Panel members and state government design champions

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Thierry studied architecture in Belgium and Italy before relocating to Australia in 1997, where he co-founded Lacoste + Stevenson. Over the past 28 years, his practice has delivered landmark projects such as Customs House Library, Ultimo Public School, University of Technology Sydney Central, and Phive Parramatta.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Annabel is the director of Lahz Nimmo Architects and is an award-winning architect with over 30 years’ experience. She is known for her idea-driven, balanced design approach, integrating landscape, urban design, and architecture. In 2024, she won the Marion Mahony Griffin Prize.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Nicole is a registered architect and coastal design specialist whose work spans urban planning, sea level rise and foreshore design. She is a contributor to the Coastal Design Guidelines and has expertise in design excellence and coastal adaptation for urban and regional developments in NSW.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Frankie is an urban designer and partner at SJB Sydney, with extensive experience working across projects for state and local government, and private sector clients. He is an expert at resolving complex briefs, and champions evidence based, computational design.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Kah-Fai is a principal at Wardle, leading projects across the education, civic, and justice sectors. He brings strategic direction, design rigour, and a deep understanding of project delivery grounded in meaningful stakeholder engagement.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Julie is Director of Landscape Architecture at Tract Consultants. Her wide-ranging knowledge is focused on best practice in landscape architecture and urban design. This experience provides her with key insights into interrelationships between policy and the design profession.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Nicole is a senior associate and the practice manager of Smart Design Studio, where she leads the team behind its cultural and large-scale projects. Her commitment to sustainability and design excellence underpins her diverse portfolio of public, commercial and residential projects.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Helen is an architect, landscape, and urban designer, combining professional practice, academic and advisory roles. She is an emeritus professor of architecture and urbanism at UNSW Sydney, a Life Fellow and former National President of the Australian Institute of Architects. Her work has been recognised with Awards including the City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize for urban design excellence.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Joe is a principal at DesignInc and has nearly two decades of practical experience in architecture and strategic urban projects. He brings a balanced perspective, and a commitment to design that improves daily life and serves the public good.

Design champion

Gigi leads the Urban Design team at Transport for NSW, managing public transport and precinct programs and projects across the state. She is a registered landscape architect with over 25 years' experience in major transport, precinct, and public domain projects and policies.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Kate is director of design at Urbis and is a respected landscape architect known for shaping public spaces through close collaboration. Her experience spans projects of all scales, with a strong focus on delivering complex public outcomes.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Chris is co-founder of Welsh + Major, whose work has been recognised by numerous awards. Her portfolio ranges from public spaces to private homes and includes hotels, restaurants and bars, retail, workplaces, masterplanning of public open space and the reinvention of historic buildings.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Carol Marra is an award-winning architect and Churchill Fellow specialising in sustainable and climate-resilient design. She is co-founder and director of Marra + Yeh Architects, an architecture, advocacy and research practice working on city-based and regional projects.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Jennifer is a founding director of TRIAS and a practice educator in Architecture at the University of Sydney. Her work and research focus on housing and sustainability. In 2024, she was awarded the National Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architect Prize for industry leadership.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Michele is principal at Architectus and an urban designer with over 25 years’ experience shaping city-defining projects across Sydney, London, and Singapore. Her design-led approach to master planning, urban renewal and mixed-use developments fosters future-ready, economically resilient places.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Stefan is head of urban design at Colliers Urban Planning. His work involves city-scale strategies and site-specific master plans with a focus on balancing governance, economic and social drivers, with exceptional place outcomes.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Chi is a director of EM BE CE. She has designed and delivered a broad range of award-winning projects from single homes; multi-residential projects; interiors; commercial, industrial and public buildings; urban precincts; and feasibility studies.

NSW SDRP Panel Member

Nicole is founding director of mili mili and blackandwhite creative. Her practice is defined by an award-winning community and Country approach that transforms design through deep listening, collaboration, and First Nation-led practice.