Gunawan Tjahjono is also a member of the editorial board of Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review and Journal of Southeast Asian Architecture. He was a member of the Holcim Awards jury for region Asia Pacific in 2008 and 2011.

His research interests focus on urban planning, architectural heritage and teaching methods for architecture. Gunawan Tjahjono studied architecture at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta and the University of California at Los Angeles. He completed his PhD at the University of California at Berkeley in 1989 examining the social and cultural factors in architecture.

He has served as a jury member of many architectural competitions in Indonesia including the Jakarta Design Center façade (2006), Lonsum 100 Year Commemoration Monument (2006) and Makassar Airport (2005). Gunawan Tjahjono has held many academic positions in architecture at the University of Indonesia and the University of Tarumanagara, both located in Jakarta.

He was a member of the winning team of the Innovative Design category for the Aceh Tsunami Museum competition (2007); and winner of design competitions for the Pasturan Gereja Thresia extension (2004) and Lippo Bank office building (1991).

His recent works include the master plan of Taman Nusa Cultural Center, Bali; new master plan of University of Indonesia Depok Campus and Salemba Campus; and the master plan of Universitas Negeri Menado, Tondano, Menado, North Sulawesi.

Gunawan Tjahjono has published articles in Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review, Environment by Design, Indonesian Journal of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Journal of Southeast Asian Architecture, Journal of Architecture Education, and many Indonesian publications. He has presented conference papers in Edinburgh, Vancouver, Shanghai, and throughout Indonesia.