Evelyn Reynolds

In August, an emerging generation of Australian architects and practitioners will present at the Sydney edition of The Architecture Symposium, sharing their ideas on what the future of architectural practice looks like and how they’re working to shape this through their process and projects. The full-day symposium will feature nine presenters and three paired conversations on what’s next for practice. Read up on the conversation topics below:
The future of practice
“There’s a shift taking place in architecture. The next generation is quietly forging its own path, remaking practice in a way that is relevant to today and points toward the future,” writes associate professor of architecture at University of Melbourne Rory Hyde (Architecture Australia Jan/Feb 2024). Hyde will be joined by Grace Mortlock of Other Architects in a conversation on how this “next gen” are united by “a distinct spirit and attiude,” looking closely into the emerging approaches that are guiding the future of the profession.
Shifting traditional practice from within
Traditional models of practice are often tied to long-established, large architectural businesses. Yet, these practices have the capacity to create diverse opportunities for both the business and its employees. A conversation between Ksenia Totoeva of Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects and Christina Cho of Cox Architecture will delve into the shifts happening within larger practices to evolve the architectural profession and its outputs.
Fees and procurement
Director of Lahznimmo Architects Andrew Nimmo will pick up the conversation on fees and procurement from a previous generational exchange between himself, Monique Woodward of Wowowa and Jon Clements of Jackson Clements Burrows for Architecture Australia Jan/Feb 2024. This time around, Nimmo will discuss current-day complexities of project procurement with Isabelle Toland of Aileen Sage Architects.
The full-day symposium will be held on 1 August, followed by the 2025 Houses Awards on the evening of the same day. Tickets to the symposium and the 2025 Houses Awards are now available. Architects are eligible to earn up to 4.5 formal CPD points, while Design Institute of Australia members can earn 6 DIA CPD points by attending The Architecture Symposium: What’s Next for Practice?
The Architecture Symposium is a Design Speaks program organised by Architecture Media, supported by premium partners Planned Cover and Bondor, and hotel partner Ovolo. More

The New South Wales government is today launching the state’s housing pattern book of low-rise designs, alongside an accelerated planning pathway intended to speed up the delivery of pattern-book homes.
Following the launch of an international pattern book design competition in 2024, the Government Architect NSW (GANSW) has endorsed eight terrace, townhouse and manorhouse designs pitched at families, young people and downsizers.
The eight low-rise patterns are intended to be affordable, easy to build, sustainable, and adaptable for different family sizes and needs through a variety of room formations and layouts.

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Of the eight low-rise patterns, two of the designs have been designed by the winning teams of the competition’s terrace category: Other Architects and NMBW Architecture Studio, from the collaborative NSW-Victoria team “Housing is a Verb;” and Officer Woods Architects from Western Australia. The remaining two terrace designs have been designed by Sydney-based architects Carter Williamson and Sam Crawford Architects, who were appointed by the state government.

The remaining four low-rise designs have also been created by locally commissioned architects. For the semi typology, these architects include Anthony Gill Architects and Sibling Architecture; for the row home typology, Saha; and for the manor home typology, Studio Johnston.

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Government Architect NSW Abbie Galvin said she was excited to be able to share these patterns for use by the development industry, architects, planners, councils and communities.
“The pattern book offers practical and sustainable designs that can be adapted to suit many neighbourhoods, positively contributing to the character of a street,” Galvin said.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully added, “Much of Sydney was built on pattern books. They look great, they’re simple and cost-effective. […] These designs offer choice, with less complexity, making it easier to build homes in NSW.”

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A communique from the state government notes that the pattern book will be advertised to potential homebuyers and builders through a campaign that highlights the benefits of using a pattern-book design.
For the first six months, the patterns will be available to purchase at a subsidised cost of $1 a design. Following this period, the designs will be priced at $1,000 each – a price point the government describes as “a significant discount on the professional fees that potential builders or homeowners would usually pay for a custom architecturally designed home, [which] could be estimated to cost over $20,000.”
Every purchase of a design will be accompanied by a landscape pattern, intended to assist homeowners in designing a garden “that maximises biodiversity and suits the climate they’re living in,” the government’s release notes.

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In combination with the pattern book, a new fast-track approval pathway for the housing patterns has been developed by the government with the aim of cutting major costs and delays.
“We’re accelerating these designs so those wishing to build can get moving,” Scully said.
According to the government’s release, the adoption of pattern book designs is additionally enabled by low- and mid-rise housing reforms across the state, which provide opportunities for the construction of terrace, townhouse and manorhouse designs near transport hubs and town centres.

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NSW Premier Chris Minns sees the launch of the pattern book as a welcome step toward improving access to the housing market, long hindered by rising costs and complex systems.
“This is a practical step to make the housing system fairer – and make sure NSW remains a place where the next generation can afford to live and thrive,” Minns said.
The government notes that, together, the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy and the NSW Housing Pattern Book are designed to bring fairness to the housing system “by increasing housing supply, giving people more choice in wherethey want to live and supporting communities that have been locked out of housing for too long, held back by rising costs and a planning system that made it too hard to build homes.”

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The state government notes that the release of mid-rise patterns can be expected later this year.
The NSW Housing Pattern Book and process for fast-tracked planning approval are available online. More

A new exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) in Canberra titled The Whole is Greater than the Sum of Her Parts invites visitors to touch, play with, and even inhabit the art – offering an interactive experience designed for all ages and challenging traditional museum etiquette.
The exhibition has been created by artist and Sydney College of the Arts senior lecturer Dr Sanné Mestrom and runs alongside the Cézanne to Giacometti exhibition. The installation responds to works by modernist masters including Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Klee, and Giacometti through touchable sculptures, drawing systems and immersive spaces. It invites audiences to rethink the way we engage with art and challenges how women are represented in the modernist canon.

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Designed for playful learning, the exhibition features 3D construction activities, bronze reliefs and tactile forms that encourage co-creation across generations.
“This is real art that both children and adults can engage with,” Dr Mestrom said. “I tested many of these ideas in my son’s school art class. The kids showed me how they learn – through movement, touch, and curiosity. Their feedback shaped the final exhibition.”
“The most striking response has been watching children naturally understand the cubist concept of multiple perspectives through play. Children intuitively grasp that the same object can look completely different from various viewpoints – they experience this daily through their embodied movement through space and daily life. Adults, however, often need to unlearn fixed perceptual habits.”

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The project is the result of Mestrom’s four-year DECRA research grant and is an example of how arts research can generate real-world impact. Her broader work on play and public space has influenced urban design policy and attracted $1.7 million in research funding.
The exhibition also contributes to the NGA’s Know My Name initiative, aiming to elevate women artists in Australian collections.
“This work emerged from my sustained investigation of female representation in Western art, particularly modernism’s fragmentation of women’s bodies. The title directly addresses how modernist artists like Picasso dismantled female forms according to male desire. As both feminist artist and researcher, I wanted to reclaim this fragmentation by transforming the passive reclining female nude into an active site of engagement,” says Dr Mestrom.

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“This is about loosening the grip of hierarchy and ownership in art,” said Dr Mestrom. “My work is inclusive, it’s playable, and it’s about making space for new ways of seeing and being in spaces accessible by all.”
“I hope visitors discover that ‘perception’ of art is an active, creative process rather than passive reception – we often learn and understand things through our bodies, not just our minds. This sort of embodied knowledge is central to being a child, and also to being a practicing artist. The exhibition demonstrates that comprehensive understanding emerges through integrating multiple viewpoints – visual, tactile, and kinesthetic,” says Dr Mestrom.
The Whole is Greater than the Sum of Her Parts is on view at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, until 21 September 2025. More

The City of Perth has released a report card evaluating the progress of the city’s Towards 2036 strategy, which looks at how the city can adapt to accommodate population growth through increased and improved public space, reduced car dominance, and celebration of its locale.
Developed alongside international urban design and strategy firm Gehl, the council’s report card has found that the city has “changed dramatically” in the past decade as a result of urban transformations like Elizabeth Quay. Yet, while the quality of public life has been improved through street and public domain upgrades, and connectivity to the city centre strengthened by public transport, more could be done to foster green open spaces and encourage cycling over vehicular transport.
In addition, the report card notes that despite “an increasingly enabling planning framework” and an uptake in city living, the critical mass of residents needed to create a continuously energised urban centre “is yet to be realised.”
Towards 2036 builds upon the previous studies for Perth conducted in 1994 and 2009 by Danish architect Jan Gehl as part of a project titled Public Spaces Public Life, in which other Australian capital cities, such as Sydney, were also examined.
According to a communique from City of Perth, Gehl’s “previous two studies analysed the quality of Perth’s public spaces and how people used them, establishing comparative benchmarks and methods for measuring improvements over time.”
Recommendations from the past studies lead to the development of the Cathedral Square and State Buildings precinct, Elizabeth Quay, Perth City Link, and recent work on the Perth Riverfront Masterplan.
Deputy Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds said the recent report card showed promising signs that Perth’s growth was having a positive impact on life in the city.
“Perth is celebrated as one of the most liveable cities in world and renowned for its unique natural setting on the magnificent Swan River,” Reynolds said.
“To future-proof Perth’s liveability, the City [of Perth] has worked with Gehl for more than 30 years to ensure we remain a city that protects its natural environment and creates public spaces that people can enjoy. This is particularly important as we strive to increase the number of people living in the city centre to 55,000 by 2036.”
Reynolds noted that “the report card identifies opportunities to make the city even more attractive, such as improving the connection to Kings Park, reducing the reliance on cars, continuing to improve the tree canopy, providing reasons for workers to stay in the city after work and making the streets more bicycle friendly.”
According to the council’s communique, the 2025 report card will form the basis for further consultation with industry, government, designers and Traditional Owners.
This consultation will inform a vision for the city which will be released at the end of the year.
The Towards 2036 report card can be viewed on the City of Perth’s website. More

Entries open for the 2026 AA Prize for Unbuilt Work, which recognises compelling projects of a speculative or conceptual nature.
The prize is open to students and professionals in the built environment, including architects, interior designers, landscape architects, urban designers and planners.
The 2025 AA Prize for Unbuilt Work was awarded to Angela Xu and Georgia Reader for their scheme, Landscape of Co-existence, which was lauded by the jury as “a bold and sophisticated proposal touching on ideas of Country, adaptive reuse, community and housing.”
They added that the project was “thoughtfully executed, beautifully drawn and deeply felt.”
The jury for the 2026 prize includes Ingrid Bakker of Hassell; Kirsteen Mackay from the Office for Design and Architecture SA, Deo Prasad of the University of New South Wales, and Stuart Vokes of Vokes and Peters. Georgia Birks, associate editor of Architecture Australia, will serve as jury chair.
Entries close on 22 August 2025, at which date projects must be unbuilt. A cash prize of $2,500 is offered. To enter, head to the AA Prize for Unbuilt Work website, or to view the previous winning, mentioned and shortlisted projects, visit here. More

Development approval has been granted for a $500 million mixed-use tower in Sydney’s east. A joint venture between Lendlease and Mitsubishi Estate Asia, the One Darling Point project has been designed by local architecture practice Tzannes.
Located on the boundary between Darling Point and Edgecliff, the development is proposed on the site of a 1941 heritage-listed Commonwealth Bank building.
The 17-storey proposal includes 41 premium apartments with interior design by Alexander and Co., as well as 15 percent floor space dedicated to affordable housing for key workers, whose interiors have been designed by Tzannes. In addition, the development includes commercial office space, ground-floor retail and hospitality offerings, a rooftop pool and a wellness centre.
According to a release from the practice, the project sets a precedent for the sensitive integration of premium residences with affordable housing.
Tzannes associate director Yi-han Cao said, “More people now want to live in well-designed apartments, and we believe everyone should have access to design excellence regardless of tenure or price point.”
“This is a model for how Sydney – particularly the eastern suburbs – can evolve, delivering housing diversity while maintaining the quality that defines this area,” he added.

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Tzannes’ design approach for One Darling Point “was to design a building that entirely belongs to its place,” drawing inspiration from the pre- and post-colonial history of the site.
The building’s curved facade is intended to reflect the sand dunes that once featured prominently, while brick was selected for its material longevity and to complement the post-colonial architecture of the area.
At the podium level, the proposal responds to the rhythm and materiality of the adjacent heritage building, while the tower above is articulated to reduce visual bulk and capture natural light.

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The development makes use of the NSW government’s planning incentives to boost low-income housing, including bonus height and floor space allowances, which were introduced in 2023. Cao said these incentives provide a critical opportunity to reframe urban density.
“Height isn’t just about delivering more apartments,” he said. “It’s about making viable models for mixed tenure housing. The challenge is to ensure design quality doesn’t drop as we increase yield. That’s where architects can play a meaningful role.”
To this point, Cao noted that “it can be difficult to make the inclusion of social and affordable housing viable, particularly in locations where land costs are high and construction costs and complexities are significant.”
“We’re constantly applying our research and experience to prove good design is feasible. I predict many projects will remain on the edge of feasibility unless some roadblocks to approval are relaxed or stronger incentives for affordable housing are implemented,” he said.
According to Tzannes’ communique, “Projects like One Darling Point, while premium in nature, establish a precedent for well-designed higher density in traditionally low-rise areas” and could invite more inclusive housing outcomes in future.
“If density becomes more acceptable in these locations, it becomes easier to deliver housing diversity in the next generation of projects,” Cao said.
Construction on One Darling Point is expected to commence in 2026. More

In August, an emerging generation of Australian architects will present at the Sydney edition of The Architecture Symposium, sharing their ideas on what the future of architectural practice looks like and how they’re working to shape this through their process and projects. The full-day symposium will feature nine presenters and three intergenerational conversations on what’s next for practice.
Read up on the individual presenters below:
Amelia Borg of Sibling Architecture
A 2025 juror and 2024 winner of the ArchitectureAu Award for Social Impact, Amelia Borg of Sibling Architecture is interested in making projects “that makes people’s lives better.” Borg will delve into Sibling’s user-first approach, which is both research-led and multidisciplinary.
Ben Berwick of Prevalent
Ben Berwick heads up interdisciplinary Sydney practice Prevalent, which focuses on the integration of architectural rigour, industrial innovation and ESG-driven design. He recently interviewed Rwanda-based consultant Fatou Kiné Dieye ahead of her keynote address at the 2025 Australian Architecture Conference. Berwick’s presentation at The Architecture Symposium will push the envelope on current conceptions of sustainability.
Simon Robinson of Office
Along with Steve Mintern, Simon Robinson leads Office, a not-for-profit practice directed toward design, research and activism, particularly around the retention and repair of Melbourne’s public housing towers and social housing estates. Robinson will discuss Office’s alternative mode of practice, which continues to evolve with initiatives such as 3553, a free-of-charge exhibition space recently opened behind a garage door in Collingwood.
Liz Walsh of So. Architecture
Recently announced as a co-recipient of the 2025 Australian Institute of Architecture Tasmanian Architecture Awards Emerging Architect Prize, Liz Walsh is one half of So. Architecture – a small studio Walsh founded with life partner Alex Nielsen while both working nine-to-five for larger-scale practices. Walsh will present the distinct model of practice her and Nielsen have prototyped, whose output includes small-scale accommodation projects in Hobart, such as The Barn Tas and The Bae Tas.
Jack Gillmer-Lilley of SJB
One third of the creative team for Home, the Australian exhibition at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, Jack Gillmer-Lilley leads First Nations design as an associate at Sydney practice SJB. Gillmer-Lilley will discuss his approach to Indigenising practice and creating equitable outcomes for Country.
Xavier De Kestelier of Hassell
London-based architect and technologist Xavier De Kestelier has a keen interest in design technology and digital innovation, which he pursues in his work at Hassell. He recently contributed to a rountable on the integration of AI in architectural practice (Architecture Australia Mar/Apr 2024). De Kestelier’s presentation will posit ways to embrace new generation technology in practice.
Nic Brunsdon of Brunsdon Studio
Nic Brunsdon is director of the Perth-based practice Brunsdon Studio (formerly practising under his own name), which operates across Australia and South-East Asia. Earlier this year, he contributed to a rountable on the circular economy (Architecture Australia Mar/Apr 2025) and was a juror for the AA Prize for Unbuilt Work. Brunsdon will speak to the way in which he has diversified his studio over the past decade.
Billy Maynard of Billy Maynard Architects
Sydney-based Billy Maynard leads a studio of the same with a single residential folio. The practice was also recently announced as the winner of a design competition for a new Sydney war memorial. Maynard will relay the roundabout journey he’s taken in practice, including working client-side.
Belqis Youssofzay of Youssofzay Hart
Alongside David Hart, Belqis Youssofzay leads Youssofzay Hart – a self-declared “next generation” practice “informed by a seismic shift in thinking towards urgent consideration for the environment and architecture’s impact on it,” writes Linda Cheng. Youssofzay will discuss the collective and collaborative approach championed by the practice.
The full-day symposium will be held on 1 August, followed by the 2025 Houses Awards on the evening of the same day. Tickets to the symposium and the 2025 Houses Awards are now available. Architects are eligible to earn up to 4.5 formal CPD points, while Design Institute of Australia members can earn 6 DIA CPD points by attending The Architecture Symposium: What’s Next for Practice?
The Architecture Symposium is a Design Speaks program organised by Architecture Media, supported by premium partners Planned Cover and Bondor, and hotel partner Ovolo. More

In August, an emerging generation of Australian architects will present at the Sydney edition of The Architecture Symposium, sharing their ideas on what the future of architectural practice looks like and how they’re working to shape this through their process and projects. The full-day symposium will feature nine presenters and three intergenerational conversations on what’s next for practice.
Read up on the individual presenters below:
Amelia Borg of Sibling Architecture
A 2025 juror and 2024 winner of the ArchitectureAu Award for Social Impact, Amelia Borg of Sibling Architecture is interested in making projects “that makes people’s lives better.” Borg will delve into Sibling’s user-first approach, which is both research-led and multidisciplinary.
Ben Berwick of Prevalent
Ben Berwick heads up interdisciplinary Sydney practice Prevalent, which focuses on the integration of architectural rigour, industrial innovation and ESG-driven design. He recently interviewed Rwanda-based consultant Fatou Kiné Dieye ahead of her keynote address at the 2025 Australian Architecture Conference. Berwick’s presentation at The Architecture Symposium will push the envelope on current conceptions of sustainability.
Simon Robinson of Office
Along with Steve Mintern, Simon Robinson leads Office, a not-for-profit practice directed toward design, research and activism, particularly around the retention and repair of Melbourne’s public housing towers and social housing estates. Robinson will discuss Office’s alternative mode of practice, which continues to evolve with initiatives such as 3553, a free-of-charge exhibition space recently opened behind a garage door in Collingwood.
Liz Walsh of So. Architecture
Recently announced as a co-recipient of the 2025 Australian Institute of Architecture Tasmanian Architecture Awards Emerging Architect Prize, Liz Walsh is one half of So. Architecture – a small studio Walsh founded with life partner Alex Nielsen while both working nine-to-five for larger-scale practices. Walsh will present the distinct model of practice her and Nielsen have prototyped, whose output includes small-scale accommodation projects in Hobart, such as The Barn Tas and The Bae Tas.
Jack Gillmer-Lilley of SJB
One third of the creative team for Home, the Australian exhibition at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, Jack Gillmer-Lilley leads First Nations design as an associate at Sydney practice SJB. Gillmer-Lilley will discuss his approach to Indigenising practice and creating equitable outcomes for Country.
Xavier De Kestelier of Hassell
London-based architect and technologist Xavier De Kestelier has a keen interest in design technology and digital innovation, which he pursues in his work at Hassell. He recently contributed to a rountable on the integration of AI in architectural practice (Architecture Australia Mar/Apr 2024). De Kestelier’s presentation will posit ways to embrace new generation technology in practice.
Nic Brunsdon of Brunsdon Studio
Nic Brunsdon is director of the Perth-based practice Brunsdon Studio (formerly practising under his own name), which operates across Australia and South-East Asia. Earlier this year, he contributed to a rountable on the circular economy (Architecture Australia Mar/Apr 2025) and was a juror for the AA Prize for Unbuilt Work. Brunsdon will speak to the way in which he has diversified his studio over the past decade.
Billy Maynard of Billy Maynard Architects
Sydney-based Billy Maynard leads a studio of the same with a single residential folio. The practice was also recently announced as the winner of a design competition for a new Sydney war memorial. Maynard will relay the roundabout journey he’s taken in practice, including working client-side.
Belqis Youssofzay of Youssofzay Hart
Alongside David Hart, Belqis Youssofzay leads Youssofzay Hart – a self-declared “next generation” practice “informed by a seismic shift in thinking towards urgent consideration for the environment and architecture’s impact on it,” writes Linda Cheng. Youssofzay will discuss the collective and collaborative approach championed by the practice.
The full-day symposium will be held on 1 August, followed by the 2025 Houses Awards on the evening of the same day. Tickets to the symposium and the 2025 Houses Awards are now available. Architects are eligible to earn up to 4.5 formal CPD points, while Design Institute of Australia members can earn 6 DIA CPD points by attending The Architecture Symposium: What’s Next for Practice?
The Architecture Symposium is a Design Speaks program organised by Architecture Media, supported by premium partners Planned Cover and Bondor, and hotel partner Ovolo. More