Flexibility in action
How a culture of support enables Nickoletta Flannery to balance design life with elite sport
At Hames Sharley, success isn’t just about what happens in the studio – it’s about life outside, too.
Culture
Hames Sharley understand that to fully serve our clients and projects we must first understand the cultural impact that the built environment has upon society. Within our work in the Public & Culture sector we understand that local communities need to immediately engage with the developments that we design.
There’s no place like home: Sarah’s journey and finding a home in architecture
As a young child, Sarah experienced housing insecurity first-hand. She moved constantly with her loving family from a baby to young adulthood, moving into 15 different homes growing up in Adelaide. Every time she moved, Sarah would sit and draw the floorplan of her new home so she knew where to go and could start to feel at ease in her new surrounds. This started her path towards architecture, having experienced the criticality of a secure home, our sense of ‘place’ and the importance of our mental health as part of our life experiences.
How do we create spaces that elevate meaning?
Insights from Culture Bites
As design facilitators, we draw inspiration from the world around us. We believe that design outcomes are stronger when we all work together, giving everyone a voice rather than designing in isolation. By applying this thinking to the public realm, the outcomes can be better than anyone expected – fresh spaces for people to find, discover, nurture, take care of and grow. What can we learn from our experiences and how can our industry do this better?
Reactivating city laneways with virtual infrastructure
The city laneway is often viewed as narrow, dark, lined with rubbish bins and vehicles parked on the verge, tagged with graffiti, and used only for transitionary foot traffic. They are characterised as potentially unsafe areas, especially at night and if the laneway has inefficient lighting.
There is potential in reactivating existing laneway infrastructure to create vibrant, active spaces that promote increased foot traffic to the buildings that back or open onto the laneway, as well as facilities and services on the streets at either end of the laneway.
The significance of place
The Canberra Civic and Culture District
To cultivate a ‘sense of place’, communities must plan for physical environments that are uplifting and memorable, and that generate a unique sense of belonging. A community also fosters a ‘sense of place’ by recognising and valuing its natural surroundings, views, landmarks, and traditions.
The evolution of mixed-use developments in thriving cities
An account of three exceptional case studies and their circumstances
By thinking of a city as a living organism, as something that grows, consumes, produces, and nourishes, we can study and learn from its ‘heart and soul’, behavioural patterns, and complex functions for opportunities that will best support the city’s communities. This could involve reinvigorating dead city zones, creating inviting spaces, focusing on sustainable solutions, and providing facilities and amenities that benefit the needs of the public.
Knowledge is power
The value of our archives
Archives are valuable repositories of information to us at Hames Sharley, but you won’t think of it at first when the next batch of boxes are brought out: crumbling cardboard boxes with dusty files filled with yellowed papers held together by rusty staples and paperclips that crumble into bits as they are pried off. But take the time to go through each individual project file and decades of hard work and the character of a business begins to gleam from beneath 50 years of dust.
Could an office move boost employee health and wellbeing?
The surprising benefits of relocation.
In an effort to better understand commuter behaviour, Hames Sharley recently assessed its own employees’ commuter behaviours in response to the relocation of its new Perth studio. The research made a surprising conclusion – that a simple office relocation and change in mode of working has the potential to increase employee activity levels, ultimately improving health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Emerging from a crisis
Sometimes our worst experiences can be our best opportunity for growth. For Principal of People & Culture, Michael Wright, that was the case.
Michael shares his mental health journey in the hopes of encouraging ongoing conversations about everyday human struggles and how these experiences help us better understand our communities and each other.
The importance of self-care and social connection: Lessons from living alone in lockdown
Like many Australians, living through extended lockdowns has taken a toll on Fiona’s mental health.
Located in Victoria and currently going through lockdown number six, Fiona talks about why it’s so much harder to stay positive this time, and the lessons she’s learnt about the importance of self-care and social connections.
A series of fortunate events: How COVID-19 possibly saved my life
Thanks to a global health crisis, Director and National Portfolio Leader for Education, Science & Research, James Edwards, was forced to stay in Western Australia and catch up on some rather overdue medical tests. Despite having no symptoms, In April 2020, James was diagnosed with high-grade prostate cancer.
Don’t worry about asking if you’re ok – just start a conversation
Having lost a close friend to suicide, Alex Quin has experienced first-hand the devastating impact mental illness can have on a community. In a bid to honour his friend, Phil, Alex writes about the need to de-stigmatise mental illness, and how the simple art of conversation can help those suffering feel less isolated.
Inclusivity in the design and planning of change facilities
Discussions around gender inequality are commonplace. From closing the gender pay gap and promoting more women into senior management positions, to supporting female athletes, historical gender imbalances are being rectified by addressing largely unconscious bias.
A changeroom of their own: the importance of designing for women in sport
Hames Sharley, like the AFL is taking steps in the right direction to make significant improvements in this area and become more gender-inclusive; not just adding female teams, but by creating spaces which accommodate for women too.
Inclusivity in design: Re-imagining Hames Sharley’s Perth Studio
In her book, Invisible Women, Caroline Criado Perez cites numerous examples of how women have been forgotten in a world designed by men, for men. From speech recognition software not trained to detect female voices to office air-con which is generally around five degrees too cold for women because it’s designed for male bodies; there are countless examples which demonstrate the ways in which women have been simply forgotten when it comes to designing the world they also live in.
Designing for all genders: How Casuarina Shopping Centre is leading the way
For parents, getting out and about with little kids can be a challenging experience. From feeding ever-hungry newborns to dealing with toddler meltdowns and the sudden need for nappy changes - or head-to-toe outfit changes! - the parents’ room is a welcome respite for any parent in need of a break.
The rise and rise of mixed-use developments in the post-COVID economy
The lines between work and play are blurred as newer developments boast a diverse mix of residential, retail, commercial and entertainment spaces all in the one area. This new style of mixed-use design is increasingly being embraced for new developments across Australia, in the city centres and suburbs alike.
Theory in practice
How a collaboration strategy is shaping our future architects Part 2
As part of the NEXUS // 1.5 venture offered by Curtin’s School of Design and the Built Environment (DBE), students were asked to undertake the design research through a project-based study of Wadjemup (Rottnest Island) between March – June of this year.
How urban design can help reduce homelessness
With homelessness affecting hundreds of thousands of Australians, this is no longer a situation we can ignore. It is time for Australia to follow the footsteps of countries such as France, Finland and Greece, to determine how we can implement urban planning tools to help alleviate homelessness.
Why post-COVID school design must still centre around proximal play
As architects, we’re constantly asked about how we will adapt. New technologies, new ways of thinking, new societal expectations – they all affect how we design. Architecture is dynamic in its nature, constantly adapting and changing with society.
How Mentoring is Helping Gender Equality
When it comes to gender equity in the workplace, considerable effort has been made by employers in the last decade to level the playing field. Even so, research shows women are still disproportionately underrepresented in upper management – without discriminatory intent, a very subtle ‘second generation’ form of gender bias still exists that can block women’s bids for more elevated positions.
Empowerment Through Education and a Love of Knowledge
Ann-Maree discusses the power of education and a love of learning as a foundation to success, regardless of gender, where a positive mindset is key. “It could be argued that, in focusing on difficulties related to gender equity, mindsets detrimental to success are deployed. Regardless of gender and one’s experienced difficulties at the time, thinking patterns of blame, self-doubt, envy and comparison are distractions to success.”
Embracing Age Diversity in the Workplace
Almost a third of Australians perceived some form of age-related discrimination while employed or looking for work. Urban Designer, Master Planner and Graduate Landscape Architect, Hayley Edwards is raising awareness on age discrimination in the workplace. Check out Hayley’s article: Embracing Age Diversity in the Workplace and see how supporting policies will assist to create an equal and enabled world.
Advancing Equality Though Economic Empowerment
“Economic empowerment, in my opinion, is important to diversity because it enables the ability to act on a person’s authority, making financial decisions based on individual preferences.” Today we talk economic empowerment with Elise Miles Simonovski, a Principal at our Melbourne office. Elise believes women stand to benefit more from economic empowerment because they remain disproportionately restricted by discrimination and exploitation.
Sport for All
Today we talk sport with Madeleine Steele from our Adelaide office. Madeleine believes that sport has been an invaluable part of her progression as a young professional and would love to see women given more opportunities to flourish in both fields. Read her story today and help forge a gender-equal world. Read her story today and help form a gender-equal society.
Building a Gender Equal World
In the lead up to International Women’s Day on Sunday the 8th of March, we spoke with Liesel Perks from our Melbourne studio on forging a gender-equal world.
See how Liesel is challenging stereotypes, broadening perceptions and celebrating women’s achievements through her article.
The Future of My Career and Growing a Family
International Women’s Day is an opportunistic time for Grace to reflect on how growing a family and her career ambitions can coexist. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the expectant mother to be. Read how Grace is raising awareness, providing forward-thinking ideas and calling out the prejudice for women of childbearing ages in the workplace.
The Progression of Equality in the Workplace
How are you going to celebrate International Women’s Day on Sunday March 8th? We spoke with Rebecca Spencer from the Perth studio on achieving #EachforEqual in the workplace. Hear her story, her thoughts and the actions she is taking to promote equality in the workplace.
Next Generation of Innovators
Dubai Design Week 2019, the Global Grad Show brought together the world’s top Graduates to showcase a diverse range of innovative design projects between 12-16th November. Hames Sharley’s WA Studio Project Assistant Georgina Spooner attended the event and presented her Honours thesis project in the ‘Planet’ category of the exhibition.
It’s World Architecture Day (or is it?)
World Architecture Day is a celebration of both great architecture and the people who produce it. The brainchild of the Union International des Architects (UIA), its aim is to bring together architects, designers, planners and more to share their experiences and viewpoints.
Sustainability: why there’s more to it than you might think
It’s no big secret that one of the greatest problems facing the world in the 21st century is stemming the decline in the environment. Everyone can – and indeed should – do their part to ensure that future generations need not contend with climate change and a collapsing ecosystem.
How Generation Alpha will shape the shopping centre of the future
Those in the industry have heard the same ‘hottest retail trends’ for a few years now; it’s all about experiences, niche offerings, personalisation, omni-channel, social media integration and the introduction of new technologies like virtual and augmented reality. But the truth is, these supposedly hot trends are dangerously close to becoming outdated.
Places of Pride
Australia has a vast number of war memorials – something in the order of 6000 across the country – displaying a phenomenal breadth of design and variation. While you may be familiar with the war memorials in your own community, however, experiencing the full range of commemorative sites would be a massive undertaking.
A design for inclusion
With this week marking the twentieth anniversary of Harmony Day in Australia, we turned our thoughts towards the part cultural diversity plays in the design industry: why inclusivity is not just desirable in the workplace but essential, bringing a whole host of advantages that are lost in a less multicultural environment.
Marion Mahony Griffin - The heroine that shaped our capital
A spotlight on the ‘woman behind the man’
Many know Marion Mahony Griffin in relation to her work undertaken for Frank Lloyd Wright, and with her husband and business partner Walter Burley Griffin, but she was an incredible architect in her own right.
Why being a member of an industry body can help communities flourish
Industry bodies play a bigger part in our every day lives than many people realise. As well as unifying and supporting their members, industry bodies work hard to champion the rights of those not only within the industry, but also strive to make positive changes which benefit the wider community.
Hubs of activity, fonts of knowledge
Brisbane Open House includes talks and seminars on all manner of architecture and design topics. As part of this year’s event Hames Sharley’s Queensland studio opened its doors to the public and hosted a panel event that covered the subject of urban hubs. We asked one of our recent Architectural Graduates to report on the proceedings, while broadening her own knowledge.
From little things, great things grow: Shaping the future of Adelaide
Adelaide has great bones. Its founding fathers planned a city which not only looks beautiful, but is highly functional and extremely liveable, but we need to be bold and seize the opportunity to create an even more vibrant and innovative place to live that is proudly local and yet globally connected…
6 ways biophilia can improve economic prosperity
Based on his paper titled The Biophilic City: Can it Improve Economic Prosperity, here, Darren Bilsborough summarises his paper into six key areas: biodiversity, climate change, urban farming, cooler cities, bio-sequestration and health and productivity.
Incentivising and Controlling Population Growth
Population Roundtable: Part 3
The population debate is one of equal opportunity. While some Australian states and cities boom and expand rapidly, others progress at a slower rate or even decline. So, do our policymakers and society as a whole need to look carefully at putting measures in place to evenly distribute the population across the country?
Shifts in Population Growth
Population Roundtable: Part Two
Alarmingly, by 2022, Australians who have reached retirement age are predicted to outnumber children. There is also a current population shift of people from all around Australia moving to Melbourne and Sydney, leaving other cities to dwindle. What do these trends mean for our future?
Mitigating the potential threats of Artificial Intelligence on our cities
It’s predicted that robots and Artificial Intelligence will play a large part in our lives by 2025, but as anyone who’s seen a Terminator movie knows, these are exactly the kinds of technology prone to misuse or mishap. Here we investigate a report highlighting the potential use of Artificial Intelligence for malicious means.
A future family day at their local library
In recent years we’ve found great benefits in using 3D printers and virtual reality hardware, but it’s our investment in a time machine that’s really allowed us to experience what life is like for communities in the future.
Here we follow the Mancio family as they set out for a day at their local library…
A future family day at their local shopping destination
At Hames Sharley, we like to invest in the latest technology, which allows us to provide a better service for our clients and partners. In recent years we’ve found great benefits in using 3D printers and virtual reality hardware, but it’s our investment in a time machine that’s really allowed us to experience what life is like for communities in the future. Here we follow the Mancio family as they set out for a day at their local shopping centre…
It’s a shore thing
10 Considerations for Planning the Perfect Waterfront
Approximately 85% of our population live within 50km of the ocean and our climate has facilitated a deeply embedded culture of life at the water’s edge. Therefore it is natural that our nation has become leaders in the field of waterfront urban design. But what are the factors that make a truly great waterfront? We present ten key considerations when for planning the perfect place at the water’s edge.
The legacy of World Expos: what’s left after the fair?
Hosting a major world event is in many ways seen as a coming of age for host countries. Seen as a way of putting a city on the map, World Expo organisers attempt to showcase their city to the world in an extravaganza of cutting edge technology, sustainability, design and architecture. But what happens when the fair leaves town?
The future is (virtually) here
Over the years futurists have predicted many innovations that have failed to come to fruition, from flying cars to hoverboards, but when you consider the cost implications and logistics of these inventions, it’s understandable that technology might fail to keep pace with our aspirations for the world of tomorrow. That said, one exciting and long-anticipated innovation is so close you can… well, you can almost touch it.
Countering the counter-measures
When unsightly concrete blocks were placed on the streets of Melbourne and Sydney, intended to provide security against terror attacks, the public outcry was vociferous and immediate. But never mind the bollards, because safety measures shouldn’t have to spoil the streetscape…
Retrofitting, refurbishing and repositioning: how older buildings can become relevant again
All buildings age and what was once an A grade building is eventually downgraded until its inevitable slide into obsolescence. That is unless it is retrofitted, refurbished and repositioned back to its former glory - and that’s where Building Upgrade Finance comes in…
Maximising workforce engagement: the corporate conundrum
Countless surveys indicate that an engaged workforce is more productive and profitable. Yet maximising employee engagement has become one of the 21st century’s biggest corporate conundrums, with alarming statistics showing far more than 80 percent of staff lack workplace engagement.
Face values
You can’t ever underestimate the value of face-to-face interaction. The benefits are many: you can bounce ideas off others, unlocking creativity that might not otherwise be accessed via email or text; you can gain more information when negotiating a deal, or you can simply gauge whether someone really likes that idea you floated.
Building cultural diversity through the language we speak
It is proven that cultural diversity adds to the bottom line. The benefits of cultural diversity are many: improved decision-making, increased collaboration, better problem-solving, enhanced well-being and knowledge sharing, to name a few. But what does it look like in a real workplace?
The perils of periphrastic pontification
Why do people resort to jargon as a means to look knowledgeable and authoritative when a simple answer would have done the job. These days, few people are fooled by five-dollar words when ten-cent ones will do, and jargon is all about big spending for slight return.
