Smart Design Studio - Sydney Architects

Our team

William Smart
Jane Johnson
Nicole Leuning
Christina Markham
Bill Baker
Maggie Lum
Nik Dunoski
Stefanie Taylor
Linda Tjaturono





Derek Chin
Goldie Peligrino
Harald Straatveit
Hon Loong



Adrian Walsh
Alexandra Gordon
Alex Jung
Amir Shahrad
Angus Hardwick
Arash Engineer
Avril Brown
Catherine Lindsay
Claudia Looker
Dominic Tanaka Van de Ven
Donatus Gurnito
Dylan Main
Elizabeth Torres
Francesc Baena
Geoffrey Goerling
Huw Duncan
James Fabian
James Ferno Harb
Jarrod Van Veen
Joana Simoes de Araujo
Julia Ramos
Katie Uther
Kayla Holmes
Kerrie Bolton
Marlena Prost
Olivia Moore
Q Tran
Reece Hill
Sarah Iskander
Stephen Sharkey
Sherrie Huang
Stefanie Taylor
Veronique Jenkins

William Smart creative director

B. App Sc, B. Arch (Hon), AACU, RAIA
Nom Arch NSW 6381 ARVB 20235 WA AMR 00025 ARB (UK) 061231F
Fellow, Australian Institute Architects

Smart Design Studio, founded in 1997, is a multi-discipline design studio of 40 plus staff offering professional services in architecture and interior architecture and design. Smart Design Studio’s portfolio includes master-planning for urban centres, multi-unit residential developments, private dwellings, retail and commercial developments and fitouts, as well as product design.

William is the founder and Creative Director of Smart Design Studio and is directly involved in every project, contributing at all stages from design to final delivery. His buildings have received critical acclaim, many prestigious awards and have been widely published in architectural and other publications.

His, and the Studio’s, approach to design is holistic, combining both architectural and interior design with a passionate attention to detail. Since 1997, as Creative Director, William has been directly involved in each project, and is continuously exploring ideas in his work relating to flexibility, contemporary living and the merging of art and architecture.

William’s enthusiasm and passionate attention to detail is fundamental to the Studio’s success, motivating a highly dedicated team of architects and interior designers to realise projects of high quality and innovation producing work that is both detailed and resolved.

   

Jane Johnson Chief Operating Officer

B. ARCH (HON) B SC. ARCH NSW 6061

Jane is an architect with 30 years’ experience who is passionate about design and architecture. She has worked across a range of project types and sizes in both small and large architectural practices.  This breadth of experience informs her role as Chief Operating Officer at Smart Design Studio, where she oversees operations across the financial, marketing, legal, IT, HR and administrative functions. Jane promotes clear communication between all parties involved in the design and building process.  She has a strong commitment to ensuring that SDS staff are well supported and able to maintain the high standards that have come to be a trademark of the practice.

Jane spent 13 years at Allen, Jack + Cottier (AJ+C), becoming a Director there in 2008. Her focus at AJ+C was on multi-residential and hospitality projects in Sydney and China.  She established her own practice in 2013, focussing on single residential where she developed very strong connections with her clients and the builders working on her projects.  Experience working in France and The Netherlands has given Jane an international perspective on the architectural profession. She has often been involved in pro-bono work throughout her career, most notably as a Board member, architectural advisor and mentor for The Anganwadi Project, an Australian NGO, which sends volunteers to India to deliver beautiful learning spaces for communities in need.”

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Nicole Leuning ASSOCIATE/Practice Manager/team leader

B.ARCH (HONS 1, UNIVERSITY MEDAL) NSW 10006

Nicole is Smart Design Studio’s practice manager and team-leader for large scale projects. Her expertise lies principally in cultural, public and residential projects. She is currently overseeing the Science Gallery Melbourne, that will occupy two levels in the new Melbourne Connect precinct. Nicole was project architect for the award-winning Indigo Slam in Sydney’s Chippendale, an inspiring residence for an art-collector and for Sydney Saesoon Presbyterian Church, a large facility for a congregation of over 3000 people. She has also managed successful competition entries for mixed-use developments such as Green Square Site 15 and Newmarket Green.

After graduating, Nicole worked with Richard Goodwin on public art and architecture projects and then for a number of years in the offices of McDowell+Benedetti in the United Kingdom, where she was project architect for the unique Scale Lane Bridge over the River Hull and for Claremont Fan Court School in Surrey, set in a 90-acre landscape of outstanding historic significance. Thorough and well-organised, Nicole’s enthusiasm for delivering projects of excellence is supported by her strong management, technical and design skills.

Christina Markham LARGE PROJECTS GROUP LEADER

B. ARCH (HON) NOM ARCH NSW 5569

Christina’s role at Smart Design Studio is Group Leader of large projects. As a registered architect with more than 35 years experience in architecture and interior design, Christina has worked across a broad range of sectors including bespoke single and multi-residential developments, hospitality and leisure, education and childcare centres, heritage, adaptive reuse and building renewal, workplace and interior design, and prefabrication.

Christina’s passion is to create high-quality and bespoke design solutions, tailored to each client. Her interest in the built environment is holistic, responding to and interpreting a brief to achieve an architectural solution that expresses the human spirit in a particular time, place, economic and social condition. A rigorous and systematic approach is applied at every level, from the largest scale to the smallest detail – instinctively seeking and extracting simplicity from complexity to achieve calm, balance and order.

Prior to joining SDS, Christina founded and directed her own award-winning architectural practice for over 20 years, and also worked in multi-disciplinary practices in both Sydney and Melbourne. With extensive experience in all phases of project delivery from concept to completion, Christina has a considered and collaborative approach creating strong client relationships, and rewarding outcomes within the built environment

Maggie Lum ASSOCIATE/TEAM LEADER

B. Arch (Hon 1), B SC. Arch

Maggie has over fifteen years of experience in both architecture and interiors and has a varied portfolio including multi-residential developments, houses, retail and commercial projects. On many projects Maggie has been responsible for all stages from sketch design, development application, documentation through to construction administration. Maggie has a passion for delivering beautiful results on both large and small-scale projects. She worked previously for Alex Popov and Associates and Peddle Thorp.
Maggie was the project leader for the Saatchi & Saatchi fitout in the heritage listed Metcalfe Bond Stores, shortlisted for the 2012 NSW Australian Institute of Architect’s Award for Interior Architecture. She was a key team member on multi-residential projects including Connor at Central Park for Frasers, Alexander at Barangaroo for Lend Lease and Figtree Pocket for CBus Property. Commercial projects include offices for Woolworths Liquor Group in the iconic Readers Digest building and fitouts for the tutoring college, Matrix Education. She has also worked on private residential projects.
Maggie is also experienced on projects with heritage significance, as demonstrated by her involvement with Saatchi & Saatchi and the Morris Suites 201 & 101 in BMA House.

Derek Chin ASSOCIATE

B. Arch (Hon), B. APP SC ED NSW 7506

Derek is a registered Architect with over 15 years of experience with award winning practices in both the ACT and NSW. As a result of his diverse experience, he has been project architect for a range of projects including high end residential homes, a specialised institutional building for St Lucy’s School in Wahronga, innovative commercial offices in Canberra’s Business Park and a multi-million state of the art storage facility building for a private art collector in Sydney.

At SDS, Derek is focused on the preparation and delivery of contemporary residential and commercial projects with an emphasis on elegant designs with high quality detailing. He oversaw the documentation of the Phillip Street refurbishment project, the $12M rejuvenation of a pair of multi-storey storey mixed use commercial and retail buildings originally built in the 50s and 70s in Sydney’s CBD. Other projects include the Mandolong and Wollumbi Residences, and the Bridge Street Refurbishment.

In addition to his technical knowledge and an appreciation for high quality designs, Derek exhibits strong problem-solving skills in working collaboratively with clients, consultants and builders to successfully deliver buildings of all categories and complexities.

Harald Straatveit ASSOCIATE

B. APP SC, B. ARCH (HON)

Harald has over 20 years-experience and his breadth of experience provides him with strong strategic skills in the design and management of projects. At Smart Design Studio Harald was the team leader for Connor at Central Park, Sydney Town Hall House and Saesoon Presbyterian Church. He also allocates one day per week to checking the quality and compliance aspects of all significant SDS projects.

After graduating, Harald worked in the offices of OMA in Holland collaborating on large-scale competitions for complex projects in Belgium and Morocco. In 1990, Harald worked for Wiel Arets and Jean Nouvel on significant works in Holland and France, many since published internationally. Since returning to Australia in 1992, he was a design architect for two of Sydney’s largest architectural firms, Peddle Thorp and AJC designing many projects of scale and complexity. During this period, he was a project architect for one of Sydney’s benchmark residential apartment complexes, The Hudson in Alexandria. In 2000, he was part of the Durbach Block team that won first prize in the Commonwealth Place International Competition, Parliamentary Zone, Canberra 61.

Hon Loong ASSOCIATE

B. Arch (Hons 1)

Hon has contributed to the successful delivery of many Smart Design Studio projects, including White Rabbit Gallery, Arlington Grove, Connor at Central Park and Sydney Town Hall House. In addition to this, he was instrumental in the documentation of Sydney Saesoon Presbyterian Church and Metcalfe Bond. Along with White Rabbit Gallery, these adaptive re-use projects required extensive co-ordination of existing fabric and specialised building knowledge. His ability to negotiate multiple concurrent projects successfully and deliver them on schedule ensures projects have ample time for further review, design development and refinement.
Hon’s expertise is in the technical production and co-ordination of detailed and accurate documentation. His attention to detail combined with CAD proficiency ensure he is an invaluable member on our medium and large-scale teams. Additionally, he has been providing ongoing CAD mentoring within the studio. Hon has developed and introduced measures to ensure our projects are delivered efficiently and in line with their unique requirements. His role has been crucial in ensuring the documentation standards across the office is of high quality and consistent with the requirements of our QA system.

GOLDIE PELIGRINO ASSOCIATE

ADIP APP SC Arch dft (1st place)

Goldie is an Architectural Draftsperson with over 15 years’ experience in the architectural industry. She is highly proficient in Microstation and Sketchup and has basic knowledge of Revit. Goldie’s expertise is not limited to one stage, she is adept at all parts of the process from the concept design to construction drawings. With a commitment to working within deadlines and great written, communication and interpersonal skills, Goldie is an invaluable asset to Smart Design Studio.

While at SDS, Goldie she has worked on projects that range in scale and function. She has worked on multi residential developments such as Pipi, a low-rise brick and concrete building with 29apartments in Bondi, and Arlington Grove, four mid-rise brick buildings in Sydney’s Dulwich Hill. She has also contributed to high end single residential projects including Mandolong and Elizabeth 59. In addition to her residential work, Goldie has been involved in commercial projects like the 7 Network offices.

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