Talking Architecture & Design

Rob Kirkovski is the Managing Director & Principal Design Manager for The Rural Building Company, with a design history that spans close to 30 years, with a background in architecture, interior design and construction.  In this exclusive interview, Rob talks about  building styles, the industry, his recent HIA award win and the differences in building styles between his native Western Australi...

Lorena Gaxiola, an internationally acclaimed interior architect and designer renowned for her expertise in creating bespoke spaces that add value to any project.  With over two decades of experience, Lorena has worked across Europe, the US, Australia and China, making her well versed in global market trends.  Based in Sydney, Lorena leads a team of multi-faceted female creatives, dedicated to offe...

Darren Palmer began his career designing beautiful and personalised homes for discerning clients. Today, Darren Palmer has evolved into a prestigious brand that stands for inspirational design, timeless appeal and accessible luxury. As a designer, writer and speaker known for his stylish and classic interior designs, Darren  is an established and well-regarded member of the Australian design commu...

We talk to World famous Egyptologist Dr Mostafa Waziry on the upcoming Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs   exhibition that is coming to the Australian Museum in Sydney on November 18, featuring over 180 priceless artefacts, many never seen outside of Egypt. Dr Waziry talks about the uniqueness of Egyption building techniques, scientific advancements and why the fascination with Ancient Egypt a...

Virginia Wong See relaunched her practice as architecture@altitude in 2011 to focus on cool climate energy efficient building design and architect-designed kitchens from our new studio in Armidale in the New England Tablelands of NSW, 1000 metres above sea level. She talks about how her projects are very much client and site driven with a focus on sustainability through design principles and appro...

As the founder of the Design Partnership, Callie van der Merwe began his career as an architect in the early 1990’s before changing over to hospitality architecture in the early 2000’s. Since then, he has completed multiple award winning and successful hotel and hospitality interior spaces all over the world with a signature philosophical approach of design for predictive behaviour. In this interv...

In the wake of their recent architectural alliance in a bid to deliver a number of mixed-use projects throughout Australia, Farrells' Stanley Krummeck and CM+'s Dick Nugent sit down with Jarrod Reedie for Episode 170 of  Talking Architecture & Design . They talk backgrounds, expertise in various sectors and their plans for the future, namely the various metro systems in state capital...

Craig Baudin, is a highly credentialed and experienced contemporary architect and also a principal at Fender Katsalidis. Craig has had an active role in the development of some of Australia’s most significant city-shaping projects projects that revitalise entire neighbourhoods – breathing new life into a forgotten or under-utilised area through new mixed-use precincts. As the lead Australian Archi...

Karen Primmer grew up the daughter of an architect and fostered a passion for great spaces, effective design and construction.     Karen Primmer has over 20 years of experience as a senior leader in Corporate Real Estate, with a focus on property strategy and creating workspaces that improve individual performance and bring people together.  Karen’s extensive expertise and multi-faceted industry k...

Jules Di Bartolomeo is the Verosol (Australia) Managing Director, with an MBA from Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia who has built a solid reputation for company 'turnarounds’ and building sustainable businesses. Jules has 25+ years experience in profitably growing multisite, complex businesses across Australia, Asia and New Zealand and his experience spans both B2B and B2C...

Doug Southwell is an Architect and Director of Scott Carver who has witnessed the increasing demand for hospitality spaces and sensibility across multiple building typologies, including within the growth market of build to rent residential accommodation and commercial repositioning. Tina Fox is the head of Interior Design at Scott Carver with extensive experience in a variety of hospitality work c...

Professor Michael Stacey is an award-winning architect, who combines practice, teaching, research and writing, based in London at the Bartlett / UCL and Michael Stacey Architects. Professor Stacey is the author of a wide range of publications and books including Component Design, 2001, Digital Fabrication, 2004, Concrete: a studio design guide, 2011, Prototyping Architecture, 2013, Aluminium and D...

Burak Dincel left Turkey in 1979 with no English and no professional standing in the Australian market.   Over the next 20 years, the structural engineer developed a patented PVC wall building material.   His business, Dincel Construction ,  is based on an internationally patented, lightweight, hollow form, manufactured from a durable rigid polymer, which when filled with ready mixed concrete, pro...

Cosentino  Oceania Vice President Itay Shimony talks about how the Silicosis crisis in Australia is changing not just what materials we are using for our home builds and renovations, but also what laws will need to be put into place to ensure that home building industry workers are protected while also keeping the sector viable for future growth.

Stuart Braine is the National Specification Manager for Kingspan Insulation. He has over 20 years of experience in the building materials industry and Brent Livy is the National Residential Sales Manager for Kingspan Insulation. In this exclusive interview Stuart and Brent explain why insulation matters, what does the R-value imply and what does it mean for homeowners in practical terms, what are...

Emma Palmer and Gareth Davies star in Benefactors, an Olivier Award-winning architecture comedy set in the late 1960s, where they play Jane & David,  where he’s an idealistic architect and she’s an anthropologist who always stands with him.  Their neighbours Colin and Sheila are by comparison struggling. Colin’s glory days are over, while Sheila is subservient and unfocused. David feels his ne...

Professor Greg Clark is a UK based urban leadership and sustainable urban transition expert who is in Australia to present a free lecture at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning titled A National Urban Policy for Australia – what can we learn from global experience, is also a recognised authority on cities, urban leadership, and investment in sustainable urb...

Joe Agius has been a Director of COX since 2005.  He sets and guides design direction for many projects in the Sydney studio as Design Director.  Joe has experience across sectors, including public and cultural, education, research, hotels, sports, convention and exhibition as well as urban design and master planning. In this wide-ranging interview, Joe talks about redesigning parts of Taronga Zoo...

Hamid Samavi founded OROSI in 2010 as an architectural company. He soon however found his passion lay in the sustainable development of real estate. Today OROSI develops property in some of Sydney’s most prized suburbs in the Eastern Suburbs and Lower North Shore. Through an acute realisation that he can control the outcome of a project by managing all aspects of the development process OROSI has...

TAD speaks to UK Consul General Louise Cantillon and AAC CEO Kathlyn Loseby on the Mutual Recognition Agreement (UK MRA) and what will it mean for Australian Architects and their future career and professional  development and training prospects.

Hassell Principal Glenn Scott is an internationally recognised specialist in designing and planning city-defining public places like sports and entertainment centres. He’s worked on many major projects in Australia, Europe and Asia, including the development of ICC Sydney – the new convention, exhibition and entertainment venues in Sydney’s pivotal Darling Harbour precinct. He loves the spectacle...

Principal of Envirotecture, Dick Clarke has this year decided he will not function as the Sustainability Awards head Chair. With more than 35 years’ experience,  Clarke has focuses  on ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate buildings, as well as sustainable design in vehicles and vessels. As Director of Sustainability for Building Designers Australia (BDA) and a founding member of the...

Talking action on Climate Change, 2030 targets and how or if we are going to achieve our goals. It is now 2023 and there is a dawning sense of urgency to drastically cut emissions associated with our built environment. So can we tackle it strategically or is the recent Academy Awards “everything, everywhere, all at once”! We talk with Connie Hensler, Director of Environmental Management and Produc...

Matthias Sauerbruch studied in Berlin and in London and has worked at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in London as project manager for six years and partner for four years.  In 1989 he founded Sauerbruch Hutton together with Louisa Hutton and has been directing the office since then. Recently in Australia to visit the University of Melbourne and to deliver the Faculty of Architecture of B...

Tim Kneebone the National Hospitality Manager at SALTO Systems engages, educates and consults on next-generation access control solutions within the hospitality and accommodation sectors across Oceania. Norman Khan from Yarra Hotel Group. Norman is a hotel veteran for last 30 years, operating hotels in Australia and overseas. Currently a hotel consultant to help owners design the right product. Ti...