Nic Monisse Nic is a practicing landscape architect and urban designer, who also works as a stand-up comedian. Nic combines his love of these two fields through media and publications work that includes writing and creating audio and visual content about the places we live, work, and play. Affairs: Introduction and profile Business: Professional experience Culture: presenting, producing, writing Design: urban designer, landscape architect Entertainment: stand-up comedian and urban design show
Presenting and hosting page 4 and 5
Resume
pages 2 and 3
Stand-up and urban design shows page 7
Directing and editing page 5
OCTOBER 2018
A MONOCLE SPECIAL EDITION WITH
ISSUE 01.
INTRODUCTION / PROFILE
Resume Current Location Perth, Australia Present - October 2018
Future Location London, United Kingdom November 2018 - onwards
Study 1
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture University of Western Australia and Iowa State University Completed: November 2013
Professional Experience Urban Designer at City of Perth August 2016 - Present Landscape Architect at Plan E September 2013 - August 2016 2
(1) Perth, Western Australia (2) Graduation from UWA (3) Perspective (4) College of Design Iowa State University
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Further Experience + Study
Referees
City of Vincent Film Project Winner Skater’s City February 2017
Amanda Mannolini City of Perth Lead City Designer +61 8 9461 3166 amanda.mannolini@cityofperth.wa.gov.au
Perth Comedy Festival Winner Vulture Culture Next Gen Comedian April 2017
Georgia Lawrence City of Vincent Designer / Place Manager +61 8 9273 6513 georgia.lawrence@cityofvincent.wa.gov.au
Pelican Magazine Arts Writer and Contributor December 2015 - December 2016 National Institute of Dramatic Art TV Presenting Essentials (Short Course) September 2017 Adelaide College of the Arts Freelance Journalism Course February 2014 - May 2014 Tactical Urbanism Guide Volume 4 Writer and contributor August 2014 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects First Year Excellence Award November 2011
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I’m currently based in Perth, and am moving to London in November 2018 on an Ancestry Visa with permission to work in the UK. (5) Visit to London 2016 (6) Winner at Perth Comedy Fesitval (7) Prior to graduation from UWA in 2013
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CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT
Media and presenting 1
Media and presenting philosophy
Podcasts
Merging urban design with performance and audio and visual content
Writing and producing in the style of Monocle 24’s The Urbanist Tall Stories
I enjoy telling the stories of people and their connection to the urban environment; documenting my interest in the places we live, work, and play. To do this, I record video and audio, using a range of cameras and microphones, and then edit and produce using Adobe’s Premiere (for film) and Audition (audio).
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I’ve written, recorded, and produced a monologue on Bangkok’s klongs, as part of this application. I researched and wrote it following a trip to the Thai capital, where I performed at the Bangkok Comedy Club. Additional reports and interviews are also in the pipeline. These too will that put a spot-light on our cities and their public places, looking at what makes them work well and how people and our community might benefit from them. Through personal experience and discussions with influential designers and city leaders, I hope to uncover hidden stories about the places we live, work, and play, looking at how we shape them and how they might shape us. (1) Hosting Institute of Landscape Architects Awards (2) Editing in Adobe Premiere and Audition (3) A klong (4) MC at GrowthCon (5) Interviewing Prof. Lisa Wood for Skater’s City (6) Skater’s City premiere (7) Open House X Jane’s Walk
Hosting and MC work Using stand-up skills to present urban design events I regularly host landscape architecture, urbanism, and business events. I combine my presentation and moderating skills, with my industry knowledge of urban design and public practice. This creates events that are embedded with positive and informative humour, keeping engagement levels up.
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Skater’s City Filmed, edited, and produced a short documentary on skating in public places Skater’s City is a short film that looks at skateboarder’s relationship with public places. I connected with policy-makers, politicians, lawyers, and academics and unpacked their support for skateboarding in public spaces.
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The film was a winner in the City of Vincent Film Project and was shown at events in the local community. It contributed to cultural change, encouraging people see skateboarder’s as welcome custodians of our city streets.
Open House X Jane’s Walk Presenting at event celebrating design and community
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Open House is an event that celebrates great local architecture and design. In 2018, it partnered with Jane’s Walk, a citizen-led walking conversation – inspired by Jane Jacobs – that encourages people to see their city differently. As part of this, I presented my findings from Skater’s City, showing how architecture and public places are used for skateboarding in Perth.
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CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT
Writing 1
I’ve written for publications that range from student magazines to business guides. They’ve all offered me an opportunity to share my experiences and knowledge and (hopefully) influence cultural change.
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(1) Tactical Urbanism 4 (2) Outdoor Dining Guidelines (3) Perth outdoor dining (4) Pelican (5) Urban Jungle poster (6) Performing comedy (6) Interviewing Peter Albert former Director at San Fran. MTA, as part of Stand-Up and the City
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Outdoor Dining Guidelines
Tactical Urbanism Guide Vol. 4
Researching and writing guidelines for businesses to design and manage high-quality outdoor dining areas
Writer for urbanism e-book as part of an international design series
I was the lead writer and worked in the design advisory team that recently delivered new Outdoor Dining Guidelines for businesses within the City of Perth. The guidelines are intended to be used by business owners and restaurant managers, and will help them to create inviting outdoor dining areas, attracting patrons and adding to the quality of the City’s public realm. To produce the document, we looked at urban design principles and how they can create an environment that’s good for business. We undertook research into global best-practice for outdoor dining, engaging in discussions with key stakeholders from state government and public practice. 06
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As a writer for Tactical Urbanism, I carried out comprehensive research into interventions throughout Australia and New Zealand. This involved conversations and interviews with industry professionals and collaborating remotely with teams in Melbourne and New York.
Pelican Magazine Culture contributor that covered arts, music, and performance in Perth I wrote album, theatre, opera, and ballet reviews and conducted interviews with performers for the print magazine and website. Pelican is the oldest student publication at the University of Western Australia.
ENTERTAINMENT
Comedy My stand-up material is funny, positive, and value-imbued. I’ve been fortunate to win awards for my shows, including Vulture Culture’s Perth Comedy Festival Next Gen Comedian (2017).
Urban Jungle Combining urban design with multi-media performance and stand up comedy Urban Jungle combines stand-up with the urban environment. It’s a comedy safari that explores how we’re connected to each other through architecture, landscape, and urban design. 5
With a World Premiere at Fringe World Perth in 2019, it will be a whistle-stop tour of my favourite cities, from my isolated hometown of Perth, to the bustling streets of Bangkok.
Stand-Up and The City Writing, directing, and editing short films that merge stand-up comedy with city landscapes
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Each episode is a mini-documentary that’s composed of three parts. One: visiting a city’s most iconic urban landscape. Two: understanding what makes this iconic landscape work, by interviewing design and thought leaders. Three: performing a stand-up comedy set in that city, that uncovers the hidden beauty or stories behind the landscape. Two episodes have been filmed so far and are currently in production, one focusing on San Francisco’s trams and the other on Bangkok’s klongs.
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BUSINESS / DESIGN
Urban Design Working as a landscape architect with the City of Perth and Plan E has allowed me to work on some exciting projects in Australia’s fastest growing city. I’ve been privileged to meet some exceptional designers, politicians, and business people through this work.
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This has given me insight into how people use spaces and what makes a city tick, and has helped me to develop documentation, administrative, graphics and presentation skills.
Pedestrian Wayfinding Network Developing a network to move around the city As lead designer for the City of Perth’s Pedestrian Wayfinding Network I analysed how people navigate the city, connecting destinations and pedestrian volumes, and complementing this with signage. It’s hoped that this will improve legibility and navigation for visitors to the city’s neighbourhoods, supporting businesses and visitation, and building community awareness and pride. EXISTING GYMNASIUM
McLean Lane Upgrade
1:4 UP
Bringing Perth’s forgotten places to life 2
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EXISTING ARTS & DRAMA
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Wellington Gardens
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Designing a pocket park in the heart of Perth
1:3 UP 1:3 UP
EXISTING CAR PARK
ENTRY
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EXISTING CAR PARK
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A revitalisation as part of the City’s Laneways Initiative. The work built upon the laneway’s unique character, through the introduction of fun, engaging and unique elements not normally seen on wider city streets.
NIC MONISSE
MONOCLE STOCKDALE CRESCENT
The park provides a space for residents, office-workers, and visitors within the urban core to relax and connect.
Perth Airport, Terminal 1 Designing the entry to the state The gateway to Western Australia, the design reflects WA’s physical and cultural landscape, through material and plant selection. It addresses the functional requirements of the site through formal and informal gathering nodes. I worked on the concept and documentation, site analysis, site modelling, and overall graphic representations. (1) On site (2) Pedestrian wayfinding signs (3) Site levels analysis (4) McLean Lane at night (5) Wellington Gardens lawn (6) Perth Airport - Terminal 1 gardens (6) Masterplan of Perth Airport
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Presenting at Open House X Jane’s Walk page 5
London, 2018 page 2
Stand-up comedy page 7
Filming Skater’s City page 5
Landscape architecture and urban design pages 8 and 9