2018 Season’s Greetings from Conrad Gargett
It has been another exciting year at Conrad Gargett, and with a well-earned break around the corner, it is an opportune time to reflect on 2018.
Firstly, it is exciting for Conrad Gargett to have just been awarded Winner of the Completed Buildings – Culture Award at the 2018 World Architecture Festival in Amsterdam for the lauded The Piano Mill in the Granite Belt, Queensland – an ambitious project where a chameleon-like piece of architecture changes from building to musical instrument. I’ll let Bruce explain it to you!
In 2018, we again proudly continued our support of the Australian arts industry, sponsoring fantastic events and organisations such as the Brisbane Open House, Museum of Brisbane, Queensland Ballet, Queensland Theatre, Stradbroke Chamber Music Festival and many more. The correlation of arts and wellness is widely appreciated and reflects our design approach in striving to create places to live, work and play that are active, healthy and healing.
Conrad Gargett’s partnership with the industry is an ongoing commitment to support emerging design students. Conrad Gargett first established two Architectural Design bursaries through the University of Queensland Architecture School over a decade ago and this year we were pleased to be welcomed as a member of UQ’s 1910 Society. Last year we established the Conrad Gargett – Ken Woolley Prize at the University of Sydney, and this year we have established the Conrad Gargett Architecture Scholarship at Griffith University and the Conrad Gargett Scholarship for Indigenous Students at the University of New South Wales. This support continues our strong commitment to our designers of tomorrow.
I have enjoyed the first 12 months in my role as Managing Director. I would like to thank my fellow Directors and team for their support, in particular our Board Chair, Bruce Wolfe. As our dynamic industry continues to change, we too as a practice are evolving. Key to this is our focus on collaboration with our clients, government sector, our architectural colleagues, industry partners, academia and creative arts organisations. Collaboration has enabled us to deliver an exciting range and scale of projects both across Australia and internationally. Our practice thrives on complex projects that challenges our team, both technically and by design. Our team’s creativity, skills and experience are honed and unique, and it is with admiration that we work with each other and our exemplary project collaborators throughout the year.
On behalf of Conrad Gargett’s Board of Directors, and our talented, dedicated and wide-reaching team in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Townsville, Newcastle, Katherine and Addis Ababa (yes, Ethiopia!) – we wish you a safe and joyous festive season and look forward to working with you all in 2019!
Lawrence Toaldo
Managing Director
Conrad Gargett
