The competition system is under scrutiny – how could it be better? Industry leaders respond to a provocation from Camilla Block (Durbach Block Jaggers).
Shine Dome
Australian Academy of Science
15 Gordon Street
Acton Canberra ACT 2601
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Program Info
The competition system for awarding architectural work is under scrutiny. For this year’s ArchitectureAu Asks event, Sydney architect Camilla Block invites us to consider the current state of design competitions – and the urgent need for reform.
When done well, competitions can be powerful vehicles for thinking, experimentation and the creation of exceptional architecture. But today, many architects find themselves grappling with opaque processes, disingenuous briefs, limited budgets, onerous deliverables, and little protection against intellectual theft – all for projects that may never be realised. Why do we accept these conditions? What needs to change to ensure fairness, transparency and value in the competition process? And what might an ideal future for architectural competitions look like?
ArchitectureAu Asks is a series in which we pose questions that explore current and critical issues for experts and industry leaders to answer.
Camilla is a life fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and a director at Durbach Block Jaggers (DBJ) where she has been a design principal in all major projects.
Camilla brings multiple decades of design experience to the DBJ practice, with contributions across all stages from broad site strategies to detail resolution. Camilla is an agile and inventive architectural thinker, with deep knowledge of architectural language, forms and history. Camilla has taught, lectured, exhibited, judged awards and been published both nationally and internationally.
John Wardle is an internationally renowned architect and the founder of Wardle, which has studios in Sydney and Melbourne. The work of Wardle is tailored to place and highly experiential in nature. Diverse in scale and typology, its portfolio spans domestic dwellings, university and healthcare buildings, museums and large commercial offices.
In 2020, John was honoured with the Australian Institute of Architects’ highest individual distinction, the Gold Medal.
Felicity Stewart is an architect and urban designer with a substantial portfolio of major projects, including urban design, architecture and interiors. She is the Sydney director of Stewart Architecture, a multidisciplinary design practice founded in 1987.
Felicity is an established leader in the architecture and urban design profession, known for her commitment to inclusive city-making. She is dedicated to defending the public interest and creating innovative, high-quality design solutions that enhance urban life.
Patrick Kosky commenced working for Kerry Hill Architects (KHA) in 1999 and became a director in 2014. He currently jointly leads the Australian studio. Since Patrick became a director, KHA has been successful in design competitions in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane. Patrick was an inaugural member of Western Australia’s State Design Review Panel and has participated as a juror on multiple Australian Institute of Architects awards juries.
Kerry Clare is a director of Clare Design, which she co-founded with her husband Lindsay in 1979. The practice’s work includes diverse projects from major urban and public buildings to self-sufficient houses. Clare Design is consistently acknowledged for a rare combination of design excellence and high-level environmental performance.
The Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal jury noted that the Clares “have made an enormous contribution to the advancement of architecture and particularly sustainable architecture, with a strongly held belief that good design and sustainable design are intrinsically linked.” Their buildings allow occupants to engage with architecture and the world outside, reinforcing the essential connection with place.
Kevin Lloyd is one of the most experienced designers in Hassell's Sydney studio, with more than 30 years working as an architect on high-profile jobs in the UK, Middle East and Australia. His award-winning portfolio is testament to his ability to inspire and lead large design teams on complex developments, particularly in the commercial, transport and residential sectors.
A thoughtful, calm designer and collaborator, Kevin managed the redevelopment of Herston Quarter, a new precinct in Brisbane that’s aiming to set a global benchmark for integrated mixed use and health projects.
Bradley Mapiva Brown is the founder and managing director of Bagariin Consulting, a design-focused practice based in Ngunnawal Country (ACT). His work embeds Country-centred design, cultural governance, and community-led engagement across architecture, landscape and infrastructure projects.
Bradley is currently leading the National First Nations Engagement Framework for the National Gallery of Australia Sculpture Garden Revitalisation (with CO-AP), developing cultural design principles, FPIC/ICIP protocols, and national yarning circles. He serves as deputy chair of the ACT Heritage Council and collaborates with government, cultural institutions and design studios to advance ethical, place-based practice.
Sue Dugdale, director of Susan Dugdale and Associates (SDA), is based in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and works with a great team of architects committed to their region and better outcomes for the community, the town and the environment. Sue has produced a body of work whose influence is notable in the fabric of Alice Springs and beyond, has won numerous awards and was featured in the 2014 and 2020 Venice Biennales.
SDA’s architectural practice nexus of “small plus local plus longevity” delivers immense social value, including integrating stories into its work to build local identity, incorporating sacred sites and iconography, building First Nations employment and living standards, and developing the best environmental response for buildings in Australia’s vast interior.
Marika Neustupny is a founding director of NMBW Architecture Studio, and holds a PhD from the University of Queensland. NMBW’s projects have been widely published and exhibited in local, national and international contexts.
The practice has been awarded numerous times in residential categories of the Australian Institute of Architects’ awards programs. St Albans Housing, a project in collaboration with Monash University, MADA, received a 2023 ArchitectureAu Award for Social Impact Commendation. In parallel with practice, Marika has been working in architectural design teaching and research for over 25 years. She currently chairs the Institute’s National Committee for Gender Equity.
Phil Harris is a founding director of Troppo Architects, which, after 20 years in the Northern Territory, has now grown to include offices around Australia. Harnessing these resources, alongside diverse work in National Parks, Phil has led Troppo’s involvement in information and cultural centres, public realm, and village centre projects nationally.
Phil has lectured widely in Australia and also Europe, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Pacific, Africa and Central America; and has chaired in the Papua New Guinea Institute of Architects architecture awards. In 2010 at a ceremony in Paris, Phil and Troppo co-founder Adrian Welke, on behalf of the practice, received the Global Sustainable Architecture Award, the only Australian practice to be so awarded. In 2014 Phil and Adrian were awarded the Australian Institute of Architects' Gold Medal, the Institute’s highest personal honour.
