Appointments

VICTORIAN PREMIER’S DESIGN AWARDS GETS NEW CHAIR

RMIT Associate Professor Leah Heiss has been named Chair of the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, signifying a new era for the awards program.

New Appointments At Groupgsa

Simone Carter and Sue DesBrosses have been appointed Associate Directors of interior design to lead GroupGSA’s Melbourne and Brisbane studios, respectively.

Carter has more than 25 years of interior design global experience with a portfolio spanning the UK, Middle East, China and Australia.

GroupGSA employs more than 230 design experts across four studios in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Ho Chi Minh City, offering multidisciplinary design services in Living Environments; Workplace & Commercial; Education; Cities and Places; Cultural; Hospitality; Mixed-Use, Retail and Industrial; and Transport, Infrastructure & Defence.

Among the suite of new hires is Alice Were, who joins GroupGSA as Senior Interior Designer in Melbourne. Clare O’Brien has been appointed Landscape Architect, based in Sydney, while Marina Amado joins the Brisbane studio as a Graduate Interior Designer.

Beel Becomes Associate Director At Carr

Carr has announced that Richard Beel has been elevated the role of Associate Director, further bolstering its executive leadership team.

Holding 19 years of architectural experience, Beel’s cross-disciplinary approach has seen him work across a multitude of sectors during his time as a built environment professional.

Beel’s work in delivering several multiresidential projects for the practice is attributed to his promotion.

Following the completion of Camberwell’s Victoria & Burke complex in 2022, Beel is now involved as the Project Lead on several highend and complex multi-residential projects across Brighton and Brunswick.

Beel says his knowledge of designing for lifestyle while imbuing quality has enabled him to design across a number of locations and demographics.

Carr Managing Director Chris McCue says Beel’s promotion is a logical one following his service to the practice.

The current Eva and Marc Besen International Research Chair in Design at Monash Art, Design and Architecture (MADA), Heiss is a six-time Good Design Awards winner, most recently taking out the Australian Women in Design Award.

Humanity sits firmly at the core of Heiss’ designs, which provide solutions for a range of impairments and diseases. Her wearable technologies are part of the Museums Victoria and Powerhouse (MAAS) heritage collections and have been exhibited to global audiences. She also delivers new health models in conjunction with the World Health Organisation, Alfred Health and Turning Point.

The Victorian Premier’s Design Awards looks to showcase the practice and application of design in the federation state. Heiss will oversee the program for a tenure of three years.

Heiss is currently Co-Leading Monash University’s Future Healthcare research initiative. The project leverages deep sector expertise and research and will look at the ecosystem of health care including devices, spaces, architectures, and systems to deliver transformational impact for Australian healthcare.

Plus Promote Two New Principals

Plus Architecture has announced two promotions within its Australian team, which will strengthen its leadership team and culture, which looks to promote talented individuals from within its ranks, with Chrisney Formosa and Zach Kwong elevated to the role of Principal.

Formosa holds over 15 years of design experience, delivering outstanding design outcomes for several Queensland projects across the multi-residential, hospitality and tourism sectors. Formosa has led over 70 development applications for the practice in the last two years, including Palm Beach Hotel, The Esplanade (Palm Beach) and Chairlift (Mermaid Beach).

Based in Sydney, Kwong is an accomplished architect with a blend of skills and technical knowledge spanning architectural practice, building services and sustainable design. Across a 15-year career, he has designed and delivered major projects across the residential, retail, commercial, education, aviation, defence, and health sectors, including Scape Kensington and Scape Ascot.

MASTERS TO OVERSEE HAYBALL’S NEW CANBERRA OUTFIT

Coinciding with the opening of its new Canberra office, Hayball has appointed Ella Masters as the practice’s new Studio Lead in the nation’s capital.

A highly skilled and experienced leader, Masters will now oversee the practice’s operation in the region across the likes of education, multi-residential and commercial. Her experiences in the education sector and in the ACT will assist in Hayball crafting innovative and sustainable learning environments, accounting for an already high demand of projects in the region.

Prior to Hayball, Masters held senior positions in a number of local design practices and most recently led her own education design consultancy Howff Design. She is currently undertaking a PhD in education and innovation policy through the University of Melbourne and is closely aligned with the

Learning Environments Applied Research Network (LEaRN). She is the current Chair of the Learning Environments Australasia (LEA) ACT Chapter.

Mitsogianni To Lead Rmit Architecture Students

RMIT has announced Vivian Mitsogianni will lead the university’s School Architecture & Urban Design as its new Dean.

An acclaimed architect, researcher and academic leader, Mitsogianni is a readymade leader of the university’s reputable design school. The Director of M@ STUDIO Architects, Mitsogianni has worked at RMIT as both an Associate Dean, Architecture and Professor of Architecture. She also headed up the flagship RMIT Design Research Institute’s Future Fabric of Cities program.

The Australian Institute of Architects awarded Mitsogianni the Neville Quarry Architectural Education Prize in 2019 for her contributions to architectural education.

Porter Begins New Chapter At Ghd

GHD has announced that Andrew Porter will move into a new role at the professional services company, elevated to the role of Global Future Communities Lead.

Porter is tasked with leading several teams across the globe, assisting clients and their abilities to remain resilient in the wake of population growth, digital disruption, shifting societal expectations and climate change.

The Future Communities arm of the company draws on a wide range of disciplines including planning, engineering, architecture, advisory, digital and movement analytics.

Recent projects delivered via the Future Communities department include designing a park that enables children to play in a safe environment, while also serving as vital stormwater infrastructure; revitalising the historic centre of Bath, England; and reimagining transportation in Tauranga, one of New Zealand’s fastest growing cities.

WARREN & MAHONEY EXPAND THEIR LANDSCAPE DEPARTMENT

Warren & Mahoney has further expanded its studio to strengthen its city-shaping capabilities, with the introduction of its new Urban Design and Landscape Architecture service.

The new department will service both Australia and New Zealand and will be headed by Thomas Hale and Michael Hawes. The new department has been created through recent projects, with 18 specialists now working within the sector to provide clients with a completely integrated design solution inhouse with their leading architecture and Indigenous, sustainability and digital-design consulting services.

The recently established team have been working on an array of projects, including the Maritime Museum precinct in Auckland and the heritage redevelopment of the Pyrmont Campus in Sydney for Google. This complex development required a sensitive urban design strategy, stitching together a high-profile water’s edge and reconnecting the area to the bay.

Gachet Jumps To Gray Puksand

Gray Puksand has announced the appointment of Aurelia Gachet as Associate of its Melbourne outpost, strengthening its evolving health and science team.

With over a decade of design experience, Gachet has worked on a number of major health infrastructure projects, including The Royal Children’s Hospital and Bendigo Base Hospital in Victoria. Gachet’s delivery of the Cabrini Health Gandel Wing, claimed to be the world’s most beautiful hospital by Vogue Australia, is regarded as a career highlight.

Gachet says the opportunity to join Gray Puksand, who is currently branching into the healthcare sector, as exhilarating.

Gachet frequently lectures on architecture practices at Melbourne University, while lending her experience previously to both Monash University and RMIT University.

Carr Adds Four New Associates

Carr has announced the elevation of four new Associates which will begin a new chapter of their working lives as members of the practice’s leadership team.

The new Associates – which include Alan Hunt, Andrea Giuradei, Chris Eggleston, and Marissa Kefalianos – will form part of Carr’s new leadership generation. Hunt, Giuradei and Eggleston have all contributed to Carr projects across a range of sectors, while Kefalianos will join the residential interior leadership team.

Giuradei originally studied in Milan and cites the city as his major influence. Working as an architect, landscape designer and interior designer, the new Associate’s strength is his ability to deeply consider design outcomes.

Alan Hunt’s expertise in crafting high-end multi-residential projects has resulted in outstanding design outcomes for the practice. His understanding of the intricacies of cities enables him and his teams to incorporate meaningful retail and hospitality offerings that elevate the experience of the residents and broader community alike.

As an architect, Chris Eggleston thrives at spatial planning and problem solving where he finds the transition from problem to solution incredibly fulfilling.

Marissa Kefalianos joins Carr as an esteemed interior designer who strikes a balance between the practice’s design ethos and client expectations.