Dan Luo

Dr. Dan Luo is a Senior Lecturer in Architectural Design (Foundation Skills) at the School of Architecture, Design and Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, University of Queensland. She earned a PhD in Architecture from Tsinghua University in 2019, a Master of Architecture from Columbia University in 2014, an MSc in Computer and Information Technology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2023, and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Hong Kong. A designer and architectural researcher with a strong foundation in computer science, her scholarship focuses on digital design and robotic construction. After professional practice at the pioneering firm UNStudio, she has integrated advanced fabrication technologies with design-build workflows to envision automated construction futures. Her robotic systems have been deployed on active building sites. From 2014 to 2019, she served as Director of International Collaboration for the China Building Centre, curating international design competitions and educational programs for universities, developers, and government agencies. She is a key researcher in the ARC Research Hub to Advance Timber for Australia's Future Built Environment, Blue Economy CRC, Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre, and Transport Academic Partnership Project, leading projects with public agencies and academic partners across international networks.

Dr. Luo's research encompasses artificial intelligence and material computation for smart material systems with AI and computer vision, robotic fabrication for mass customization and adaptive construction, and urban data analysis for urban development strategies. Her projects have been exhibited at the Milan Triennial, Architecture Center New York, and China Millennium Monument. She has organized workshops such as the 2020 CAADRIA pre-conference workshop on machine vision and smart material processing. With 49 works published between 2017 and 2026, notable publications include the journal article 'Integrating computational fluid dynamics and topological optimization for generative design of artificial reefs' (Architectural Intelligence, 2026), 'Generative optimization of building blocks for density, solar and structural performance' (Journal of Building Engineering, 2025), book chapter 'Design and fabrication of floating artificial reefs: enhancing biodiversity and food production' (Springer, 2025), and 'From factory to site—designing for industrial robots used in on-site construction' (Springer, 2021). She serves as principal supervisor for three current PhD projects, including 'Advancing Participatory Urban Design through AI and Crowdsourcing,' associate supervisor for four, and completed supervision of one PhD in 2026 on novel adaptive and sustainable FRP fabrication systems.

Professional Email: d.luo@uq.edu.au