HAA is a team of architects and strategists offering insightful advice and elegant solutions for the built environment.

We love working with people who seek high-level, creative thinking and want more than off-the-shelf solutions. We draw on a deep understanding of heritage, at the same time examining current perspectives and imagining future possibilities.

The diversity of our expertise allows us to engage with a broad mixture of clients, ranging from individuals, local councils, government trusts, university colleges, strata owners, churches, and indigenous organisations. 

Underpinning all our work is the conviction that the core of good design and strategy is durability in its thinking, aesthetics, construction, and building performance. We seek to discover new, appropriate, and exciting uses for places, ensuring their longevity 

  • Overall, HAA can provide architectural and strategic services across all aspects of design, heritage advice and master-planning - the process itself, documentation, production of reports, development applications, appointment of contractors (including tendering if required), oversight of contracts and on-site visits during construction. To ensure ongoing and clear communication between us, the client, and the builder we have a dedicated in-house project manager through the whole process.

    We are experienced working in sensitive sites of high cultural value, built and landscape, recognising the need for tact, patience and trust when working with those with an integral relationship to the place. 

    To achieve the best outcomes for a project, the early involvement of our strategic team enables the design and heritage strategies to be developed together. Similarly, we often work closely with different disciplines early in the project, using an established network of trusted and highly respected consultants and tradespeople. Projects are approached with an understanding of local authorities and regulatory body requirements. 

    We regularly enjoy collaborating on bigger projects that require a broad team of disciplines. 

  • At HAA we believe that successful design can only be achieved by considering people, place and culture together. Strong relationships, informed by the needs and aspirations of both the client and the place, are key to achieving beautiful and successful spaces. 

    Our team-based, client-focused approach encourages a flow of ideas, emphasising listening, asking questions, as well as exploring the history, current issues, and the demands of the future. We see the process as a collaboration, leading to often unexpected but exciting outcomes.

    In practical terms, we are informed by the view that the best way to design is through drawing. To do this we use measured studies, hand sketches, layouts as well as mapping the topography. Through researching the history of the place, we may also draw the place over time. All members of our design team, from senior architect to intern, participate in our weekly design review workshops, and are encouraged to give their observations and possible solutions. 

    A strong and deep knowledge of existing structures, their typology, materials, and construction techniques, with priority given to closely surveying and measuring the fabric, enables HAA to develop detailed and clear documentation.

  • Drawing on the diverse range of skills and expertise at HAA, our strategic team works on many and varied places, including churches and cultural landscapes. We are also experienced in collaborating with First Nations people on their heritage places. We invest in long term relationships with our clients and stakeholders.

    We do not shy away from complicated sites, thriving on research to learn how components of a place contribute its holistic value and its story. It is by understanding the workings of a place that we advise on appropriate conservation methods and change.

    Our strategic advice ranges from masterplans, Conservation Management Plans, consent advice, adaptive reuse to heritage assessments and more. We deliver reports that are accessible to non-heritage experts encouraging the wider community’s involvement in the conservation and care of the heritage places they use.

    HAA’s strategic team is experienced in consultation, participating in design workshops with clients or running workshops with stakeholders with deep connections to place. We value these workshops highly as they create discussions with communities and we come to understand each place better, its past, present and future.