Evaluating the qualities of design inspiration boards created using text to image generative AI, Proceedings of the Design Society, 4, pp2207-2216, doi:1017/pds.2024.223
  • Rogers, D., Tan, L., Kocsis, A. 2024. Eliciting desired experiences: Design affordances to communicate users’ latent aspirations of the built environment, in Proceedings of 7 Experiences Summit 2023, Auckland, New Zealand, 28 Nov – 1 Dec 2023, pp38-40, doi:10.24135/7es.11
  • Kocsis, A., Tan, L., Roto, V. 2024. Experience-based design: Enhancing its rigour, in Proceedings of 7 Experiences Summit 2023, Auckland, New Zealand, 28 Nov – 1 Dec 2023, pp41-45, doi:10.24135/7es.12
  • Christensen, J., Tan, L. 2024. Redevelopment trends of Melbourne: Facadism and adaptive reuse, in Architecture, Media, Politics, Society (AMPS) Proceedings, Vol. 35.1, pp305-314
  • Tan, L. 2023. Using ChatGPT to extract design concepts from stories, 7th LearnxDesign Conference, London, UK, 29 Nov – 01 Dec 2023, doi:10.21606/drslxd.2023.054
  • Tan, L., Wright, E., Connory, J., Simone, T., De Kruiff, A. 2023. A discussion of student-centric reflexive practice factors, 7th LearnxDesign Conference, London, UK, 29 Nov – 01 Dec 2023, doi:10.21606/drslxd.2023.070
  • Kocsis, A., Kenderdine, S., Tan, L. 2023. From art introspection to selfie co creation, In Proceedings of the Art of Research Conference 2023 – Reimagining, Aalto, Finland, 30 Nov – 1 Dec 2023, pp34-35
  • Tan, L., Luke, T., di Pietro, A., Kocsis, A. 2023. Using machine learning as a material to generate and refine aircraft design prototypes, in Proceedings of EKSIG2023, Milano, Italy, 19 – 20 June 2023, pp796-813
  • Anam, N., Tan, L. 2023. Optimisation of design-to-fabrication framework for homeless housing design, in Proceedings of the Design Society,Vol. 3, pp2845-2854. doi:10.1017/pds.2023.285
  • Anam, N., Tan, L. 2023. A human-centric approach to a design-to-fabrication process, 28th CAADRIA Conference, India, 21 – 23 March 2023, Vol. 2, pp461-470, doi:10.52842/conf.caadria.2023.2.461
  • Rogers, D., Tan, L., Kocsis, A. 2023. Affordances of Visualised Future Environments, in Architecture, Media, Politics, Society (AMPS) Proceedings: Representing Pasts – Visioning Futures, 32, pp470-477
  • Tan, L. 2022. Providing authentic workplace team learning in architecture design studios, in Proceedings of the ‘A Focus on Pedagogy: Teaching, Learning and Research in the Modern Academy’, Vol. 28(2), pp107-119
  • Tan, L., Mattila, P., Iverson, A., Hopwood, J. 2022. Design-driven leadership training: Nurturing emerging leaders, in Proceedings of theAcademic Design Management Conference 2022, pp209-221
  • Mesa, D., Tan, L., Ranscombe, C. 2022. A case study exploring the role of design in maturing university-developed technology, Proceedings of the Design Society, 2, pp2343-2352, doi:10.1017/pds.2022.237
  • Thong, C., Tan, L., Kocsis, A., Mattila, P., Down, A., Mesa, D., Pye, A., Iverson, A., Lodewyckx, S., Boyle, T., Azzam-Mackay, C., Moore, M., Bigham, A., & Flourie, E. 2022. Activating innovation culture, in Proceedings of the dfgn.r conference 2022, pp48-49, https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/119185
  • Lodewyckx, S., Tan, L., Mattila, P., Beasy, K., Iverson, A., Mesa, D. 2022. Methods and practices for co-creating a hydrogen-economy future, in Proceedings of the dfgn.r conference 2022, Designing the Future, pp100-101
  • Kocsis, A., Thong, C., Mattila, P., Down, A., Pye, A., Mesa, D., , L. 2022. Innovation catalysts: Learnings from ten years of Design Factory Melbourne’s interdisciplinary practices, in Proceedings of the dfgn.r conference 2022, Designing the Future, pp108-109, https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/119185
  • Akama, Y., Anich, J., Avendano Franco, A., Choi, J. H., Fennessy, L., Foley, M., Heiss, L., Ivanka, T., Luke, E., Page, R., Rosenqvist, T., Sanin, J., Tan, L. 2022. Why are we here? A reflexive story of decolonising, in Proceedings of the Participatory Design Conference 2022,Vol. 1, pp26-35, doi:10.1145/3536169.3537777
  • Tan, L., Bessabava, R., Hebden, K., 2020. Making it work: Maker community and high school partnerships, in Proceedings of the Schools as Community Hubs Conference, pp154-63, doi:10.26188/13258109
  • Tan, L. 2020. The paradox of delivering professional design services: The plurality of value, in 2020: Tensions, Paradoxes, Plurality, pp355-68. Melbourne, Australia: Linköping University Electronic Press.
  • Tan, L. 2020. Service design for architecture design services, in 2020: Tensions, Paradoxes, Plurality, pp594-95. Melbourne, Australia: Linköping University Electronic Press.
  • Tan, L. 2020. Behaviours in design collaborations: Insights from a team learning perspective, in Proceedings of the Design Research Society 2020 Conference, Vol 3, pp1045-61, doi:10.21606/drs.2020.330
  • McGinley, T., Hoshi, K., Gruber, P., Haddy, S., Zavoleas, Y., Tan, L., Blaiklock, D. 2018. A Katana Design Experience, in Intersections in Simulation and Gaming, pp134-148. Springer, Cham doi:10.1007/978-3-319-78795-4_1
Conference proceedings (2)
  • Neuhofer, B., Zhang, Y., Tan, L. (Eds.). 2024. 7 Experience Summit 2024, Integrating Experiences: Working Together to Create Tomorrow, Experience Research Society.
  • Neuhofer, B., Goh, S., and Tan, L. (eds.). 2023. Transformational Experiences Beyond Borders: Partnership Development for Sustainable Futures, Auckland University of Technology. doi:10.24135/7es
Book chapters (7)
  • Tan, L. 2024. Designing my path through higher education, in K. Hammond & N. Lemon (eds.) Navigating Tensions and Transitions in Higher Education: Effective Skills for Maintaining Wellbeing and Self-care (pp. 141–156). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. doi:10.4324/9781032701349-15
  • Tan, L. 2021. Our cities are shaped by pandemics, Non Architecture, Borbala Papp (ed.) pp54-57
  • Chen, C., Sadar, J., Tan, L. Mycelium Structure Prototype #3, Future Prototyping 2020, Exhibition catalogue: Biological + Infinite, pp28-29
  • Tan, L. 2020. Ritual of forgetting: (Almost) impossible in today’s digital age, Dying – Cemeteries, Borbala Papp (ed.) pp57-60
  • Tan, L. 2020. Micro-Experiences of Architecture, What is Small-Scale Architecture? Emerging Ideas in Architecture & Design, Chapter 2, pp108-109
  • Tan, L. 2019. Creativity is the process, but ambiguity is the outcome you are after, Thinking – Alternative designs for Offices, Charlotte Sylviane (ed.), pp25-26
  • de Nardi, B., Davis, M., Tan, L., Maginness, M., Raisbeck, P., Hogg, P., Kennedy, L. 2016. Pilbara: Country, colony, and urbanism, in ARCH+223 Planetary Urbanism, pp52-56
Grants & Fundings
Impact & Engagement
University & Research services
  • Panel member, Swinburne Non-Traditional Research Output (NTRO) Committee (2025 — current)
    Swinburne University of Technology
  • Committee member, Swinburne Human Ethics Committee (2024 — current)
    Swinburne University of Technology
  • Committee member, Swinburne Artificial Intelligence Advisory (2023 — current)
    Swinburne University of Technology
  • Committee member (Training and Education lead), Swinburne Ally Network (2022 — current)
    Swinburne University of Technology
  • Organising committee, State of Australasian Cities 2021 PhD Symposium (2020 — 2021)
    Australasian Early Career Urban Research Network
  • Higher Degree Researchers Representative, Faculty Research Committee (2020 — 2021)
    Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology
  • Program and Student Forum Co-Chair, Service Design Conference 2020 (2019 — 2021)
    RMIT University
  • Organising Committee, Building Bridges Conference (2018)
    Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology
Awards
Teaching experience
  • 2024 Semester 2 Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2024 Semester 1 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Design-led Research, Convenor and Studio lead, Master of Design
    • Architectural Communications, Convenor, Bachelor of Design (Architecture)
    • Architectural Thesis, Supervisor, Master of Architecture
  • 2024 Semester 1 RMIT University
  • 2023 Semester 2 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Architectural Design Research Studio C, Convenor and Studio lead, Master of Architecture
    • Architectural Design Studio 1, Convenor and Studio lead, Bachelor of Design (Architecture)
    • Architectural Thesis, Supervisor, Master of Architecture
    • Design Thesis part 2, Supervisor, Master of Design
    • Architecture Entrepreneurship, Convenor, Bachelor of Design (Interior Architecture)
  • 2023 Semester 2 RMIT University
  • 2023 Semester 1 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Architectural Design Research Studio C, Convenor and Studio lead, Master of Architecture
    • Architectural Thesis, Supervisor, Master of Architecture
    • Architectural Communications, Convenor, Bachelor of Design (Architecture)
    • Design-led Research, , Convenor and Studio lead, Master of Design
    • Design Thesis part 1, Supervisor, Master of Design
    • Architecture Entrepreneurship, Convenor and tutor, Bachelor of Design (Interior Architecture)
  • 2022 Semester 2 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Architectural Design Research Studio C, Convenor and Studio lead, Master of Architecture
    • Design Thesis part 2, Supervisor, Master of Design
    • Architecture Entrepreneurship, Convenor and tutor, Bachelor of Design (Interior Architecture)
  • 2022 Semester 1 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Design Thesis part 1, Supervisor, Master of Design
    • Design-led research, Convenor and studio lead, Master of Design
    • Architecture Entrepreneurship, Convenor and tutor, Bachelor of Design (Interior Architecture)
    • Innovation Challenge Project, Convenor and tutor, Bachelor of Design
  • 2021 Semester 2 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Innovation Challenge Project, Convenor and tutor, Bachelor of Design
    • Professional Attributes for Design, Tutor, Bachelor of Interior Architecture
    • Digital Documentation 1, Tutor, Bachelor of Architecture and Interior Architecture
  • 2021 Semester 1 Swinburne University of Technology
    • CAD for Products and Interiors, Convenor and studio lead, Master of Design
  • 2021 Semester 1 University of Melbourne
    • Architecture Design Studio, Technical tutor, Master of Architecture
  • 2020 Semester 2 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Creative Entrepreneurship, Tutor, Master of Design
  • 2020 Semester 2 University of Melbourne
    • Architecture Design Studio, Technical tutor, Master of Architecture
  • 2020 Semester 1 Swinburne University of Technology
    • CAD for Products and Interiors, Convenor and studio lead, Master of Design
    • 3D Scanning and Printing, Convenor and studio lead, Master of Design
    • Professional Practice Management, Guest lecturer and tutor, Master of Architecture
  • 2020 Semester 1 University of Melbourne
    • Architecture Design Studio, Technical tutor, Master of Architecture
  • 2019 Semester 2 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Creative Entrepreneurship, Tutor, Master of Design
    • 3D Scanning and Printing, Convenor and studio lead, Master of Design
    • Professional Attributes for Design, Convenor, Bachelor of Interior Architecture
  • 2019 Semester 2 University of Melbourne
    • Architecture Design Studio, Technical tutor, Master of Architecture
  • 2019 Semester 1 Swinburne University of Technology
    • CAD for Products and Interiors, Convenor and studio lead, Master of Design
    • 3D Scanning and Printing, Convenor and studio lead, Master of Design
    • Digital Documentation 1, Tutor, Bachelor of Architecture and Interior Architecture
  • 2018 Semester 2 Swinburne University of Technology
    • Digital Documentation 1, Lecturer and tutor, Bachelor of Architecture and Interior Architecture
    • 3D Scanning and Printing, Convenor and studio lead, Master of Design
  • 2017 Semester 1 University of Melbourne
    • Architecture Design Studio, Studio lead, Master of Architecture
  • 2014 Semester 2 University of Melbourne
    • Design Workshop, Senior tutor and studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
    • Design Studio Earth, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
    • Visualising Environments, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
  • 2014 Semester 1 University of Melbourne
    • Digital Design & Fabrication, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
    • Visualising Environments, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
  • 2013 Semester 2 University of Melbourne
    • Architecture Design Studio, Studio lead, Master of Architecture
    • Design Workshop, Senior tutor and studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
    • Design Studio Earth, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
    • Visualising Environments, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
  • 2013 Semester 1 University of Melbourne
    • Visualising Environments, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
  • 2011 Semester 2 University of Melbourne
    • Visualising Environments, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
  • 2011 Semester 1 University of Melbourne
    • Visualising Environments, Studio lead, Bachelor of Environments
Associations and Memberships

Contact me

Feel free to contact me with any inquiries or collaboration opporutnities.