Reimagining shed architecture

Join us at Walsh Street for the panel discussion Reimaging Shed Architecture, followed by a viewing of KOYA: shed architecture. Moderated by Nancy Ji (University of Melbourne), this panel brings together Japanese architects Mio Tsuneyama (Studio mnm) and Fuminori Nousaku (Fuminori Nousaku Architects) with Australian architects Scott Eldridge and Jeremy Anderson of Eldridge Anderson to explore the humble shed – or koya – as an enduring and universal architectural typology. Drawing parallels between Japanese koya and the Australian beach shack typology, the panel will share how inspiration from the shed influences their own practice.

Mio Tsuneyama is an architect and educator whose work bridges European and Japanese contexts. After working at Bonhôte Zapata Architectes in Switzerland, she received the Swiss Federal Government Scholarship and graduated from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in 2008. She continued her career at HHF Architects until 2012 and founded  Studio mnm  upon returning to Japan. Tsuneyama has held teaching positions at Tokyo University of Science, EPFL, and Columbia University, contributing to architectural discourse across cultures. 

Mio’s collaborator and partner, Fuminori Nousaku, established his own architectural practice Fuminori Nousaku Architects in 2010 and serves as an associate professor at the Tokyo Institute of Science, where he also earned his PhD. He has held numerous academic roles in Japan and taught internationally at the Technical University of Munich and Columbia University. In 2024, Mio and Fuminori co-founded HOLES, a platform dedicated to ecological renovation and architectural theory. Their practice integrates lived experimentation with academic research, proposing architecture that engages the land as a living system – an urgent rethinking of design in the climate crisis era. 

Eldridge Anderson is an architecture practice located on the Surf Coast in Victoria. They focus on design. They build thoughtfully and with care. They work in the city, by the coast, and in rural locations. Each building speaks to the place it occupies, to the lives it shelters. They aim to bring together the place, the need, and the rituals of those who will live there. Each project is a conversation with the land. A conversation about light, about shadow, about the rhythm of the seasons. It is about the people who will experience the place, who will touch the walls, who will walk the floors. And in this quiet exchange, something enduring is made. Eldridge Anderson Architects was established in 2016 and is led by directors Scott Eldridge and Jeremy Anderson, with studio members Matt Hogan and Pascal Henle. Their work has been recognised in both local and international media, including prominent print and online publications. They have been awarded in the Australian Institute of Architects awards.

Nancy Ji is a Chinese-born designer, academic, and lecturer in Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne. She holds a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Auckland, a Master of Architecture from the University of Melbourne, and a PhD from Keio University in Japan. With experience living, studying, and working in Japan, Nancy’s research examines contemporary design practices in both urban and rural settings as a reflection of Japan’s post-growth condition. 

This talk is generously supported by Brickworks Building Products, Yumbo Soda and Konpira Maru Wines.

Reimagining shed architecture is a part of the exhibition KOYA: shed architecture. Curated by Nancy Ji, Mio Tsuneyama and Fuminori Nousaku, KOYA: shed architecture is a collaboration between Robin Boyd Foundation and the Melbourne School of Design.

Before your visit, please note:

– Attendees must be 16 years and over.
– No external food or drink is permitted.
– Large bags and backpacks will need to be checked in at entry.
– Stiletto or pointed heels are not permitted due to our cork flooring.
– Tickets are refundable up to 72 hours prior to the event.
– Tickets may be exchanged as long as the purchaser advises us of the new attendee’s name via email.

We offer discounted tickets to RBF Friends and Boyd Circle members – support the Foundation and join today.

Photo: Mio Tsuneyama.