GCOH Committee

A registered architect, Pia has been in private practice for the last 17 years on the Gold Coast. In 2008 she started the journey of her own practice with her architect husband Richie, together they are Willemsen Architecture. A full service design firm, working across all stages of the building process from design concept, detailed documentation, project management, interior design to building handover. In her practice she focuses on creating uplifting and meaningful buildings, with a distinctive passion for design quality and livability.

Pia is also a member of the Regional Affairs Committee for the Qld chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects, representing the members of the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers region.

Carol is an energetic, highly motivated and conscientious professional with extensive experience in Financial/Administration/Operations Management roles across a range of industries including 16 years (currently) with BDA Architecture as their Financial Controller. Carol is a registered BAS Agent and ICB member who provides excellence in all aspects of finance and administration.

Carol’s other passions spanning over 25 years are Feng Shui and Art, she is a member of (AFSC) Association of Feng Shui Consultants in addition to (IFSA) International Feng Shui Association – Australian Chapter and (QRAS) Queensland Royal Art Society.

Francis has more than 20 years’ experience across a wide range of architectural projects in various sectors including commercial, health, residential and tourism.

Francis graduated with a BArch from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, where she is registered. As an associate in a leading South African architectural practice she gained valuable experience on commercial and health projects. She relocated to Australia in 2002 where she has practiced since, working in a wide range of sectors and projects. Francis has managed MODE’s Gold Coast studio since 2016. Before that she worked at Fluid Architecture for 5 years. Her passion for architecture and the design process, as well as her depth of experience in leading teams, results in excellent outcomes for her clients.

Philip Follent was Gold Coast City Council’s first City Architect (2003 -2008), later appointed Queensland Government Architect (2008-2011). Philip became the inaugural chair of the Queensland Board for Urban Places and inaugural member of the Queensland Design Council. He became the founding Head of the Soheil Abedian School of Architecture at Bond University in 2011. Philip’s architectural practice has won numerous awards, and he has been declared Lecturer of the Year at Queensland University of Technology across all campuses. He also received the Excellence in Teaching Award in the School of Sustainable Development and Architecture at Bond University. Philip is Chair of the Swell Sculpture Festival, executive member of Friends of Currumbin and Tugun Progress Association and a tireless advocate for sustainable city shaping and environmental stewardship.

Wayne is the Principal Registered Architect/Director of Habitat Studio Architects of which he established out of an urge for creative freedom and to maintain a high level of design on projects that connect with & consider the environment in which they are sited. Environmental sustainability of architecture is part of the process rather than an option. After Graduating from the University of Newcastle in Environmental Science, Wayne went on to complete his Master of Architecture at the University of Queensland. He gained experience at some of Queensland’s larger & more renowned award winning architectural firms with exposure to a broad range and scale of projects from high end residential & beach houses, through to medium & high density models, mixed use & commercial. Through his work at Habitat Studio he is passionate about design quality & considered outcomes in the built environment.

Darren is a registered Architect with an Honours degree in Architecture. He has over twenty years’ experience and specialises in medium to high density residential, mixed-use, mixed density, hospitality and complex design projects. He has extensive experience as a project and design leader for urban, architectural and interior design projects, encompassing a wide range of building types including commercial, residential, educational, hospitality and mixed use projects in Australia and abroad. Darren is very experienced in the provision of tight co-ordinated architectural and interior documentation packages. His approach to design is one of simplicity, it involves a process of investigation, experimentation and consultation of three key elements; structure, function and environment.

Darren has been involved in a number of international projects and currently oversees the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia office.

Liam is an urban planner and Associate Director with planning, property and design consultancy Urbis and committee member of the Gold Coast branch of the Planning Institute of Australia.

Liam has over 10 years’ experience in the urban development industry, focussed on the Gold Coast and Northern NSW region. His clients include local authorities as well as local, national and international property and development groups.

Dr Marja Sarvimaki is an Associate Professor at the Bond University’s Abedian School of Architecture in Gold Coast, Australia. Previously she taught architectural history-theory and design studios at the University of Hawaii School of Architecture. She is born in Helsinki, Finland, and earned her MArch and PhD at the Helsinki University of Technology (currently part of the Aalto University). She also has pursued studies on Japanese architecture at the Tokyo National University of Arts, and conducted her post-doctoral research on Korean architecture at the Korea University. In addition to her research and publications on East Asian architecture and culture, her current research focuses on mid-century modernism in the Asia-Pacific region, including the east coast of Australia.

Sally is an Associate Director at Turner & Townsend and an experienced project management professional with 18 years in the building industry. She has an extensive track record managing the delivery of challenging and complex projects up to $1.2bn in value within the Government, Health, Mixed-Use, Residential, Education and Commercial sectors, nationally and internationally. Sally moved to the Gold Coast five years ago and since then has been involved in the delivery of some of the Gold Coast’s most iconic buildings and projects including The Jewel, The Star Gold Coast redevelopment, The Darling Hotel and the Broadbeach Community Precinct. She is passionate about delivering exceptional outcomes for her clients and landmark projects for the Gold Coast, which enhance the landscape and liveability of the City.

Sally is the project management lead for Turner & Townsend on the Gold Coast and a member of the Gold Coast Property Council Committee.

Associate Professor Karine Dupré from Griffith University Architecture & Design is a registered architect (Finland) and member of the Planning Institute of Australia. A strong advocate of problem solving through design and community engagement, she is also enthusiastic about cross-disciplinary approaches and partnerships. She has extensive experience in building heritage, feasibility and development studies for regions, urban renewal and sustainability, and has become an expert for the Australian outback. She was a finalist of the Gold Coast Woman of Year 2019 for her passion about teaching architecture.

Leah is a goal oriented, registered architect with 20 years’ experience, nationally and internationally, in architecture, urban design and project management of residential, commercial, healthcare, retail and industrial projects. Skilled in driving multi-disciplined teams to deliver diverse projects in the construction industry and local government, Leah has proven ability in building strong relationships with key client groups and consultants to achieve best practice outcomes. Leah has a commitment to advocating and facilitating excellent design and heritage outcomes in our City. She is a member of the Queensland Government Urban Design and Places Panel and for 3 years has been chair / member of the Gold Coast Northern Rivers Awards jury. Leah believes Open House is a great event to foster passion, equity and understanding of important buildings and spaces within our city.

Katherine is a registered architect (Qld) and has worked with respected architecture firms in Australia and overseas. A passionate advocate for the important role of Architects in the built environment and society, Katherine has contributed to the activities of the Australian Institute of Architects in a number of capacities and is currently the Gold Coast Region Secretary. Her research has been published in the Proceedings of the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand, and GC30+: Documenting the Gold Coast Architecture Awards 1984-2013.

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