REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE
Please bring a refillable water bottle as the RAA aims to be a plastic-free association. Please note, BYO alcohol is prohibited.

GEAR
We recommend all weather clothing and sturdy footwear to enjoy your site visit in comfort and swimmers, should you wish to enjoy the pool or surrounding beaches.

DRAWING EQUIPMENT
We encourage you to bring your own drawing equipment, i.e. drawing pad/notebook and pens/pencils.

Coolongatta is the nearest airport at fifteen minutes from Salt at Mantra.

The RAA will provide a bus on Day 1.
Sufficient time has been allowed to enjoy the short walk from Salt Beach to Kingscliff in the afternoon on Day 2.

CPD
10 Formal CPD points will be available over the entire weekend. Attendees are required to take notes during the event to qualify for formal CPD and satisfy requirements outlined by the Board of Architects.

COVID-19
Delegates agree to comply with the COVID-19 policies outlined during their ticket purchase. Proof of vaccination or medical exemption is required to be viewed on site.
Please contact us directly if you are unable to attend due to Covid so that we can assist with the refund procedure.

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS
Please contact us urgently with any dietary requirements or specific needs you may have, that were not noted in your ticket purchase.

A statement from the creative directors:

“ ‘What is our place in community? ‘

The RAA's Annual Conference will pose this question and most importantly, explore perspectives on the value of architecture in the regions. Each day will focus on a new topic, examining the central question in different contexts of emergency response, regional development, and showcasing the place of architecture in the regions past and present.”

Harley graduated from UNSW in Architecture and received the Board of Architects prize. He was then selected to be a part of an innovative team within Lend Lease Design working on Masterplanned communities in Australia and the USA. Soon after he travelled to Berlin, where he worked with Studio Daniel Libeskind on large mixed use and cultural projects in Switzerland, the UK, and China. HGA was then founded in Berlin and slowly came of age in Byron Bay, Australia. Harley has held teaching positions at UNSW, UTS and has tutored at Bond Uni.

Nikolas’ career began in architecture, before a shift into film production. He has worked across several design and production fields including film, music, graphic and web design, communication, and branding.

It’s with an intimate knowledge and understanding of architecture that he approaches filmmaking. He draws upon a visual language that relates to the project; precise composition, considered colour, slowness, and subtlety. 

Nikolas is the lead filmmaker and director of Ravens At Odds, a production company and design studio specialising in film production for the architecture and creative industries; telling stories about architecture, people and place.

Ravens At Odds works regularly with several architectural and creative practices across Australia and organisations like Gold Coast Open House. Nikolas will be producing the films for the RAA showcase Aperture: Regional Architecture in Focus.

Find out more at www.ravensatodds.com

Follow Nikolas on Instagram @ravensatodds

Esther Charlesworth is the founding Director of Architects without Frontiers (AWF). Esther is also a Professor in the School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University, where she founded the Master of Disaster, Design and Development degree [MoDDD] in 2015. Since 2002, AWF has undertaken over 42 health, education and social infrastructure projects in 12 countries for vulnerable communities and has been described by ABC radio broadcaster Phillip Adams as ‘destined to develop into one of the greater forces of good on this battered planet’.

Esther has worked in the public and private sectors of architecture and urban design in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Boston and Beirut since graduating with a Masters in Architecture and Urban from Harvard University in 1995. In 2004 she was awarded her PhD from the University of York (UK).

Esther has published seven books on the theme of social justice and architecture, including: ‘Divided Cities’ (2011), ‘Humanitarian Architecture’ (2014) ‘Sustainable Housing Reconstruction’ (2015) and ‘Design for Fragility’ (2021).

James Davidson is an expert in adaptation of urban environments to withstand floods, cyclones, bushfires, storm surges and extreme heat.

James is a delivery partner for the roll out of the Flood Resilient Homes Program for the Brisbane City Council and has written multiple flood-resilient building guidelines. James holds a Doctorate in Architecture, is a previous Director of Emergency Architects Australia and a Winston Churchill Fellow.

Phillip is a co-Director of Regional Design Service, a multidisciplinary creative practice located on Bpangerang Country in Corowa, NSW. Phillip founded the studio with his Partner Aaron in 2017 with the aim to work collaboratively with regional communities to improve the delivery of public projects in their towns. Since then the studio has helped deliver a range of projects that have attracted increased. Federal, State and Local funding for communities project that are led by community themselves.

With over 15 years’ experience, Phillip’s design expertise evolved between Melbourne and Brisbane, working on the delivery of small and large scale commercial, community, hotel, residential and urban planning projects across Australia.

'More than Building Back Better - the complex issue of addressing the regional housing crisis, whilst incorporating greater resilience into the design and construction of dwellings in flood prone areas. Which should have greater priority, and who gets to choose?'

Rebecca left her role as Associate in Sydney-based practice Jackson Teece to start a small architectural practice in the Northern Rivers town of Murwillumbah in 2018. Since relocating to regional Australia Rebecca has experienced the effects of draught and bushfires on the small community, followed by the extended border closures amidst a global pandemic, a 'housing emergency' declared by the shire early on in the pandemic and then the devastating floods of early 2022.

'Resilience' is a term we are now used to hearing in the face of greater and greater disasters, but what does this mean to the displaced community and also those returning home after experiencing such trauma? What can we look at in our State planning policies as well as on the ground to help build back not only more resilient houses, but to consider the options for short, medium term and long term resilient housing options that would bring greater affordability to the regions? We should remember that 'Shelter', or the right to adequate housing, is a fundamental human right.

As architects we are uniquely positioned to open the discussion with local and state government on developing housing with the aim to bring dignity into the design of lower-cost housing options. The long term effect being safe, affordable housing established that that will enhance the livelihood of its’ occupants and increase the long term viability of our regional towns.

Josh is a passionate structural engineering manager skilled at working with high end architects and designers to deliver unique projects with outstanding and enduring qualities that are not only visually appealing, but highly efficient and cost effective. He has a keen eye for detail that ensures high quality structural design, documentation, and inspections are delivered for the residential housing, multi storey residential, commercial, educational, and industrial buildings his teams undertake. Josh has extensive experience in the structural design of low and medium rise commercial, residential buildings, and industrial buildings. Josh’s expertise covers reinforced concrete, precast concrete, hydrostatic basement slabs, structural steel, masonry, and timber frame designs.

Josh’s experience in luxury, high end unique residential structures is highly regarded. He is well respected and trusted to deliver many award-winning designs for the luxury residential projects for his growing client base. His team’s designs have won over 20 nationally recognised Architectural award-winning projects at Regional, State and National levels within the following categories; Small projects, New Houses, Alterations and Additions, Commercial Projects, Sustainable Projects and Heritage Projects.

“The recent catastrophic flood events have presented an opportunity for an intergenerational rethink of our floodplain management and urban form”

Damian is a town planner and Partner of Newton Denny Chapelle, a firm offering town planning, surveying and civil engineering services, with offices in Lismore & Kingscliff. Damian is experienced in statutory and strategic planning having held senior positions in both the public and private sector. Damian’s focus is on the facilitation and strategic management of projects. His extensive experience and involvement in the development industry has contributed to significant projects across northern NSW which have required significant environmental, economic and social impact assessment.

Damian is also currently the Chair of St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Lismore and an ambassador for the Our Kids - Northern Rivers Children's Health Fund. Post the February and March floods, Damian has been appointed to several advisory groups including the Lismore City Council General Managers Flood Advisory Group, Southern Cross University Vision Group and the Master Planning Committee for Trinity Catholic College.

Peter is a Crisis Management Advisor dealing with large organisational responses to crises. He is a member of the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) and is actively working to encourage Australian Governments and industry take steps to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

After the massive NYE 2019 bushfire tore through the Conjola area Peter was asked by the community to help organise a community led recovery effort.

Rory joined GANSW in 2018 bringing 20 years of private sector experience as a registered architect and teacher.

His role at GANSW is to promote and develop Design Excellence processes to improve design quality in the built environment across all sectors in NSW; he is an expert in Design Excellence Competitions, contributing as strategist, advisor and juror.

Rory has a particular interest in sustainability, the public realm and how Design Excellence can improve built environments for people at a local level.

He is dedicated to the development of improved design and delivery processes for major health projects and played a key role in developing design guidance for healthcare in collaboration with Health Infrastructure NSW.

Rory regularly participates in State Design Review Panel and local government panels.

In his spare time Rory enjoys making music with his band and painting shapes.

Katharina is a director of Takt | Studio for Architecture, which was founded in 2009, together with Brent Dunn. The practice, based between Thirroul and Moruya on the New South Wales South Coast, focuses on residential and community projects in regional Australia. Currently, she is working with the Cobargo community to rebuild after the Black Saturday Bushfires.

Prior to Takt, Katharina Hendel completed her architecture studies at the HTWK Leipzig, Germany. She has worked in Germany, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic on a variety of projects including residential, hospitality and numerous design competitions. She has taught and tutored at Universities abroad and in Australia.

Following her studies, focusing on urban design, Katharina has a particular interest in the relationship of the finer details of buildings to the urban/landscape scale of a project. Her other creative endeavours are photography, pottery and a love of exploring the great outdoors - on land and in the water.

Katharina presented at the National Gallery of Australia’s (AIA) Contemporary Architecture speaker series in 2021 and is a founding board member of the Regional Architecture Association.