Guillermo Aranda-Mena

Guillermo is an Associate Professor in Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University and currently a Visiting Professor at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland.

Research overview
Guilermo operates under the principle of research-driven design where practice informs research and research informs practice. His teaching is informed by both industry and research knowledge and experiences. He has participated as an external advisor on small, medium and large-scale planning, design and construction projects. At a higher level, he has conducted government and industry sponsored research on areas of Architecture and Planning, Sustainability, Construction and Building Information Modelling (BIM) – including the Australian National Guidelines for Digital Modelling.

He holds a Masters of Science in European Construction Engineering from Loughborough University and a PhD in Construction Management from The University of Reading, both in the United Kingdom (1996–2003). His undergraduate studies in Architecture were carried out in Mexico and Spain (1992–1996). More recently, he completed a professional certificate in Virtual Design and Construction at Stanford University, California, Centre for Integrated Facility working under the supervision of Professor Martin Fischer (2008–2010).

Internationally Guillermo has continued an active design and research agenda with Stanford University, California; TU Delft, Holland; National University of Singapore; and currently working with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland and the Politecnico di Milano, Italy (2012–2013).

Specialties:
- Architecture and Planning
- Design
- Management

Methods:
- Briefing Workshops
- Value Management
- Participatory Design

Tools:
- Architecture: BIM (Building Information Modelling)
- Design/Construction Process: VDC (Virtual Design and Construction)
- Planning: GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

Accomplishments:
- 2013 Awarded Senior Research Fellowship at the Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy.
- 2012–2013 Awarded Visiting Professorship at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland.
- 2012 Awarded Australian Citizenship. Scored 100% at the official test.
- 2010 Awarded Australian Permanent Residency under the Distinguished Talent category (29 April 2010).
- 2010 Awarded Golden Key Honorary Membership by Professor Margaret Gardner, Vice-Chancellor of RMIT.
- 2008 Awarded Scholarship to Stanford University (awarded by the ‘Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation’) to undertake the Certificate Program in “Virtual Design and Construction” under the supervision of Professor Martin Fischer (2008–2010).
- 2007 Awarded RMIT Emerging Researcher Grant by RMIT University.
- 2006 Appointed Conjoint Academicto the School of Architecture, University of Newcastle, Australia.
- 2006 Awarded ‘Sigma Lambda Chi Society’Honorary Membership. Awarded by SLCS Melbourne Chapter.
- 1997 Awarded ‘PhD Endowment Trust Fund’from The University of Reading, United Kingdom.

Undergraduate:
- BUIL1154 Advanced Construction – Strategic Planning, Design and Management
- BUIL1215 Research Project – Sustainable Architecture Studio
- BUIL1256 Construction Planning and Design – Building Information Modelling Studio Post Graduate
- BUIL1005 Building Systems – Sustainable Architecture & Building Studio
- PHIL1008 Research Project – Sustainable Architecture Studio Singapore
- BUIL1213: Advanced Construction – Strategic Planning, Design and Management
- BUIL1222: Research Project – Sustainable Architecture Studio

2003–2009 Applied Research Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation including: Development of the Australian National Guidelines for Digital Modelling.