Farewell Wes
The RAA community is deeply saddened at the passing of Local Architect South Coast Founding Director, Wesley Hindmarch. He passed, over Easter, following a long illness.
A Founding Member of RAA, Wesley was deeply committed to regional architecture and believed that good design should be accessible to everyone. Throughout his career, he worked tirelessly to support and advocate for regional practitioners, building strong relationships with local councils in both Tasmania, Victoria and NSW while championing opportunities for architects to work within their own communities.
RAA is Hiring | Administration & Events Assistant
The Regional Architecture Association is seeking a motivated and organised Administration & Events Assistant to support delivery of events, member communication, marketing, general administration and distribution of the journal for our not-for-profit architecture association.
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE Friday pre dinner drinks
The Tait Brisbane team look forward to welcoming RAA delegates to their bigger, better and bolder, new Brisbane showroom for drinks ahead of the Friday dinner at nearby Petite.
After three years of getting to know the Brisbane community, they are thrilled to unveil a significantly expanded showroom that brings the full Tait experience to Queensland. With a great response from locals, they’ve moved into a substantially larger space within the same beloved building in Fortitude Valley, moving from a small upper floor tenancy into a welcoming ground floor tenancy that’s around 3 times larger.
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE fringe event
On Saturday morning there will be two tour options - visiting either civic or residential & art sites. Steendijk Architecture’s Green House, an innovative reworking of an historic Queenslander, will form part of the latter.
Green House is by name and by nature a finely resolved balancing act. Longevity was front of mind; the building should endure for at least another century. There is a long-term strategy for the site, and in concert the spaces were designed to be flexible and adaptable, with materials and finishes chosen for their low-maintenance and robustness.
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE fringe event
On Thursday afternoon, Malcolm Middleton OAM LFRAIA, Board Chair of Brisbane Open House and former Queensland Government Architect will host an immersive exploration of Fish Lane, one of Brisbane’s most dynamic urban precincts. This guided tour offers a rare opportunity to uncover the stories behind its evolution—from a once-forgotten laneway to a thriving cultural hub brimming with creativity, energy, and character.
The tour will set off from the Glasshouse Theatre, taking in Brisbane’s new bus station and Whale Mall. In Fish Lane, visitors will discover striking murals, innovative public art, and the architectural transformations that have shaped its identity, learning how Fish Lane has become a canvas for artistic expression, a gathering place for the community, and a shining example of Brisbane’s evolving urban landscape.
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE Friday dinner
After a day of engaging discussion at the Brisbane Powerhouse , delegates will be treated to dinner at Petite. As QLD In Daily says in their review, “It’s a French affair at Petite, Fortitude Valley’s striking new dining destination. The newest culinary concept from the team that brought you Happy Boy and Snack Man is riffing on French bistro culture, serving a free-wheeling menu of divine dishes alongside a keenly curated list of French wines.”
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE presenter
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.
GOVERNMENT + ARCHITECTS presenter
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.
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE presenter
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.
GOVERNMENT + ARCHITECTS venue
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.
POWER OF COMMUNITY - event wrap by James Tedman
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!
Celebrating New Architect Registrations in NSW
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.
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE venue
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).
GOVERNMENT + ARCHITECTS presenter
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.
GOVERNMENT + ARCHITECTS presenter
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.
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE creative directors
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.
Streamlining & modernising the National Construction Code - RAA Submission
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 & Regional Architecture Association Partnership
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.
Field Event | Sydney
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.
Architects Regulations 2015 Sunset Review - RAA Submission
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.