In this session renowned architect John Wardle and Camilla and Neil from Durbach Block Jaggers come together to discuss Sydney’s new Phoenix Central Park.
This extraordinary gallery and performance space originated with a flexible, open-ended brief. In this intimate one-hour session, we gain rare insight from both architect and client, as they discuss the inception and fruition of this once-in-a-lifetime project.
Jan Henderson was lately acting-editor of Indesign magazine and is now contributing across the breadth of Indesign products as well as Program Director of the INDE.Awards 2021. Her previous roles have included associate publisher at Architecture Media for three years, co-editor of inside magazine and Interiors editor of Architel.tv for the past six years. As Principal of Henderson Media Consultants she contributes to various architecture and design magazines, is a regular speaker at events and has participated as a juror for industry awards. Jan is passionate about design and through her different roles supports and contributes to design in Australia.
John Wardle is an internationally renowned architect and the founder of John Wardle Architects (JWA), which has studios in Sydney and Melbourne. The work of JWA is tailored to place and highly experiential in nature. Diverse in scale and typology, its portfolio spans domestic dwellings, university buildings, museums and large commercial offices.
The practice has won national and international awards for education, residential and civic design. John speaks regularly at national and international conferences, recently as keynote at the World Architecture Festival, and maintains strong ties to the Australian arts community and academia. He is Adjunct Professor at University of South Australia. In 2020, John was honoured with the Australian Institute of Architects’ highest individual distinction, the Gold Medal.
Graduating from the University of Cape Town, South Africa in 1978, Neil Durbach set up practice in Sydney after winning the National competition for the new Royal Australian Institute of Architects headquarters building at Tusculum, Sydney in 1983.
Neil Durbach has worked as the principal design architect on all of the projects of Durbach Block Jaggers. In 2005 Neil Durbach was made an Adjunct Professor at University of NSW, and has taught, lectured, exhibited, judged awards and been published both nationally and internationally.
In 2008, Neil Durbach co-curated the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. In 2017, Uro Publications published a double-volume book, “3+2: Durbach Block Jaggers”, featuring five of their projects photographed by Andrew Cowen and Julia Charles. Durbach Block Jaggers have won the Australian Institute of Architect’s Robin Boyd Award (National) and Leslie Wilkinson Award (NSW) for residential architecture three times.
Camilla Block graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Architecture (Hons) in 1991, and joined Neil Durbach in practice in 1992. In 1998, the office of Durbach Block Architects was established.
Camilla has been a design principal in all of the major projects of Durbach Block Jaggers.
Camilla Block has taught, lectured, exhibited, judged awards and been published both nationally and internationally. In 2014, Camilla received an Honorary Appointment as Adjunct Professor from UTS: University of Technology, Faculty Design Architecture and Building.
Most recently Durbach Block Jaggers were awarded the 2020 NSW Architecture Medallion, the Sir G. Stephenson Award for Commercial Architecture and the John Verge Award for Interior Architecture for the Phoenix Central Park Performance Space and Gallery with John Wardle Architects. DBJ have received the Robin Boyd Award three times for the best residential project in Australia, as well as State and National Architecture Awards across all building types, including public, education, commercial, residential, heritage and urban design.
Tim Phillips is a highly regarded Industrial Designer specialising in design consulting for Architects, Creatives and the Construction Industry. He has extensive experience in architectural projects, with a passion for using the latest technologies, materials and manufacturing techniques to bring the creative ideas of his clients to life.
Tim manages a dedicated team of industrial designers and engineers, pushing the boundaries to achieve truly unique design solutions. Motivated by architectural challenges, the Tilt team enjoy the opportunity to thoughtfully consider the design intent and then deliver it through a proven design process.
Tim is also an educator and academic, with an ongoing association as alumni of the University of Newcastle, the University of Technology and University of NSW.