Knowledge

Diversity

Hames Sharley is committed to a future coloured with increasing cultural and social diversity as well as constant economic and environmental change.

Thumbnail for the article 'What’s your ‘why’?'

What’s your ‘why’?

Q&A with Denise Harper

We recently caught up with Associate Denise Harper from our Brisbane studio who shares her passion for social justice and her role in advocating for everybody to access safe and inclusive spaces.

Thumbnail for the article 'Good architecture leaves no one behind' by Harold Perks, Sonja Duric and Talia Uylaki

Good architecture leaves no one behind

Harold Perks, Sonja Duric and Talia Uylaki

Accessibility is a common theme when talking about design. This article states unequivocally that designers have an obligation to raise awareness of accessible design. Diversity in our community is an increasingly relevant factor in design matters in our centres.

Thumbnail for the article 'Are we really designing for inclusion?' by Talia Uylaki, Liahna Warren, Alysha Black, Courtnee Nichols, Isabel Tascon-Guillaume, Stephen Moorcroft

Are we really designing for inclusion?

Talia Uylaki, Liahna Warren, Alysha Black, Courtnee Nichols, Isabel Tascon-Guillaume, Stephen Moorcroft

‘How can we better design to advance inclusion and equity’ and ‘How do we encourage staff and clients to challenge cognitive bias and employ compassion and understanding?’ Our strategic goal is to challenge and ultimately break barriers, understand our unconscious biases, and deliver on inclusive and equitable design in our communities.

Thumbnail for the article 'Inclusivity in the design and planning of change facilities'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'A changeroom of their own: the importance of designing for women in sport'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'Inclusivity in design: Re-imagining Hames Sharley’s Perth Studio' by By Jessika Hames

Inclusivity in design: Re-imagining Hames Sharley’s Perth Studio

By Jessika Hames

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'Designing for all genders: How Casuarina Shopping Centre is leading the way'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'How urban design can help reduce homelessness' by Hayley Edwards

How urban design can help reduce homelessness

Hayley Edwards

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'Written in Stone' by Iain Stewart

Written in Stone

Experiencing Architecture

Iain Stewart

A chance visit to Reims Cathedral left a lasting impression on Iain Stewart, Senior Associate at Hames Sharley. He looks back on the experience and what it reveals about the role of the architect.

Thumbnail for the article 'Doing your homework on working remote'

Doing your homework on working remote

For organisations new to or unfamiliar with running their businesses off-site, this can pose a challenge and leave many feeling unsettled. Here are some simple ways to ensure your chances of a successful transition are less…remote.

Thumbnail for the article 'How Mentoring is Helping Gender Equality'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'Empowerment Through Education and a Love of Knowledge' by Ann-Maree Ruffles

Empowerment Through Education and a Love of Knowledge

Ann-Maree Ruffles

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.”

Thumbnail for the article 'Embracing Age Diversity in the Workplace'

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. ⁠

Thumbnail for the article 'Advancing Equality Though Economic Empowerment'

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.⁠

Thumbnail for the article 'Sport for All'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'The Future of My Career and Growing a Family'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'Next Generation of Innovators'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'Designing for Humanity' by By Georgina Spooner

Designing for Humanity

By Georgina Spooner

While conditions in refugee camps are often insufferable, is it time to start thinking outside these boxes? Hames Sharley Project Assistant and Member of the National Sustainability Forum (NSF) Georgina Spooner looks at how architects and designers can help the displaced to feel like they belong in our communities.

Thumbnail for the article 'Celebrating NAIDOC Week through design'

Celebrating NAIDOC Week through design

NAIDOC Week is a week for Australia to come together to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, it runs from the 4th to the 17th of July and can be observed through a number of activities and events across the country.

Thumbnail for the article 'United into the future'

United into the future

Cultural inclusivity is vital if the world is going to move towards a sustainable, cooperative future. In recognition of this, the United Nations has its own holiday: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

Thumbnail for the article 'Universal truths'

Universal truths

With May 21 marking the UN’s World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, we look at the ways in which good design can be inclusive for everyone, regardless of their background and ability.

Thumbnail for the article 'A design for inclusion'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'All together now'

All together now

Harmony Day is a celebration of cultural diversity, which sits at the heart of Australia’s national identity.

Thumbnail for the article 'From the pioneers to the modern-day – some of architecture’s greatest females'

From the pioneers to the modern-day – some of architecture’s greatest females

A look back through the ages and find some of architecture’s most prominent females who helped pave the way for the women of today.

Thumbnail for the article 'Marion Mahony Griffin - The heroine that shaped our capital'

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'International Women’s Day'

International Women’s Day

This week we celebrate International Women’s Day and it’s an opportunity for us all to reflect on our past and futures.

Thumbnail for the article 'Cause an effect' by By Rua Hashlamoun

Cause an effect

By Rua Hashlamoun

We all know architecture and design means more than coming up with mould-breaking office spaces and eye-catching structures. But have you thought about how the skill set required for those occupations can have farther-reaching effects on the community, both local and global?

Thumbnail for the article 'HS People Series - Rachel Seal'

HS People Series - Rachel Seal

We sat down with Hames Sharley’s newest director, Rachel Seal to chat about her career so far and some of the people and projects that have inspired her along the way.

Thumbnail for the article 'Why cultural diversity is vital in design' by Michael Cooper

Why cultural diversity is vital in design

Michael Cooper

Cultural diversity is a critical consideration in the design sector. As our industry looks inward in an attempt to close the diversity gap, we recognise a number of advantages that a more multicultural workforce provides in enabling communities to flourish.

Thumbnail for the article 'International Cultural Diversity Day' by Jacinta Houzer

International Cultural Diversity Day

Jacinta Houzer

Held annually on the 21st of May, the first International Cultural Diversity Day took place in 2003 as a result of the United Nations adopting the Universal Declaration for Cultural Diversity.

Thumbnail for the article 'Un-forgetting female architects' by Jacinta Houzer

Un-forgetting female architects

Jacinta Houzer

In the last decade, roughly 40 percent of all architecture graduates have been women – but when it comes to representation in the industry, there’s still a gender bias towards men.

Thumbnail for the article '12 Australian women in architecture you should know about' by Jacinta Houzer

12 Australian women in architecture you should know about

Jacinta Houzer

They’ve been influential in the history of Australian architecture but chances are you don’t know their names. We look at twelve women whose work has made a difference to the way our country was built.

Thumbnail for the article 'Save my soul: refurbishing a heritage listed building' by Vanessa McDaid with Melissa Hughes

Save my soul: refurbishing a heritage listed building

Vanessa McDaid with Melissa Hughes

Architectural character is created by the aesthetic components of the building, such as unity, composition, contract and scale. But what gives it soul? And how do buildings retain their soul throughout decades of use and multiple refurbishments?

Thumbnail for the article 'The power of attraction' by Darren Bilsborough

The power of attraction

Darren Bilsborough

With certain employment areas suffering from a well-documented skills shortage, it’s more important than ever to attract and retain good staff. One of the key ways to do this – clearly – is to make your office as appealing a space as possible. But where do you start?

Thumbnail for the article 'Yeah, nah – Aussie Slang at work' by Vanessa McDaid

Yeah, nah – Aussie Slang at work

Vanessa McDaid

Australians are known all over the world for being straight shooters. Ask an Aussie their opinion and you normally get a straight answer, right? Not anymore.

Thumbnail for the article 'Mental illnesses described through architecture' by Michael Cooper

Mental illnesses described through architecture

Michael Cooper

Mental disorders are something that will affect most of us at some point in our lives and Spanish-based, digital artist Federico Babina has created a new project which attempts to illustrate a number of conditions through architecture.

Thumbnail for the article 'Building cultural diversity through the language we speak' by Vanessa McDaid

Building cultural diversity through the language we speak

Vanessa McDaid

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?

Thumbnail for the article 'You’ve got to laugh, right?' by Pete Kempshall

You’ve got to laugh, right?

Pete Kempshall

While there’s no denying that having a conversation with someone who spouts jargon at you can be irritating and frustrating, you can still make the best of it if you don’t take it seriously…

Thumbnail for the article 'The perils of periphrastic pontification' by Pete Kempshall

The perils of periphrastic pontification

Pete Kempshall

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.

Thumbnail for the article 'Divisive architecture is nothing new' by Sally Raphael

Divisive architecture is nothing new

Sally Raphael

The Trump wall triggered intense debate during the US presidential election race late last year, and while divisive architecture is nothing new, civil societies need spaces which allow people to come together rather than walls keeping them apart.

Thumbnail for the article 'Begging for a better solution' by Kate Fuller

Begging for a better solution

Kate Fuller

The increase in homelessness has led to a rise in begging leaving cities asking the question, what is the best solution to street begging?