Field is a new annual publication that celebrates regional architecture, its people and visions.

Order now.

This year, RAA sponsored the University of Newcastle Masters of Architecture exhibition for the third year running and, for the first time, also sponsored  the University of Canberra’s graduating student showcase that featured the applied work of graduating students from the discipline of design & the built environment. Relevant students completing their studies have received a complimentary year of membership in RAA’s graduate category and will have access to invaluable opportunities for networking and engagement with established professionals who understand the unique challenges and rewards of practicing in regional settings.

RAA would like to congratulate all graduates and remains dedicated to backing the next generation of architects, recognising their pivotal role in driving the movement towards a brighter, more sustainable future for built environments and their communities in regional Australia.

The Guildford Public Hall is a much-loved venue central to its local community and will become the hub for discussion, conversation and learning at RAA’s March 2026 event. Powered by community itself, it is the fitting space for a gathering that aims to inspire and empower delegates to instigate change in their own local area.

Now local to Yarrayne / Guildford, Robert Mierisch is a semi-retired Mechanical Engineer and inventor of several innovative systems in mechanical engineering. Currently, Robert is working on a Rural Residential Energy System that will provide electricity, hot water, winter heating, summer cooling and electric car charging, at night.

His home has four sources of water and hundreds of food bearing plants and is his testing ground for highly cost effective energy systems for rural residences and businesses. His solar heated pool and spa will soon be used to reduce his heating and cooling costs and ensure his air conditioner always works well.

2024/2025 has been an exceptional year of growth in both membership and influence of our Association. We are working with a range of like-minded organisations to further awareness of the value of architecture and design in the regions. We are working to maintain our presence throughout the profession, from education providers to legislative authorities.

I am extremely proud to be the President of a member-based organisation that has established a position as the peak voice for regional architectural practice and continues to prove there is an astounding resource of dedicated professionals working to better our regional lives.

This was my first time in Alice Springs, and I’ll admit, I packed for the desert expecting heat, dust, and dry air. I completely forgot how bitterly cold the desert can get at night, and it caught me off guard. That contrast between what I thought I knew and what I found ended up shaping much of my experience.

This event was about more than just structures, in my opinion as an Aboriginal architecture student. It was about learning, listening, and being reminded of the duty we have while designing for our country. Here, architecture is about more than simply buildings, this event informed me; it's about identity, narrative, and survival.

Landscape was an important ingredient in this RAA event, which had us start and finish our journey immersed in it. The formal gathering began with a pre-dawn talk and walk up Tharrarletneme at the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens to understand the flora, meet the rock wallabies and euros and see the sunrise. The cool, clear morning very quickly had us connected to Country and set the tone for the coming days. On this land all time intersects.

Weeks after the Regional Architecture Association's Mparntwe event, I'm still contemplating what happened in Central Arrernte Country. Not only the sessions set in the spectacular landscape, but something harder to pin down, a shift in how I understand things can be or could be, when we step away from our usual assumptions and start working on the edges for creativity, discovery and insight.

In 2025, RAA is sponsoring the University of Newcastle Masters of Architecture exhibition for the third year running and, for the first time, will also support graduates of the University of Canberra’s School of Design and the Built Environment. Students completing their studies will receive a complimentary year of membership in RAA’s graduate category. 

RAA looks forward to strengthening our association with our regional University Architecture and Design Schools.

For graduates, RAA offers invaluable opportunities for networking and engagement with established professionals who understand the unique challenges and rewards of practicing in regional settings. We facilitate connections that can lead to employment and vital practical experience, bridging the gap between academic learning and professional application.

So Rhiannon, the administrative powerhouse behind RAA, has kindly asked if I could provide an event wrap of “Vital- Questions of Resilience” held recently in Dungog.. To be fair she did ask me prior to the event if I could and I kindly obliged…. Even knowing full well I wouldn’t be taking a single note as I didn’t need the CPD points. Which brings me to my first point - RAA events are worth far more than CPD; the points are just a nice bonus.

The Australian Standards are a set of documents that provide guidelines, specifications, and procedures to ensure products, services, and systems are safe, reliable, and consistent. They cover a vast range of industries, from building and construction to consumer goods, and are crucial for maintaining quality, promoting innovation, and protecting the public and environment.

While Australian Standards are currently funded through a user-pays model, making them freely accessible would have significant positive impacts, particularly for those related to public safety and essential industries. As RAA president, I have established a working group to support an advocacy approach to this issue which we feel is a barrier to positive outcomes in the built environments of regional communities in Australia.

Brent Dunn of Takt Studio for Architecture was part of the Founding Committee of the Regional Architecture Association (RAA) in 2021. Ideas about it had been circulating for a number of years prior to it starting, but it took the bushfires, floods, and pandemic to really show that it was time to reach out and connect regional architects.

WE ARE GOING TO PRINT!
​​​​​​​
The long-awaited RAA journal is finally happening. After months of discussions and planning, we’ve assembled an experienced publishing team to work with us in creating a yearly publication that showcases our live events, our members and the regions we work in. It's a big step, but with membership ticking over the 200 mark this year, there’s plenty to celebrate. 

To find out more or get involved, read the fully story.

RAA is also pleased to welcome Lysaght​​​​​​​ as a Technical Member for the new financial year. 

​​​​​​​Entries are now open for the 2025 Lysaght Inspirations Design Awards—an annual celebration of creative, innovative, and impactful design using LYSAGHT® products.

Whether you're an experienced architect or a passionate student, this is your chance to showcase your work, gain national recognition, and win incredible prizes.

Top Prize: A trip to the World Architecture Festival in Miami
Entries close: 07 September 2025

RAA is pleased to welcome No.1 Roofing & Building Supplies as their newest Technical Member. No.1 Roofing& Building Supplies is keen to invite the RAA audience to join them for a complimentary CPD-certified session examining the 2025 updates to metal roofing and cladding in contemporary architectural design.

This will be presented by Marcio Da Silva, General Manager – Architectural Specifications, No.1 Roofing, and Jason Voglis, Architectural Sales Manager, Inspire Architectural.

WHEN: August 20, 2025 2PM
WHERE: Midnight Hotel, 1 Elouera St, Braddon ACT

VITAL left me with a renewed sense of belonging—to a network of like-minded professionals scattered across regional Australia, and to a profession that is accepting its broader responsibilities. The event challenged, inspired, and grounded me. Most importantly, it reminded me that resilience isn’t a static trait—it’s a commitment. A practice. Something we cultivate not just in buildings, but in relationships, ecosystems, and ideas.

Katharina Hendel of Takt Studio for Architecture joined the Regional Architecture Association (RAA) committee at its inception in 2021, driven by a passion for advocacy, networking, and improving support for regional practitioners. Having relocated to a regional area herself in 2010 to establish an architectural practice together with her partner and co-director, Katharina recognised a significant gap in the resources and professional networks available to architects outside metropolitan centres. She currently holds the role of vice president.

WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

The ACA, in collaboration with the Regional Architecture Association (RAA), is conducting a critical survey to gather your feedback on two key regulatory frameworks affecting architectural practice in NSW: the Design & Building Practitioners (DBP) Act and the NSW Planning Portal. Please share your insights to help improve these systems! 

Trent Woods is a founding director of Officer Woods, an architectural practice based in Fremantle, Western Australia. ‘Integrity’ is a common phrase colleagues use to describe Officer Woods. This sensibility is evident in projects in both urban and remote contexts, where they ask not just what architecture should be—but what else it can do. Their work in places like Newman and South Hedland demonstrates a commitment to quality design regardless of locality, climate and the complexities of culture.

8 Hele Cres is a thriving creative hub that Mparntwe delegates will visit as part of the Thursday afternoon program. Once a light industrial block, it has been transformed into an oasis for native flora and fauna by Mike Gillam and Maria Giacon.

Located along the bustling Todd Mall in central Mparntwe (Alice Springs), John Flynn Memorial Church sits where movement meets pause in the main pedestrian spine —where cultures connect.

Rooted in the community, the church will be the main venue for the Mparntwe Conference. It’s just next door to Adelaide House, another arid-zone design landmark, which will also host morning tea.