Can you tell us about your role as a director at Hayball?

My role at Hayball is extremely varied, which I really enjoy. I’m heavily involved in our mixed-use precinct projects, including design advocacy with clients and different stakeholders. I also have a mix of management roles including oversight of communications and human resources at the practice.

What did you do previously?

I’ve actually always been an architect. When I graduated in the mid-90s, the Australian market was flat after the recession while the Singapore market was booming. With so many opportunities available there for young architects like myself, I took a leap of faith and accepted a role as a graduate architect. As expected, I was dropped into the deep end to work on projects which were very large by Australian standards, and given a lot of responsibility very quickly. I worked on a high-end residential development of bungalows in the embassy precinct of central Singapore, and the refurbishment of a colonial house, which required significant attention and restoration. I was only 23 years old and involved in a broad range of roles in the early stage of my career, from the design phases to rolling out construction on site, and really enjoyed working in a very different cultural context.

What do you love most about your job?

I enjoy working with different teams on diverse projects, contributing to the design process and the collaboration that comes with working in a large practice. My passion lies in advocating for great design and successful places.

Is architecture a good profession for women in terms of flexibility and career progression?

Globally, the architecture profession doesn’t have a great track record. A recent Women in Architecture survey found that 97% of Australian women felt that having children put women at a disadvantage in their careers. Women in the UK, USA, Canada and Europe also exhibited a similar sentiment. I also hear anecdotally from many of my colleagues that after starting a family, returning to work is really challenging. This is partly because of the nature in which projects are structured and the long work hour ethos in the industry – but also because many employers are not supporting meaningful project roles for architects returning to work part-time. However, there are definitely shifts occurring in the industry.

Certainly within our practice, there has been significant changes in the last 10-15 years. At Hayball, 40% of staff are women, 2 of the 7 owners are women and 38% of the management team (comprising senior associates, associates and managers) are women. In addition, 24 staff (men and women) work part time or flexible hours to meet family or study requirements– including myself.

What are the benefits of mixed-use developments?

It might sound obvious, but mixed-use developments enable different people to come together and for buildings and spaces to be better utilised and occupied. If a project only has a residential component, then it’s typically only used in the early morning and night when residents are home from work. A mixed-use site, however, which might have a commercial office space, a café and a childcare centre will be used throughout the day, and has opportunities for a variety of people to enjoy shared public space.

Given the imperative to increase the density in our cities, mixed-use facilities offer better use of space and public realm, as well as providing exciting connections between different groups of people.

A prime example is the new South Melbourne Primary School and community precinct, an inner urban primary school which Hayball is currently working on. The project is exciting because it extends the school use, which is typically only used during the day, to include meeting and sports facilities for the local community, which can be used in the evenings and on weekends for a range of activities. It will also include maternal and child health and an early learning centre – the integration of school and community facilities is unprecedented. The project will be a catalyst for the whole Montague precinct within Fisherman’s Bend, a hub which will become the heart of the new community.

When are we going to see more family-friendly developments, in terms of apartment size and amenity?

Families generally require apartments which share many of the features and amenity of a separate dwelling such as good storage, flexibility to open up and close down spaces and access to outdoor spaces. The appeal of apartments is that they can provide an affordable low maintenance alternative in well serviced locations which offer families convenient access to many community facilities. The challenge of rising land and construction costs in the inner city, means we need to find the balance between providing spacious apartments and ensuring the homes aren’t too expensive families.

One approach is to ensure there is clever design and flexibility in the apartment layout. We try to configure a second or third bedroom so that it can be used as an extended living space, home office or study area to suit different residents’ needs. It’s also important that there’s careful consideration of the common amenity spaces in the building, for example, the communal dining room in Yorkshire Brewery, or the roof terrace and BBQ facilities in Volaire which offer valuable break out spaces that can be used for family gatherings.

We have an ageing population. How do architects cater for older residents?

Liveable design standards are integral in making sure features like level thresholds, spacious bedrooms and bathrooms are provided for people with different living needs. As when designing for families, making space more adaptable is critical. For instance, ensuring there’s a dual purpose second bedroom that can be a home office one day and potentially a carer’s room in the future. Social spaces such as lounges, libraries as well as corridor and foyer spaces are important, especially for single older person households, as they provide opportunities for connection and engagement with neighbours. It’s also really important to develop apartments that well located where there’s excellent access to facilities, so elderly people can connect with their local community with ease.

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Get to know Tisha Lee