ADR Q&A with Davenport Campbell
Every week, in Australian Design Review’s (ADR) Q&A column, ADR interviews an architect, designer, object maker or industry person about who they are beyond the work – their life, inspiration, challenges and aspirations.
This week ADR gets inside the heads of Davenport Campbell’s co-principals, Neill Johanson and Peter Wager. The pair share their insights into running a practice, being inspired by Le Corbusier and Norman Foster, and the charity work they’re doing to rebuild schools in Nepal.
Can you each tell us about yourself and how you both have ended up working within the architecture industry?
Neill: We are both architects with a love of design. I fell into interior design years ago when I was asked to help an architectural firm in Australia expand its offering into interior design, so for me, it was a very steep learning curve.
I very quickly became fascinated with the link between organisational psychology and the workplace and how what we design has a direct impact on how people engage with each other on a daily basis.
I also had a fantastic teacher, Richard Campbell, the founder of Davenport Campbell, with whom I worked with for 10 years, who taught me how to work with clients and listen to their needs.
Peter: I always wanted to be an architect – I even said that to my grade three teacher. It could have been in rebellion against my father who was an engineer. I grew up and studied in Perth and eventually left for London, where I stayed for 17 years and ended up running my own design studio for about 10 of those years. I came back to Australia for the sun and that led me to Sydney and Davenport Campbell where I joined as design director and ultimately co-principal.
You’re co-principals at Davenport Campbell– can you tell us a bit about the company and what it’s like working there as an architect?
Neill: We’ve worked really hard over the past 14 years to re-energise a company that was a real powerhouse of design during the ’80s and ’90s. We were both keen to reconnect the business with its history of innovation and creativity especially in workplace design.
We looked back through the DC archives and realised the company had a history of firsts – from putting the first PC on a desktop, inventing medical centres and Qantas Business Class lounges to pioneering the development of Computer Aided Design (CAD).
The one thing we have never said to one another is ‘no.’ We took a great brand and made it even better, something we are really proud of.
Peter: Davenport Campbell is also a place that has mentored many of the creative directors and principals that now run the major design firms in Australia.
For the past decade, we have focused on creating projects that provide improved educational outcomes for kids through ideation-based classroom design, great workplaces that can really change the way we do things and refurbishing commercial buildings to transform their value.
We feel we have recaptured that spirit of inventiveness.
Neill: We’re also very passionate about giving back. We recently had a designer join us from overseas who sought us out not just because of the things we are designing but because of the philanthropic work we undertake. For example, we have created the charity Climb For Education with the Australian Himalayan Foundation, and have started rebuilding schools in earthquake-affected Nepal.
The ADR went on to Ask Neill and Peter many more questions, including:
What are the challenges and rewards that come with working with large clients such as HSBC, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and IBM?
Who/what/where are you inspired by? Which architects or designers have influenced your work?
What is your favourite space/place in Australia – is there a spot you wish you had designed?
What’s something many people don’t realise about the role of a principal architect?
What do you think are key issues for designers over the next decade?
What are you currently working on / what are you looking to do next?