2026 AGM wrap-up: Committee changes and president’s report
Following the recent RAA AGM, we have several executive and committee changes to share. Tim Lee stepped down as RAA President, saying, “I look forward to our continued work connecting members across our vast and wonderfully complex country.”
Vice President Katharina Hendel steps into the role of President, saying, “Regional Australia is where much of our future growth will happen… We are now focused on growing our membership nationally and amplifying our voice on behalf of regional practitioners and communities.”
ADJUSTMENT fringe event
One of our Saturday morning fringe events will be a visit to the new Institute of Marine and Antarctic Science facility for the University of Tasmania (UTAS), designed by Preston Lane Architects.
REFLECTIONS - event wrap by Mary Ellen Hudson
Central to the dialogue was the importance of trust in all relationships. The event explored how, once trust has been built, contemporary architecture can deeply respect and integrate local knowledge to support long term community longevity.
The REFLECTIONS event allowed time to not only look at the Architecture, but to consider the diverse journeys we take as Architects to arrive at our positions in the industry.
RAA Strategic Plan 2026
The 2026 Strategic Plan sets six priorities for the next five years: support, connection and membership; programs, events and exchange; advocacy, voice and regional influence; publications, communications and profile; partnerships, alliances and reach; and organisational capacity, governance and sustainability.
ADJUSTMENT presenter
James Morrison and Yvette Breytenbach will speak about their experience coming to Lutruwita / Tasmania, finding their feet, and developing their architectural position and practise in a (very) different cultural, geographic, economic and political context.
THINK TANK | Reflection on the 2026 Living Cities Forum
Russell McFarland of Austin McFarland Architects reflects on his attendance and representation of RAA at this year's Living Cities Forum in Sydney.
Through the introduction of Field, RAA President Tim Lee approached Naomi Milgrom Foundation with the proposal of broadening the Forum discourse to include regional cities, towns and even villages; all of the centres that make up our living environments. To its credit, the Foundation embraced the opportunity and offered RAA a partnership in the event, which included Russell's participation in the daytime conversation session and the presence of Field journal at the special guest dinner.
ADJUSTMENT presenter
Belén Chirivella will discuss the recent work of her practice, Studio Belén Chirivella, as well as her journey to establishing her current practice in Nipaluna / Hobart, while navigating multiple physical, social and climactic contexts along the way.
ADJUSTMENT Friday dinner
Once the day’s program at the Moonah Arts Centre wraps up, delegates will make the short stroll along Albert Road for dinner at St. Albi Bar & Eatery, a Moonah favourite for over a decade.
ADJUSTMENT presenter
Australian Antarctic Division Design Coordinator Richard Jarman will Draw on his firsthand experience with the Macquarie Island Station redevelopment, to discuss how architects, engineers, scientists and expeditioners work together to create a facility that is resilient, efficient and capable of supporting world-leading research in one of the most isolated places on Earth.
Architects reflect on regional design in Cobar
Architecture practitioners from across Australia gathered in Cobar last week to look at regional architecture, town revitalisation, housing, climate and infrastructure challenges.
The ‘Reflections’ event was organised by the Regional Architecture Association (RAA), with its president and founding member Tim Lee among the participants.
Mr Lee, who is based in Goulburn, spoke with The Cobar Weekly on Friday. He said the association held three events each year to give regional practitioners, who are spread far and wide, the opportunity to meet face-to-face.
ADJUSTMENT venue
Our Friday speaker program will be held at the Moonah Arts Centre (MAC), an award-winning community arts hub designed by Hobart practice Morrison & Breytenbach Architects for Glenorchy City Council. Located directly between Hobart and MONA, the centre has an excellent café and restaurant strip, public transport and parking nearby.
ADJUSTMENT creative directors
RAA is pleased to announce Carly McMahon and Sam McQueeney as the creative directors for ADJUSTMENT, which will take place 25-27 February 2027 in Nipaluna / Hobart on the lands of the Muwinina people. Carly McMahon is a Senior Architect at Cox Architecture, with extensive experience delivering public, cultural, education, community, and sporting projects. Sam McQueeney is an Architect, and Director of McMahon McQueeney Office, living and working in Nipaluna / Hobart.
REFLECTIONS presenter
In evolving our built environment to adapt to minimising carbon use and creating more energy efficient structures, Chris Ball will discuss his company’s prefabricated hemp-panel system. He will explore how prefabrication can deliver economic and on-site efficiencies across both remote regional and urban projects, while examining the environmental, thermal and practical benefits of using hemp as a building material.
All Hail Hemp
Thanks to everyone who joined RAA’s Field conversation – Natural High – on Friday 31 July in Melbourne, where we gathered at Collingwood Yards, on traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people from the Kulin Nation.
REFLECTIONS community dinner
Following the Thursday afternoon fringe events or for those newly arrived, please join us for the Community Dinner (buy your own) at Cobar’s historic Great Western Hotel.
REFLECTIONS fringe event
Our final Saturday fringe event will be a visit to the Mount Grenfell Rock Art Site, where we'll experience one of the most significant collections of Aboriginal rock art in New South Wales. Located within Mount Grenfell Historic Site, this remarkable cultural landscape has been a place of gathering, ceremony and knowledge sharing for Ngiyampaa People for thousands of years.
REFLECTIONS fringe event
Another of our Saturday fringe events will be a visit to the Ward Oval Pavilion, also led by Jonathan Temple (Dunn Hillam). Here we'll explore how architecture can strengthen the civic and sporting life of a regional community. Positioned at the heart of Cobar's Ward Oval Precinct, the pavilion forms part of DunnHillam's broader masterplan to revitalise one of the town's most important public places.
REFLECTIONS presenter
Thomas Jager, recipient of the 2026 Architects Medallion, will present his University of Newcastle final year project, Unsung – Apmere, which explores architecture as an act of repair through Country, language and First Nations knowledges.
REFLECTIONS presenter
Paulo Macchia will discuss his Byera Hadley research project exploring how local governments across Australia have used effective procurement processes to engage architects who deliver high-quality public buildings.
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