POWER OF COMMUNITY presenter
Don Culvenor will engage with delegates around his involvement in the Newstead Community Energy Project. As a strategic thinker with a lifetime of experience in business, local farming, and community volunteerism. Don brings planning and policy experience and an understanding of the technical and commercial aspects of the project.
MEET OUR EXPERT - Marcio Da Silva from No.1 Roofing & Building Supplies
Marcio Da Silva, General Manager, Architectural Specification for No. 1 Roofing & Building Supplies, supports architectural projects across New South Wales, the ACT, and now Queensland, where they are currently expanding their presence.
Connecting with regionally based architects is, for Marcio, one of the most rewarding aspects of his role. He deeply appreciates that their designs are intrinsically linked to local context, community, and climate, which often demands inventive solutions. He believes these architects are doing more than just designing buildings; they are "shaping the identity and resilience of their communities."
RAA President’s Welcome to 2026
As we move into 2026, the Regional Architecture Association looks forward to extending our presence within the design community and strengthening our role as the peak body representing architects and affiliated professions across regional Australia.
POWER OF COMMUNITY fringe event
The Saturday morning program of fringe events will include a site visit to a modest Goldfields home by Melbourne firm Design Office where architect Mark Simpson will show delegates around and provide insight into the project.
RAA END OF YEAR WRAP | 2025
As the year winds down, let’s take a moment to reflect on and celebrate RAA’s significant achievements this year. Our Association continues its work advocating for, supporting and creating community amongst those practising in regional Australia.
POWER OF COMMUNITY fringe event
A tour of Hepburn Energy will be our first fringe event for Power of Community. Hepburn Energy is a member owned co-operative and Australia’s first community owned wind farm, now looking to add solar and battery storage.
Hepburn Energy owns and operates Australia’s first community-owned wind farm. The 2 wind turbines, known as Gale and Gusto have been offsetting the town of Daylesford since 2011. Now the organisation are working on being the first hybrid wind, solar and battery co-operative and showcasing to other communities a successful community energy model.
POWER OF COMMUNITY presenter
Marnie Hawson will discuss where businesses who want to “do better for nature” can start, and how they can move beyond carbon. Her workshop will make biodiversity real, accessible, and directly connected to business reality — bringing nature into the room in a tangible, practical way.
Marnie Hawson is a former environmental scientist turned photographer, using two connected paths to support nature through the built environment.
RAA Journal Release
Field is a new annual publication that celebrates regional architecture, its people and visions.
Order now.
POWER OF COMMUNITY venue
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.
POWER OF COMMUNITY creative director
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.
RAA 2025 Annual President’s Report
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.
RAA President’s Report | September 2025
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.
RAA President’s Report | August 2025
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.
RAA Committee Profile
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.
RAA Journal Announcement
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.
Technical Member News | 2025 Lysaght Inspirations Design Awards
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
Technical Member News | No1. Roofing & Building Supplies Event
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
RAA Committee Profile
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.
RAA & ACA Survey
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!
MPARNTWE presenter
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.