Okay - I usually hate posting general questions, 'cause I know how annoying they can be. Still, I'm pretty foot-loose and fancy-free, so might as well broaden my potential field of employment.
I was initially looking at firms in Sydney (and have, now on my lap, a big wadge of firm print-outs that I'm searching through from the RAIA, before you call me lazy), but have heard that Melborne has a more active scene.
Looking for a small firm ideally, which has a lot of fun; in their work and in their office. Don't mind working long hours. (Yes, doesn't everyone.) Suggestions please, and any pertinent advice! I would be an intern; have just completed BA Architecture in the UK.
Dont know much about Sydney firms specifically, but Melbourne definitely has a stronger architecture culture and is responsible for the most forward thinking Australian work over the last decade or so. THere is a building boom in Melbourne, led my Melbourne City Council as they seek to basically double the size of the CBD on completely new land on the docks. You wont have trouble finding work.
Thats because you were in Brisbane - I would expect to have the same opinion if I had interned in San Diego or Sacramento (for example). Donovan Hill is pretty much the only practice there doing good work (okay, thats an overstatement), and both of the principles are getting Masters from RMIT! The situation in Sydney and particularly Melbourne is much,much better. Also, there is only one university offering architecture in all of Queensland - Melbourne has 3 strong schools and Sydney has at least 3.
Alot of countries have their strong architecture cities. Up until very recently, Brisane was not in any contention for claiming a strong architecture focus (and still isnt). It is a much smaller city and its climate enforces alot of design approaches.
You will hear alot of Melbourne v. Sydney arguments, and although I have an RMIT (Melbourne) degree, I am not Australian and would argue that Melbourne is far superior to study and practice (which is the prevailing national consensus anyway). It comes from
Also, not to be ignored, Melbourne has a very accessible urban geography (having 2 great schools located in the CBD, and most 'known' firms operating in the CBD or surrounding inner-urban suburbs), whereas Sydney is far more fragmented and consequently lacks Melbourne's cultural and geographic centredness.
the above informnation is useful, but in fact it leaves out two of the more important firms in melbourne - wood/marsh architects, and Lab architecture studio.
wood/marsh: www.woodmarsh.com.au
they have done several interesting residential projects, plus the ACCA, australian centre for contemporary arts.
Lab architecture studio: www.labarchitecture.com
they did the prize winning Federation Square project, probably the most important new civic and cultural project in australia in 20 years. they have an office in london and have prize-winning competition entries in germany, taiwan, china, etc. the most 'international' of all australian practices. the directors taught at the AA in london, more recently at Cooper Union, lecture extensively.
Australian firms.
Okay - I usually hate posting general questions, 'cause I know how annoying they can be. Still, I'm pretty foot-loose and fancy-free, so might as well broaden my potential field of employment.
I was initially looking at firms in Sydney (and have, now on my lap, a big wadge of firm print-outs that I'm searching through from the RAIA, before you call me lazy), but have heard that Melborne has a more active scene.
Looking for a small firm ideally, which has a lot of fun; in their work and in their office. Don't mind working long hours. (Yes, doesn't everyone.) Suggestions please, and any pertinent advice! I would be an intern; have just completed BA Architecture in the UK.
Thanking you!
-- Alan
Try...
Lacoste & Stevenson
www.lacoste-stevenson.com.au
Colins & Turner
www.collinsandturner.com
Terroir
www.terroir.com.au
..for starters. I used to work in Sydney - and prefer it to Melbourne as a place to live. But melbourne is the more (only slightly) active seen.
Thanks. Tempted myself to stay around Sydney, as I have family there that I could probably live with.
Lacoste and Stevenson look very fun! Colins and Turner, you may have noticed, use the same font as Norman Foster and Partners...
They used to work for foster!
Dont know much about Sydney firms specifically, but Melbourne definitely has a stronger architecture culture and is responsible for the most forward thinking Australian work over the last decade or so. THere is a building boom in Melbourne, led my Melbourne City Council as they seek to basically double the size of the CBD on completely new land on the docks. You wont have trouble finding work.
Big Firms
Daryl Jackson http://www.daryljackson.com.au/
DCM http://www.dcm-group.com/
Bates Smart http://www.batessmart.com.au/
Woods Bagot http://www.woodsbagot.com/
Fender Katsilidis http://www.fk-au.com/
Smaller ones
ARM http://www.a-r-m.com.au/
Elenberg-Fraser http://www.e-f.com.au/
BKK http://www.b-k-k.com.au/
NMBW http://www.nmbw.com.au/
Sean Godsell http://www.seangodsell.com/
John Wardle http://www.johnwardle.com/
Kerstin Thompson
minifie.nixon http://www.minifienixon.com/%7Eenglish/index.htm
Lyons http://www.lyonsarch.com.au/
Edmond & Corrigan http://www.architecture.com.au/i-cms?page=1.17.51.4308
And there are a hell of alot of other respectable forms to work for.
Patrick,
Thats because you were in Brisbane - I would expect to have the same opinion if I had interned in San Diego or Sacramento (for example). Donovan Hill is pretty much the only practice there doing good work (okay, thats an overstatement), and both of the principles are getting Masters from RMIT! The situation in Sydney and particularly Melbourne is much,much better. Also, there is only one university offering architecture in all of Queensland - Melbourne has 3 strong schools and Sydney has at least 3.
Alot of countries have their strong architecture cities. Up until very recently, Brisane was not in any contention for claiming a strong architecture focus (and still isnt). It is a much smaller city and its climate enforces alot of design approaches.
You will hear alot of Melbourne v. Sydney arguments, and although I have an RMIT (Melbourne) degree, I am not Australian and would argue that Melbourne is far superior to study and practice (which is the prevailing national consensus anyway). It comes from
Also, not to be ignored, Melbourne has a very accessible urban geography (having 2 great schools located in the CBD, and most 'known' firms operating in the CBD or surrounding inner-urban suburbs), whereas Sydney is far more fragmented and consequently lacks Melbourne's cultural and geographic centredness.
Thank you Diabase. Some very nice firms, and some very interesting commentary.
the above informnation is useful, but in fact it leaves out two of the more important firms in melbourne - wood/marsh architects, and Lab architecture studio.
wood/marsh: www.woodmarsh.com.au
they have done several interesting residential projects, plus the ACCA, australian centre for contemporary arts.
Lab architecture studio: www.labarchitecture.com
they did the prize winning Federation Square project, probably the most important new civic and cultural project in australia in 20 years. they have an office in london and have prize-winning competition entries in germany, taiwan, china, etc. the most 'international' of all australian practices. the directors taught at the AA in london, more recently at Cooper Union, lecture extensively.
Yeah, good call dlb.
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