Kavita Gonsalves

Dr Kavita Gonsalves is an architect, researcher and strategist with over 15 years of experience shaping sustainable futures at the intersection of people and place. Her diverse portfolio spans sustainable design, workplace and urban design, design research, graphic design, and design strategy, with projects across residential, retail, workplace, hospitality, non-profit, and innovation hub sectors. She has extensive expertise in sustainable system processes, sustainability audits, and green building rating systems, as well as education and advocacy in sustainable architecture.

Kavita brings a research-to-design approach that integrates environmental responsibility with creativity, addressing social, economic and ecological dimensions of design. Her PhD research, titled “Radical Placemaking,” explored the use of emerging technologies as tools for communities experiencing marginalization to engage in creative placemaking in Brisbane towards social sustainability goals of community connection and resiliency.

At Populous, Kavita provides sustainability leadership for venue and precinct redevelopments across the Asia Pacific region, ensuring that environmental goals are embedded from concept through delivery. She leads 20-person team that ensures transformative design, engages in academic-industry collaborations (Circular Economy-Building 4.0 CRC, “Climate Action in Architecture” research, Climate Forum 2024, RAIA Living Design Series, Product Aware National Symposium- QLD), and develops university engagements such as the QUT-Populous Circulate Studio 2024. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) QLD Chapter Climate Action and Sustainability Committee, RAIA QLD Chapter Councillor for the term of 2025-27 and RAIA National Architecture Awards 2025 juror.