Dr. Mengbi Li | Architecture | Best Researcher Award

Senior Lecturer at Victoria University, Australia.

Dr. Mengbi Li 🏛️ is a Senior Lecturer in Built Environment at Victoria University, Australia 🇦🇺, and serves as a Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities 🌆. She also co-chairs the Architectural Design (Building Design) program 🏗️. Holding a Ph.D. in Built Environment (Architecture) from the University of New South Wales 🎓, Dr. Li specializes in vernacular architecture, cultural symbolism, and urban heritage across Chinese and Middle Eastern contexts 🌏. A prolific scholar with 28+ refereed publications 📚, she blends biophilic design 🌿 with historical insight to address modern challenges in architecture and urban planning 🧱.

Professional Profile:

ORCID

Suitability for Best Researcher Award – Dr. Mengbi Li

Dr. Mengbi Li is an outstanding candidate for the Best Researcher Award, given her sustained, high-quality contributions to the fields of architecture, urban heritage, and cultural sustainability. With a strong academic foundation and a rapidly growing publication record in top-tier journals, she demonstrates deep scholarly rigor and originality. Her interdisciplinary approach, blending biophilic design, vernacular traditions, and socio-cultural analysis, positions her as a leading voice in heritage architecture and sustainable urbanism.

🔹 Education & Experience

🎓 Education:

• Ph.D. in Built Environment (Architecture), University of New South Wales, 2018 🇦🇺

• Master’s & Bachelor’s degrees in Architecture (institutions not listed)

💼 Experience:

• Senior Lecturer, Built Environment, Victoria University 🏛️

• Research Fellow, Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities 🌇

• Course Co-Chair, Architectural Design (Building Design), Victoria University 🏗️

🔹 Professional Development

Dr. Li continually engages in international academic dialogues and interdisciplinary collaborations 🌍🤝. Her work is published in high-impact, Q1-ranked journals and she contributes regularly to edited volumes and conferences 📘🎤. As a course co-chair, she is actively involved in curriculum design and academic leadership 🧑‍🏫📚. Dr. Li also mentors emerging researchers and participates in editorial and peer-review activities for renowned journals 📝🔍. With ongoing book projects under Taylor & Francis 📖, she is establishing herself as a thought leader in heritage architecture, sustainability, and spatial-cultural research, advancing both theoretical and practical dimensions of the built environment 🌿🏘️.

🔹 Research Focus

Dr. Li’s research centers on the socio-cultural and historical dimensions of architecture and urban design 🏛️📜. Her expertise spans vernacular Chinese architecture, Middle Eastern gated communities, and symbolic landscape design 🕌🌳. She explores how biophilic design 🌿, spatial governance 🧱, and traditional construction codes can inform sustainable urban futures 🏙️. Her work frequently investigates sacred spaces, communal identity, and architectural ethics across cultures 🌐🧭. By bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary needs, Dr. Li contributes richly to architectural theory, urban history, and cultural sustainability—fostering human-centered, place-based design practices rooted in tradition and community 🌺👣.

🔹 Awards & Honors

🏅 Recognized contributor to Q1-ranked, A&HCI/SSCI/SCIE-indexed journals 📝
📘 Book contracts with Taylor & Francis – prestigious academic publisher
🌟 Authored over 28 high-quality journal articles in leading international platforms
🎖️ Invited speaker and peer reviewer for conferences and journals in architecture and urban design
📚 Publications cited in academic and policy research worldwide

Publication Top notes

📘 1. A Narrative Review of Gated Communities and the Transformative Social Impact in Middle Eastern Cities

• Authors: Ahmed Hammad, Mengbi Li, Zora Vrcelj

• Journal: Urban, Planning and Transport Research

• Date: December 31, 2025

• DOI: 10.1080/21650020.2025.2489464

• Summary:
  📖 This paper reviews the emergence and evolution of gated communities in the Middle East, analyzing their profound impacts on urban life, social dynamics, and spatial segregation in contemporary cities.

🌱 2. Sustainable Development and Environmental Governance for Urban Vending Zones: A Case Study in the Waliu Community, China

• Authors: Yue Zhai, Pengfei Ma, Mengbi Li

• Journal: Sustainability

• Date: April 29, 2025

• DOI: 10.3390/su17094002

• Summary:
  🏙️ The study explores sustainable governance frameworks for urban vending zones, using the Waliu community in China as a case to highlight inclusive policy, spatial planning, and environmental impact.

🏘️ 3. Reinterpreting Privacy and Community: Social and Spatial Transformations from Traditional Arabian Neighbourhoods to Contemporary Gated Communities

• Authors: Ahmed Hammad, Mengbi Li, Zora Vrcelj

• Journal: Buildings

• Date: March 29, 2025

• DOI: 10.3390/buildings15071111

• Summary:
  🕌 This article examines the shift in spatial and social dynamics from traditional Arabian housing models to modern gated communities, focusing on evolving concepts of privacy and communal living.

🗺️ 4. Space Syntax Analysis of Gated Communities in Jordan: Examining Urban Connectivity and Social Impact

• Authors: Ahmed Hammad, Mengbi Li, Zora Vrcelj

• Journal: Sustainability

• Date: January 14, 2025

• DOI: 10.3390/su17020599

• Summary:
  🔍 This research utilizes space syntax methodology to assess how gated communities in Jordan affect urban connectivity, access, and social cohesion in surrounding neighborhoods.

🌍 5. The Infectious Divide: A Comparative Study of the Social Impact of Gated Communities on the Surrounding in the Middle East

• Authors: Ahmed Hammad, Mengbi Li, Zora Vrcelj

• Journal: Journal of Housing and the Built Environment

• Date: September 2024

• DOI: 10.1007/s10901-024-10131-8

• Summary:
  ⚖️ This comparative study investigates how gated communities in the Middle East reshape the urban fabric and social interactions, often creating divisions between residents and the broader city.

Conclusion

With a unique research niche, consistent scholarly productivity, and global academic impact, Dr. Mengbi Li exemplifies the qualities of a top-tier researcher. Her interdisciplinary insights and dedication to architectural heritage and sustainability make her highly deserving of the Best Researcher Award.