Ian McDougall is nationally respected for his contributions to architecture, urban design, and design education. In 1988, alongside Stephen Ashton and Howard Raggatt, he co-founded ARM Architecture, which has since become one of Australia’s leading architectural firms. Ian has played a pivotal role in nearly all of ARM's arts projects, from the initial study in 2003 to establish a Recital Hall for Melbourne to the recent renewal of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.
Ian led key projects, including the Hamer Hall Redevelopment, Melbourne Theatre Company/Melbourne Recital Centre, and the recently completed Geelong Arts Centre Stage 3. He has also been instrumental in the master planning of significant urban projects such as the Melbourne Docklands, the Arts Centre Melbourne Master Plan, the Adelaide Riverbank Arts Precinct and Festival Plaza, and the 2020 Sidney Myer Music Bowl Master Plan. In 2018, he led the team that developed the blueprint for the current Southbank Arts Precinct (now MAP Transformation).
Ian's contributions have been widely recognised. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 and is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects. In 2016, he received the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal, the Institute's highest honour. A passionate advocate for the performing arts, Ian established the giving circle "Dancing Architects" in 2014 to support contemporary dance and was a founding patron of BalletLab@Temperance Hall. He also served as a director of the Melbourne International Arts Festival from 2011 to 2017 and was director/chair of Lucy Guerin Dance from 2012 to 2023.
