Brian Clohessy will speak from his perspective as an Architect turned People & Culture practice leader on the skills, capabilities and mindsets that are going to be important for the success of Architects and architectural businesses into the future.

With extensive experience supporting small and medium businesses through procurement processes, Danae Vitnell will provide insight to attendees on effective engagement with local government and contribute to the roundtable discussion.

Through Prof Dr M. Hank Haeusler’s presentation, attendees will gain practical guidance on how to identify high-value AI opportunities across design, operations, compliance, and asset lifecycle management; transition from isolated tools to integrated, data-driven workflows that deliver measurable time and cost savings; establish governance, ethical guardrails, and data strategies; and build workforce capability through targeted upskilling and change management.

A central gathering place and a publicly procured project itself, the Artie Smith Oval Pavilion is the perfect venue for our RAA Community Conversation.

The Artie Smith AFL and cricket pavilion, a creation of Local Architect South Coast in association with Barnacle Studio, serves as a central gathering place for sports enthusiasts, families, and friends. Its design is rooted in inclusive values, welcoming people of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and abilities, making it an integral part of the state-level sporting facility. The pavilion is thoughtfully designed to cater to multiple purposes and uses, enhancing its versatility and functionality.

A tour of the project by Renee McGuinn of Local Architect South Coast will kick off RAA's South Coast Community Conversation.

My journey to Castlemaine/Guildford started very early on Thursday morning, sneaking out of the house at 5am before my children woke up! A blast down the Hume Freeway was followed by a pleasant drive through the central Victorian countryside, rolling past pancake-flat crop fields, fruit orchards and vineyards nestled in gorgeous valleys and small towns full of character and charm.

The long drive home gave me plenty to ponder. RAA’s online CPD program is excellent and provides more than enough CPD points to maintain one’s registration; however, there is no substitute for experiencing architecture in new places and learning more through interacting with other colleagues and researchers. These events are worth far more than the cost to attend and the CPD points on offer. Plus, they are fantastic opportunities to make new friends. Thank you again, RAA; I look forward to attending many more in-person events in future!

Tim Lee recently attended the celebration for new architect registrations at NSW Parliament House in his capacity as president of the Regional Architecture Association, alongside AACA, ACA, AIA and State Government representatives.

Join us at the Brisbane Powerhouse, Queensland’s home of contemporary art and culture as we tap into the people behind the design and technical innovation defining the future of architecture.

​​​​​​​At the top of this historic 1920s building, the graffitied control room provides a characterful environment for our day with ample daylight and expansive views of the river. The two generous roof terraces adjacent provide break-out spaces for conversations with technical experts and delegates during program breaks with stunning views of the Maiwar (Brisbane River).

Jillian Hopkins will share her expertise and join the conversation on procurement practice and the design and delivery of public projects at our upcoming evening event in Bomaderry.

Local Architect South Coast director and RAA Treasurer, Renee McGuinn, will open the evening by reflecting on her firsthand experience navigating public procurement — a topic she explored in Field: Architecture Gone Regional.

Sarah Aldridge, Director of Space Studio based in Byron Bay, Founding Committee member and current Secretary of RAA, is an experienced event creative director having delivered regional architectural events for over 15 years. Sarah is committed to providing high quality events that support regional practice, for which she is a passionate advocate.

Bianca Smith, founder of Blue Triangle Consulting, has over 20 years' hands-on experience in the management of architectural and engineering practices at all scales. She brings a holistic perspective on the business of architecture - from practice and project management to people and technology - and the challenges that are reshaping how design firms operate. Now based in the Northern Rivers, she works closely with smaller practices throughout Australia helping them build smart and sustainable businesses that are great places to work.

In its submission to Treasury, the Regional Architecture Association strongly supports the Federal Government’s commitment to housing reform and the streamlining of the regulatory framework surrounding the National Construction Code (NCC). From a regional perspective, the Association highlights the distinct challenges faced by practitioners working hundreds of kilometres from major urban centres, where regulatory programs and consultation processes are often not tailored to local conditions. The submission emphasises that reform must recognise the realities of regional practice while maintaining high-quality, design-led outcomes delivered by skilled professionals.

ArchiTeam Cooperative and the Regional Architecture Association are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), formalising a long-standing relationship and strengthening support for architects practicing in regional Australia.

Both organisations share a commitment to championing architects working in small, sole, and regionally based practices. This MOU confirms a closer collaboration between ArchiTeam and RAA, particularly in the development and coordination of their respective Continuing Professional Development (CPD) event calendars. By aligning programming and sharing opportunities, the partnership aims to expand access to high-quality CPD and professional networks for members of both organisations.

Innovation in regional Australia is at the heart of Field: Architecture Gone Regional and it was the theme of the panel discussion as a crowd gathered in Sydney recently to celebrate Issue #1 of RAA’s annual journal publication.

Sarah Aldridge, RAA Secretary and panel moderator, reflected on the piece by Anthony Burke, Professor of Architecture at UNSW and host of Grand Designs Australia. While reviewing projects featured on the program Burke observed that 70 per cent were located in regional areas. Given that the show selects projects with innovation at their core, this finding suggests that much of Australia’s architectural innovation is emerging from the regions.

Overall, the event was a wonderful opportunity to expand on the important conversations that Field has begun.

In its submission to the Department of Transport & Planning Victoria, the Regional Architecture Association has broadly supported reform of the Architects Regulations, while calling for fair, evidence-based and proportionate changes that do not unfairly burden architects — particularly those practicing in regional Victoria.

The Saturday morning program of fringe events will include a site visit to the grounds of Crosby Architects’ development ‘The Paddock’. There we will be guided by the members of the owner’s corporation who manage the cluster housing development in Castlemaine and will speak about their experience of living there.

As part of the Power of Community program, there will be updates from both Victorian Government Architect Jill Garner and ARBV CEO & Registrar Dr Glenice Fox; this will serve to provide an overview and opportunity for discussion around what is happening in the state of Victoria more broadly.

Dr Jock Gilbert will speak about the Yulendj Weelam Lab at RMIT University and their work combining design thinking with Indigenous cultural heritage knowledge to support the built environment sector through partnerships, advocacy, and community-led projects. Their work builds organisational capacity, embeds First Nations perspectives into practice, facilitates respectful Indigenous-led design processes, and supports First Peoples communities to advance projects that reflect their needs and aspirations.

Emily Knight, principal of Emily Knight Design, has been an active member of the RAA Committee and its events since 2022. A self-confessed sustainability nerd and passionate advocate for community, Emily is committed to professional development within our industry, ensuring her work is informed by current ideas, processes, and materials.

David Booth, aka Ghostpatrol, will discuss his practice generally, particularly around his involvement in Hepburn Energy and his characters Gale and Gusto which are depicted on the turbines there.

He then has “…a fun little drawing exercise game to loosen us up. We’re drawing to laugh and connect, we’re drawing to make something new.” 

“My little drawing game is addictive and you’ll be taking home the meme to play with your friends and family. Trust me you’ll love it.” 

“Be brave and let’s let the drawings come to life.”

Dr Mark B. Luther will speak about and display his prototype hydronic suspended ceiling panel. Radiant systems are healthy and environmental conditioning systems, operating at about 1/3 of the cost. His ceiling panel has overcome many of the problems of past radiant systems, that are slow, embodied energy intensive and costly.  

Geoff Park will speak about Renewable Newstead, a pioneering community-led initiative demonstrating how a small regional town can transition to renewable energy in a way that is technically feasible, commercially viable, and socially equitable. Located in central Victoria, Newstead has delivered a 3MW solar farm and 5MWh battery system capable of generating six times the town’s electricity needs. The project stands as a model for how local leadership, strong partnerships, and deep community engagement can drive meaningful energy transformation.