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Support • Advocacy • Community
A network of regional practitioners supporting one another to collectively strengthen the practice of architecture, advocate for a better built environment and connect members to communities, industry and decision makers.
Everglades House & Gardens, Blue Mountains - Darug & Gandangara Land - Image: Deep Hill Media
As we get closer to the CONTEXT event in Canberra, ACT Government Architect Catherine Townsend will reflect on her experience in the role and her significant contribution to the built environment of Australia’s Capital.
We all know Canberra for its iconic buildings, however CONTEXT will look to reveal some largely unknown elements; it will bring to the fore its creative underbelly and unexpectedly vibrant art and design community that thrive beneath its formal surface.
2023 Paul Pholeros Foundation Architecture Scholars Isabella Reynolds and Michi Playford will present their research topics for this session.
The Paul Pholeros Foundation was established in 2018 to honour the life and work of Australian architect and humanitarian Paul Pholeros. We work to improve people's living environments through investment in skills and knowledge development.
This session will lead to an understanding of the concept of circularity in design and construction. Attendees will learn to identify and explain the three key principles of circularity, define a ‘Circularity Score’ and identify high performing products. An understanding of how to apply this knowledge to projects will also be gained.
This event will see creative directors Janne Ryan and Peter Salhani consider regional renewal through the lens of architecture and its role in galvanising our communities into the future.
Creative Directors Bobbie Bayley, Owen Kelly and Tonielle Dempers set out to provide an experience that examines the complexity of the arid and remote places of Central Australia.
Over three days in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and surrounds this gathering will invite delegates to gain a deeper understanding of local complexities.
Upcoming RAA Events
RAA Newscast
The NSW Reconstruction Authority has extended an invitation to RAA members to attend its ‘Business Beyond Disasters’ Information Sessions.
Bobbie Bayley, Owen Kelly and Tonielle Dempers are the creative directors for the RAA Mparntwe (Alice Springs) event 11-13 September 2025. They live and work in Mparntwe, where they are continuously shaped and reshaped by the unparalleled complexity and presence of Central Arrernte Country.
Starting at the National Gallery, Canberra based artist Ham Darroch will speak about his working relationship with Bridget Riley before taking delegates to view an installation of his own work. The tour will then wrap up at Ham's studio at the Gorman Arts Centre.
Contemporary jeweller Phoebe Porter will give an overview of her work and discuss her design process, followed by a tour of her studio in small groups. Participants will then be guided through the process of designing a bracelet to be made from sheet metal.
Rob Stefanic will discuss managing the structures and environments (including heritage) of the Parliament and similar institutions.
GET READY for CONTEXT in Canberra with Lymesmith’s highly regarded CPD course for Architects and Spatial Designers: FOUNDATIONS OF ARCHITECTURAL COLOUR DESIGN
Date: March 19, 2025
Time: 1pm to 5pm
Venue: Civic Hub Quarter, Northbourne Ave, Civic, ACT
CPD: 3 Formal CPD Points
Limited to 14 people
Canberra based Landscape Architect Dr Julian Raxworthy will introduce the location as a place and environment.
Architect Joanna Nelson will discuss finely crafted interventions across multiple locations through the lens of her projects.
Congratulations to the graduates! RAA is pleased to be backing the next generation; those who will join the movement towards a brighter, more sustainable future for built environments in the regions and their communities.
Recordings of all RAA's 2024 online events are now available on demand via humanitix. Free for members and $35 each for non members. Members can also access the recordings through the website as before.
Molonglo Director Nikos Kalogeropoulos will speak about directing growth at the periphery as part of CONTEXT in Canberra.
Australian architectural photographer Thurston Empson will talk about his sensitive and carefully curated approach to photography of the environment at CONTEXT in Canberra.
Byron Bay locals can now experience in-person, the award-winning design and high-performance qualities of Tait outdoor furniture at their new pop-up store in Banksia Drive.
Hal Guida of Guida Moseley Brown Architects and RAA president Tim Lee are the co-creative directors of CONTEXT. Hal’s focus will be the main seminar day on Friday 21st March, with Tim concentrating on the fringe and social events.
In broadening the Regional Architecture Association’s national network, we are looking to expand our horizons – engaging existing and new members in a wider program of events.
In delivering to both our members and our objectives – we are seeking expressions of attendance for an event to be held in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in September 2025.
RAA is very pleased to welcome Murobond as their newest Technical Member along with director Peter Tasker who looks after clients nationally. Murobond Superior Paints is an Australian family-owned company established in 1988 committed to producing Australia’s best paint in terms of superior quality, aesthetic appeal, technological expertise and environmental sensitivity.
At the recent AGM, RAA announced plans to continue its membership expansion across Australia along with welcoming three new committee members and thanking two retiring members for their significant contribution to the organisation.
For me, the main word I would use to describe the event was “refreshing”. It was a time to stop, remove my mind from checklists, controls, and to-do lists, and take stock of what we do as architects.
Having been the convener on more than one occasion I can assure you it’s not an easy task, so even before this wrap up wraps up, I extend a huge thanks to the creative director Louisa Gee and the Regional Architecture Association (RAA) Committee for facilitating a warm, seamless and informative gathering where we learned a lot about community through many people’s “story”.
AWS (Architectural Window Systems) is another Founding Technical Member of the RAA and have a presence at the majority of our in person events. Farzan Naghshineh is their Sydney based architectural specification expert, looking after NSW as a whole.
With a history set in stone, father and son team Michael and Luke Wyatt have joined forces to supply only the best stone to the South East of Queensland and the Northern Rivers of New South Wales from their base in Mullumbimby.
EvoHeat are a Founding Technical Member of the RAA. They service nationwide with Adam Bonney looking after Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.
For those of us who have the pleasure to live on Bundjalung land in far northern NSW, it is quite the trip to get to Mudgee on Wiradjuri Country. You start to wilt by about Armidale and feel decidedly weary by Tamworth when you realise that you are still three and a half hours away. But, gosh it was worth it.
Danpal is one of RAA’s newest technical members and Jeff Trevarthen is their Sydney based specifications consultant, looking after all of NSW and the ACT.
Take a moment to get to know Dan Corrigan, ARCPANEL’S newest account manager. Dan is based in Wollongong and looks after Southern NSW and the ACT.
Bark Architects founders Lindy Atkin and Stephen Guthrie hosted the inaugural Queensland event for the Regional Architecture Association, 'Light- the essence of architecture.'
Taking place in July 2023 in Noosa, ‘Light’ coincided with 25 years of their practice and was held on Gubbi Gubbi / Kabi Kabi Country at their adaptive reuse 'Art Room' project and Studio.
‘Light’ set out to inspire and explored the allure of creating lightness in architectural design, with eight practitioners sharing their personal perspectives, focussing on evocative space, lighter footprints on the land, and the agility of regional practice.
In the spirit of creating community through architecture, ‘Light’ also offered fringe activities like yoga, art, photography, music, and exploring Sunshine Coast houses.
On 17th November RAA president Tim Lee attended Fulcrum, the exhibition and celebration for the graduating masters students from the University of Newcastle’s Architecture Faculty. The beautifully restored and repurposed Central Hall made a perfect backdrop for the event.
BEGINNINGS was an exploration of First Nations culture and customs through a series of yarning circles and workshops, curated by Renee McGuinn and Wes Hindmarsh in association with Raymond Timbery, Uncle Steve and members of Gadhungal Marring, Dharrawal Traditional custodians.
Architects, landscape architects, interior designers, object, and furniture designers, all got together for two and a half days and learned the songs and stories of the first nations people, their culture, and the land we all live on. While the stories inspired each and everyone of us, it also sparked conversations among us and contemplation in our minds.
Over two and a half days, starting with art and photography workshops and a wonderful Welcome to Country, moving through sunrise yoga to ten varied and engaging speakers and ending with an expansive day of house tours – the RAA has well and truly made an impression on Queensland. And who could forget the food!
Technical Members
Our Technical Members are experts in their fields working alongside regional practice; they are key supporters of architecture in the regions. A directory of these members is available here.
Acknowledgement of Country
The Regional Architecture Association acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Understanding our ancient landscape as a fine grained regional tapestry informs the need for nuanced regional thinking for the future.
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RAA Founding Members
Sarah Aldridge - Space Studio • Cameron Anderson - Cameron Anderson Architects • Joshua Andren - Integrated Design Group • Lindy Atkin - Bark Design • John Baker - BKA Architecture • David Brown - Wentworth Brown • Nicholas Brown - Studio Two Architecture • Scott Carpenter - Create Architecture • Matthew Cooper - Aspect Architecture • James Davidson - JDA Co • Michael Davies - Michael Davies Architecture • John de Manincor - Possible Studio • Shane Denman - Shane Denman Architects • Brent Dunn - Takt | Studio for Architecture • Andrew Elia - Integrated Design Group • Jason Elsley - Derive Architecture and Design • Dominic Finlay-Jones - DFJ Architects • Philip Follent - Philip Follent Architects • Andrew Forsyth - Aphora • Oliver Gee - g2 Architects • Ann Gee - g2 Architects • Ray Gillis - Gillis Architects • Harley Graham - Harley Graham Architects • Stephen Guthrie - Bark Architects • Mahalath Halperin - Mahalath Halperin Architects + HELP • Tricia Helyar - Tricia Helyar Architect • Katharina Hendel - Takt | Studio for Architecture • Tammi Hill - 6 sides architecture • Wesley Hindmarch - LocalArchitect South Coast • Brad Hooper - Brad Hooper Architect • Chris Jenkins - Chris Jenkins Design • Stephen Johansson - Facility Design Group • Tim Lee - Tim Lee Architects • Alan Logan - Logan Architecture • Tony McBurney - Integrated Design Group • Carolyn McFarland - Austin McFarland Architects • Russell McFarland - Austin McFarland Architects • Renee McGuinn - MAAD Studio • Malcolm McNeil - McNeil Architects • Aaron Nicholls - Regional Design Service • Marcus Piper - Marcus Piper Studio • Alan Rudge - Alan Rudge Architects • Martin Schmidt - Raum Studio • Ian Sercombe - Ian Sercombe Architect • Lisa Strudwick - Zugai Strudwick Architects • Colin Strydom - Colin Strydom Design+Architecture • David Sutherland - Source Architects • Sally Sutherland - Source Architects • Noel Thomson - Noel Thomson Architecture • Simon Thorne - Integrated Design Group • Alejandro Urena Sandoval - Alex Urena Design Studio • Christian Webb - Facility Design Group • Rebecca Whan - Patternshop* • Andrew Wilson - Design Studio 22 • Adriaan Winton - IDA Design Group • Virginia Wong See - architecture @ altitude • Dominique Wong-See - Student Foundation Member • Melanie Zugai - Zugai Strudwick Architects