Australian Design Review’s regular round-up of appointments, promotions and other practice news in Australian architecture and design for August 2026.

Appointments

Cottee Parker

Reflecting its growing presence across Australia and New Zealand Cottee Parker has made three internal promotions and a key strategic appointment.

Adam Pope has been promoted to director, recognising his leadership in the residential sector and his ability to combine architectural expertise with client-side development experience. Bojana Hynes and Ben Madden have been appointed principals. Based in Auckland, Hynes has played a pivotal role in growing the New Zealand business, while Madden’s experience across retail, civic, aviation and mixed-use projects continues to strengthen the practice’s diverse national portfolio.

The practice has also welcomed Nic MacCormac as principal and Perth Studio leader. With more than 25 years’ experience across residential, commercial, defence, transport and education, MacCormac further enhances Cottee Parker’s national capability.

COX Architecture

COX has announced the appointment of Michelle Mitchell as the practice’s newest director. Mitchell has been with COX for over 20 years, joining the practice as a graduate in 2004. She has since led large interior design projects – from Rio Tinto’s Midtown Workplace and Australian Retirement Trust Workplace to, more recently, Knight Frank’s Brisbane Workplace.

Her speciality is workplace strategy: aligning people, place and organisational purpose. Mitchelle designs fitouts to last well beyond the tenant lease that commissioned them, a discipline she has applied across two decades of major public and private sector projects in Queensland.

She also sits on COX’s Design Pillar, supports national interior design initiatives and moderated the Design Talk at the 2025 AGM in Tocal alongside Philip Cox and John Richardson.

“I made a deliberate decision to build my career at COX because of the diversity of projects, our commitment to design excellence and its genuinely democratic culture,” says Mitchell. “Throughout that journey, I’ve been fortunate to learn from exceptional mentors, collaborate with talented colleagues and build lasting relationships with clients.” 

Gensler

Gensler Australia has appointed Mathew Dalby as design director of Hospitality, tasked with building a dedicated hospitality design practice across Australia, NZ and the Pacific Islands. Dalby brings 35 years in hospitality and luxury design. He joins from StudioFAB, the boutique design and delivery studio he co-founded in 2020. Earlier in his career he was the creative director of The Studio at Harrods (building the Harrods Hotels and Residences brand), and was design director at YOO, where he grew the interior design team from six to 26 across 12 countries working alongside the likes of Philippe Starck, Marcel Wanders and Steve Leung.

“Gensler gives that thinking a scale I’ve never had before,” says Dalby. “A global network of the sharpest minds in the industry, leading and shaping the world’s great destinations. And a research institute no other design firm on the planet can touch. While the rest of the industry guesses, Gensler tests, measures and proves. That intelligence belongs to nobody else, and it changes what design can do.”

Jasmax

Jasmax has announced the appointment of Matt Watson as an associate principal in its Melbourne studio, strengthening the practice’s growing presence in Australia. A registered architect in Victoria, Australia and New Zealand, Watson brings a broad range of experience spanning education, health, government, commercial, community and cultural sectors. Based in Jasmax’s Melbourne studio, Watson will be supporting Principals Michelle Harris, Nick Gamble and Jeff Gabriel to expand the studio’s multi-disciplinary, multi-sector portfolio, while also leading projects.

Previously an education and science sector champion at architecture firm Hassell, Watson has led significant master planning and feasibility work across health and tertiary education sectors. It’s a return to the fold for Watson, who previously worked at the practice from 2013 to 2018.

John McAslan + Partners

Hamish Watt has joined the practice as a senior associate in the global practice‘s Sydney studio. Watt has national and international experience leading teams on complex health, transport infrastructure, commercial and education projects. Watt worked for over a decade in the London, Shanghai and Sydney studios of Foster + Partners. In the Sydney studio, he was responsible for the delivery of Sydney’s tallest office building, the 55-storey Salesforce Tower. He also worked on Parkline Place, a 39-storey integrated station development above Gadigal metro station. Both projects have received multiple awards. He most recently represented Denton Corker Marshall to oversee design finalisation and delivery of the $500 million Sydney Biomedical Accelerator for the University of Sydney and NSW Health. At Grimshaw, he worked on F23 Administration Building for the University of Sydney, which won the AIA William E Kemp Award for Educational Architecture. “John McAslan + Partners is known for thoughtful, high-quality architecture that delivers great public outcomes. I enjoy the challenge and problem-solving that goes with complex projects and am looking forward to being part of a talented global team,” says Watt.

Matthews Architects

The Adelaide-based studio celebrated its 50-year anniversary last year and has now strengthened its team with five appointments.

Oculus

Jess Austin has been appointed as an associate director at Oculus. A registered architect with nearly 20 years of international experience delivering award-winning architecture, urban design and public realm projects across Australia, the US, the UK and Europe, Austin will lead the studio’s architectural offering, bringing a design-led approach that complements the studio’s established expertise in landscape architecture and urban design. His portfolio includes collaborations with internationally recognised practices – including DS+R, Grimshaw and Woods Bagot – on transformative projects such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) renovation in New York, the Tarrkarri – Centre for First Nations Cultures in Adelaide and Columbia Business School in New York. “I’ve watched Oculus’ work up close for several years and I know the level of professionalism and curiosity they bring to every project they’re involved with,” says Austin. “I couldn’t be happier to join the team and bring my experience and skills to the work they do.”

Watson Young Architects

With promotions made across its Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney and Perth offices, Watson Young Architects has announced the following appointments: Ben Waters, Giuseppe Palumbo, Rohit Jain, Song Kitcharayothin and Tas Tzoulis are now shareholders and partners of Watson Young Architects.

Studio news

HDR

HDR has expanded its Australian architecture practice into Brisbane, joining its existing CBD workplace alongside its transportation and building engineering teams. The move marks the next phase of HDR’s growth in Australia, taking its headcount to 137 and strengthening its multidisciplinary capability at a time where Queensland is experiencing significant investment in technology, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and major transport projects.

Huai Lim, managing principal of Architecture, says the expansion reflects HDR’s long-term commitment to its Australian practice. “Our growth is driven by the trust our clients place in us and the exceptional talent of our people,” he says. “Brisbane represents an important gateway to future growth opportunities across Australia. By bringing together our multidisciplinary expertise, we can deliver integrated solutions that help clients navigate increasingly complex challenges, unlock new opportunities and create lasting value for our communities.”

Other news

Dunlin

Dunlin has opened a new flagship showroom at 2 Elizabeth Street, Paddington, creating a new destination for Australia’s architecture and design community to explore lighting as an integral element of spatial design rather than a decorative afterthought.

Founded in 2010 by architect Nicholas Barber, the design studio has entered its next chapter with the opening of the showroom. Conceived by Barber alongside his partner Taylor McGuire Barber, the restored Paddington terrace is as a lived space where architecture, lighting, furniture and objects work together to demonstrate the transformative role of light in shaping atmosphere, materiality and the experience of space.

Holding Redlich

The national law firm has strengthened its national construction, infrastructure and projects practice with the appointment of new Melbourne partners Jonathan McTigue and Lisa Vo. The pair bring extensive experience advising government agencies, owners, developers and major contractors on the delivery of complex infrastructure and construction projects and the disputes and claims that can arise throughout their life cycle.

PDG

The Melbourne developer has announced it has secured planning approval from the Victorian Government for its $1.5 billion project, The One – 1 Queens Bridge in Melbourne. The approval unlocks a long-dormant riverfront site in Southbank, paving the way for a landmark tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique offices, comprising over 5000 square metres of world-class resident facilities on a single level, as well as additional amenities on other level

Royal College of Art x Design for Good Academy

For the first time, there are 50 public places available for creatives from across the globe looking to upskill and earn a Royal College of Art certificate. Module teachers include Dr Nick de Leon, knowledge exchange and partnerships lead, School of Design, Royal College of Art, and Design for Good co-founder; Cat Drew, chief design officer, UK Design Council; Richard Perez, founding director of the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town; Dr Cristobal Garcia-Herrera, director of Wicked Labs, Imperial Business School; Steve Blank, adjunct professor in the Department of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University; Simona Maschi, co-founder and director of the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design; Dr Amit Kundal, associate professor and dean at the School of Design, Art and Performance, FLAME University; and Nicolas Henchoz, founding director of the EPFL+ECAL Lab. For more information or to register before 2 October 2026, visit the website.

All images: Supplied unless specified.

Top image: HDR Australia Architecture principals and sector leads. Photo: Sam Affridi.