WA in AA
Architecture Australia’s Mar/Apr issue features our design for Christ Church Grammar School’s Preparatory School. The images by Ed Janes are excellent and are supported by Leon Van Schaik’s probing essay. The Preparatory School was specifically tailored to Christ Church’s needs. It is essentially a full primary school, with a kindergarten, a pre-kindergarten, and provision for special needs students, all within a single, three-level building; the first of its kind in WA. We are proud of the result and pleased the design and its striking architectural expression were acknowledged by AA’s editor.
What also impressed us is the quality of the other projects that accompany the Prep School. Of particular interest is William Smart’s beautifully crafted brick and concrete Rail Operations Centre in south Sydney. William is a close friend of ours. He worked with us for several years, as a student and a graduate, and we are proud that, launched from a local base, Smart Design Studio has gradually earnt a national reputation as a leading design-led architectural practice, with an impressive portfolio of stunning projects. And despite SDS’s almost exclusively residential profile, the commission for a major civic infrastructure project is acknowledgement of SDS’s ability and testament to a sophisticated client committed to the lasting value of design quality.
The AA issue also profiles The Fulcrum Agency, the new venture founded by Emma Williamson and Kieran Wong. Emma and Kieran are also our good friends and respected colleagues. After some student/grad time with us and then some time in a creative group venture, Emma and Kieran have gained a national reputation as progressive designers and thought leaders committed to addressing contemporary issues. Consistent with their creative outlook and agility, TFA is probing alternative models for architectural practice that are strategically focussed and critically responsive to the social and environmental challenges that engulf us all. Kieran and Emma are on the curatorial team for this year’s national AIA conference, which results from the respect they have forged within the architectural profession.
