With a range of projects underway in the ACT region, Arcadia is excited to announce the opening of a new studio in Canberra, to be headed up by Mitchell Audsley.
Since 2011, Founding Principal Alex Longley and Director Michael Barnett have grown Arcadia from a team of two based out of Sydney, to three studios in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The Canberra studio will be Arcadia’s fourth studio with a team of over 50 across the group.
“With teams in Melbourne and Sydney already working on landscape and urban design projects in the surrounding regions, and with a growing demand for an Arcadia studio in the ACT, we saw a clear opportunity to establish a local presence. Canberra is a city known for its high-quality urban design and successful open spaces so we are excited to continue this legacy,” says Alex Longley.
“Mitchell is the ideal person to join us to lead this practice, bringing his strong local knowledge, including the delivery of the Canberra Light Rail, as well as considerable experience working across a diverse portfolio of complex projects in NSW and Queensland. With our support, Mitchell will shape the business and the culture of our newest studio, using the skills he has developed in over 12 years of design, project management, stakeholder engagement, establishing quality client connections and leading multi-disciplinary teams.”
The importance for quality public space design within the built environment has been further highlighted by the impact of COVID-19, even in a city known for its access to open space and broad spectrum of high-quality developments. Arcadia will continue to prioritise healthy outdoor living in the ACT, using the practice’s proven design approach to deliver city-changing projects which enrich community and Country.
After a five-year secondment delivering significant infrastructure and master planning projects in Queensland, Mitchell is returning to his hometown, drawn by the opportunity to work on the rich variety of projects underway in a region of such environmental and cultural importance.
“One of the most striking features of the Canberran Landscape is the access to open space and the connection to nature. The ACT is undergoing a cultural shift that comes with densification, and the prevalence of these open and natural spaces will only become more important to the community in years to come,” says Mitchell Audsley, Studio Lead, Arcadia Canberra.
“I believe that Arcadia’s approach to Connection to Country will strongly benefit landscape and urban design in Canberra. There is an opportunity to work closely with the local First Nations community to preserve the Indigenous identity of Canberra and integrate outcomes sensitively into progressive design. I’m really excited to join the Arcadia team and work with an established and dynamic design firm that cultivates quality design and award-winning outcomes.”
Based in Civic, the Canberra studio will be working on a range of health, education, residential, retail, defence and mixed-use open space projects. Current and recent projects in Canberra and surrounding regions include:
- Queanbeyan Civic and Cultural Precinct
- Veolia Energy Recovery Facility
- Woden Private Hospital
- East Gungahlin High School
- Westfield Woden
- Goulburn Hospital
- ANU Union Court
- Pomingalarna Multi Cycle Complex concept design
- CSU Wagga Student Housing and AgriSciences Park
- Kooringal Shopping Centre
- Wagga Wagga Base Hospital
- Southern Cross Yacht Club
- CSIRO Black Mountain
- Deakin Residence
- Wagga Hospital
- Jindabyne Foreshore
- Culburra Beach Aged Care
The new Canberra studio address is: Civic Quarter, Level 1, 68 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra ACT 2600
