Helps students see their full potential.
Encourages students to think critically.
A true role model for academic success.
Encourages critical thinking and analysis.
Inspires growth and curiosity in every student.
Dr Boon Ong serves as Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Architecture and Interior Architecture in the School of Design and the Built Environment, Faculty of Humanities at Curtin University. His academic qualifications include a PhD from the University of Cambridge (1993-1996) in plants and place in architecture, a Master of Architecture from the University of Auckland (1977-1978), and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Auckland (1972-1976). Ong's career commenced with six years in Singapore's Public Works Department, where he earned his architectural practice certificate in 1985. In 1986, he joined the National University of Singapore, developing and directing the Master of Landscape Architecture program and later directing the MSc in Environmental Management. Between 2010 and 2014, he held a position at the University of Melbourne in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, with a focus on environmentally sustainable design. He joined Curtin University in 2014, assuming leadership of the Department of Architecture and Interior Architecture.
Ong's research interests center on architecture as an environment modifier, specializing in greenery, thermal aesthetics, and architectural education. He pioneered the Green Plot Ratio concept through his highly cited publication 'Green plot ratio: an ecological measure for architecture and urban planning' (Landscape and Urban Planning, 2003; 462 citations). Other significant works include 'Applying ecosystem concepts to the planning of industrial areas: a case study of Singapore’s Jurong Island' (Journal of Cleaner Production, 2004; 149 citations), 'Warming up to heat' (The Senses and Society, 2012), 'Seasonal and Diurnal Surface Temperatures of Urban Landscape Elements' (Sustainability, 2019), and 'Modified iButtons: A Low-Cost Instrument to Measure the Albedo of Landscape Elements' (Sustainability, 2019). Additional contributions encompass chapters such as 'Green Plot Ratio and MUtopia: The integration of green infrastructure into an ecological model for cities' (2017) and explorations of biophilia, topophilia, and environmental comfort. Ong has presented on the Green Plot Ratio and Urban Ecological Index at events like the WABSI and Curtin Urban Biodiversity Forum, influencing sustainable urban design and ecological planning in tropical and urban contexts.