John Hardwick-Smith, of Athfield Architects, will speak at the last session of the 2018 UQ Architecture Lecture Series.

John graduated from the Wellington School of Architecture in 1992, and has been a Director of Athfield Architects Ltd (AAL) and of Wraight Athfield Landscape and Architecture (WALA) since early 2000’s. In these roles he has led and/ or collaborated on the design of a broad range of architectural and landscape projects. John has particular interests in conceptual design, design development, and design coordination phases. His work is often collaborative and cross-disciplinary, and traverses public, private, institutional and commercial interests. He has specific interest in projects that interface between architecture, public art, landscape and infrastructure, and has extensive project experience across education, commercial, civic/arts, heritage conservation, urban infrastructure, open space, and housing.

John has been a member of the Christchurch Urban Design Panel since 2008, and a regular guest critic for Victoria University Wellington Architecture/ Design students in their final year Masters programme.

This event is in partnership with the State Library of Queensland. Light refreshments will be available from 5.30pm, with lecture from 6.15pm - 7.15pm

Learn more about John in this quick Q+A!

Tell us a little about your background, and what originally led you to architecture?

I grew up on a hill country farm in central NZ, and initially set out on a career in farming. Direct engagement with a relatively untamed landscape, and involvement in ‘honest’ production from the ground was compelling. After a 2 year OE in South America and Europe, I made a relatively late switch to architecture, thinking it might be a relevant way combining a grounding in ‘working’ the land, with a newly discovered interest in the dynamics of cities. Land-based sensibilities, urban aspirations, and a balance of builderly pragmatism with naïve optimism probably contributed to my landing a job with Athfield Architects in the mid 90’s… Becoming part of a transitioning and growing office with a provocative, generous, and collaborative spirit established by the late Ian Athfield (Ath) and colleagues extended the architectural platform from that time.

What principles inform your work? 
Context responsive, narrative based, community connected, grounded and relevant, collaborative, builderly…

In what way do you think your work responds to the lecture series theme ‘in-terre-vention’?
Our work is generally very context driven, often biasing ground over figure. The underlying physical and cultural landscape (the ‘ground’), particularly in Wellington, with its unique topography, natural and constructed edges, inevitably plays a huge part.  Additionally, AAL projects are rarely standalone finite exercises, but more often open ended interventions- often unfinished, questioning and interpreting existing conditions, and looking/ hoping ahead - making ripples/ setting fertile ground for subsequent moves.

Where do you find your design inspiration?
Everywhere! Situations, problems, people, context, landscape.

What are your top 3 favourite design books? 
‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande- not really a design book- but a great book I read this summer about the human condition, aging and dying. And I like that my daughter gave it to her (aging) parents for Christmas. Calvino’s ‘Invisible Cities’ is an old favourite.

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Enquiries

Please direct all enquiries about this event to:

Olivia Dwyer
o.dwyer@uq.edu.au