My dream clients also respect the environment
and trust the integrity and professionalism of the
architects and the consultant design team. I am
great believer in mutual respect and honesty.A&D: Is there something that you have learnt
from being on the show that is an advantage
for you in your practice?SH: After three years I have been inspired by
the amazing architects I have interviewed
and the projects that I have seen. I am always
asking questions off camera about some of the
details of the build, including innovative ways
to use new and old materials and different
suppliers. That could be a great show in itself.
Personally, I am not as nervous as I was at the
beginning, but I still need to learn to not move
my hands around so much. This is my natural
state so it’s difficult.A&D: I have seen over the past few years more
and more women running practices that are
also doing what one journalist described as
‘really cool things’ with urban design. Is this
a trend that is set to continue and why has this
trend become so dominant?SH: There are a lot of truly inspirational
women running smaller practices and many
are doing beautiful work, but they often fly under
the radar. Women in architecture often have
non-linear careers as they step away from large
practices or fulltime work as they have children
or take on caring roles within their families or
communities with parents, etc.
So, while 50 - 55 percent of graduates are
women there is a significant drop off around
35 to 40 as they leave large practices, to have
children. Setting up one or two person practices
doing small projects, they also get involved incommittees and school construction boards
using their lateral design thinking skills while
ensuring that they have a work life balance.
My career is no different and I truly believe
that this professional flexibility and agility has
ensured that my practice is still flourishing in a
tight construction market in WA.
My history includes working in London as a
graduate, in the WA state government as a design
architect and in local government as a heritage
architect and advisor, running a design practice
with my former husband, divorcing with four
children under 6 at 40, starting my own practice
Suzanne Hunt Architect in 2004 and then throw
in a few board positions. In 2017 I put my head
above the parapet and was elected the first woman
president of the WA Chapter of the Australian
Institute of Architects since its establishment in- It was during this period I saw a real need
for a networking group for women in design.
“There are a lot of
truly inspirational
women running
smaller practices
and many are doing
beautiful work...”
Architecture & design /PeoPle/ jul-sep 201915ADQ3_014_015_Suzie_V3.indd 15 29/7/19 8:45 am