Original Thinkers Podcast Sat, 11 Apr 2026 22:48:47 -0400 http://originalthinkers.com.au en-au © 2026 Original Thinkers Podcast yes 31d49245-a99e-5514-8c63-e9a6449af8d7 Tasmanian Timber episodic false Great interviews with creative minds from the worlds of architecture, design, the environment, culture and business.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Tasmanian Timber https://storage.buzzsprout.com/4jsdz1j5krodir7zof4x4co72spv?.jpg Original Thinkers Podcast http://originalthinkers.com.au Claire Bennett Alastair Flynn Alastair Flynn Designing The Forest, the University of Tasmania’s flagship Hobart campus.

This stunning project in the centre of Hobart's CBD, includes a glass forest dome, with over 3,500 plants including mature trees and a disappearing tarn.  
Through the reuse of original materials and the use of low-carbon construction methods, including timber and carbon-negative Hempcrete, the Forest is Australia’s first carbon-neutral university campus.

"The university targeted a minimum carbon reduction of 30%, measured against a typical 'business as usual' benchmark building. For this project, The Forest, they achieved a bit more than 40%, and that was a driving factor behind almost all of the key decisions we made when designing."

]]> Designing The Forest, the University of Tasmania’s flagship Hobart campus.

This stunning project in the centre of Hobart's CBD, includes a glass forest dome, with over 3,500 plants including mature trees and a disappearing tarn.  
Through the reuse of original materials and the use of low-carbon construction methods, including timber and carbon-negative Hempcrete, the Forest is Australia’s first carbon-neutral university campus.

"The university targeted a minimum carbon reduction of 30%, measured against a typical 'business as usual' benchmark building. For this project, The Forest, they achieved a bit more than 40%, and that was a driving factor behind almost all of the key decisions we made when designing."

]]> Tasmanian Timber Buzzsprout-18743009 Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +1100 2730 42 full false Daniel Hodge Daniel Hodge When Daniel Hodge measures a tree, he’s not just collecting data; he’s part of a decades-long commitment to protecting some of the largest living organisms on the planet. As Senior Stewardship Advisor at Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) and manager of Tasmania’s Giant Tree Program, Daniel oversees the identification and protection of giant trees within the state’s production forests.

"People love big trees, and in Tasmania, we are very special in that we’ve got some of the largest trees in the world. So STT recognised that and has had a policy in place to protect these trees and make sure they stay within the Tasmanian forest. And we’ve had that policy for over 20 years now."


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]]> When Daniel Hodge measures a tree, he’s not just collecting data; he’s part of a decades-long commitment to protecting some of the largest living organisms on the planet. As Senior Stewardship Advisor at Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) and manager of Tasmania’s Giant Tree Program, Daniel oversees the identification and protection of giant trees within the state’s production forests.

"People love big trees, and in Tasmania, we are very special in that we’ve got some of the largest trees in the world. So STT recognised that and has had a policy in place to protect these trees and make sure they stay within the Tasmanian forest. And we’ve had that policy for over 20 years now."


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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/daniel-hodge Tasmanian Timber Buzzsprout-18545155 Wed, 18 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +1100 1814 41 full false Dr Marie Yee Dr Marie Yee When Dr Marie Yee arrived in Tasmania over two decades ago, she came with an ambition to contribute to biodiversity conservation through applied science, to make a positive impact from within the industry instead of hurling stones from the outside. 

“I realised they were very progressive, the people who put those practices in place were scientists who worked within the industry, within the regulator, like the Forest Practices Board and Authority at the time. And I thought, this is a really progressive place to work, and that's why I sought to get a job with Forestry Tasmania [now STT], after I finished my PhD.”

Today, as Senior Conservation Planner for Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) and ecologist, Marie's story offers a compelling scientific perspective on one of Tasmania's most debated industries, one that architects and timber specifiers need to understand when making material choices.

"In our forest, we do have a lot of threatened species in our managed landscape, and that's because biodiversity has come back into those areas."

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]]> When Dr Marie Yee arrived in Tasmania over two decades ago, she came with an ambition to contribute to biodiversity conservation through applied science, to make a positive impact from within the industry instead of hurling stones from the outside. 

“I realised they were very progressive, the people who put those practices in place were scientists who worked within the industry, within the regulator, like the Forest Practices Board and Authority at the time. And I thought, this is a really progressive place to work, and that's why I sought to get a job with Forestry Tasmania [now STT], after I finished my PhD.”

Today, as Senior Conservation Planner for Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) and ecologist, Marie's story offers a compelling scientific perspective on one of Tasmania's most debated industries, one that architects and timber specifiers need to understand when making material choices.

"In our forest, we do have a lot of threatened species in our managed landscape, and that's because biodiversity has come back into those areas."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/marie-yee Marie Yee Buzzsprout-18544395 Wed, 11 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +1100 2112 40 full false Dean Sheehan Dean Sheehan Dean Sheen is the Fire Manager for Sustainable Timber Tasmania, one of Tasmania's three firefighting agencies responsible for fuel reduction burning, and regeneration burns within Tasmania's forests.

"We are mimicking nature. Eucalypt forests rely on fire to regenerate. If you see an area that's been burnt by wildfire, you'll see afterwards that the forest comes back. It regenerates. We know the land, we know our bush, we know how it works. We know fire. Managing these forests sustainably like we do, we return them to what they can be; a young, fresh, vibrant forest that has the best start in life."

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]]> Dean Sheen is the Fire Manager for Sustainable Timber Tasmania, one of Tasmania's three firefighting agencies responsible for fuel reduction burning, and regeneration burns within Tasmania's forests.

"We are mimicking nature. Eucalypt forests rely on fire to regenerate. If you see an area that's been burnt by wildfire, you'll see afterwards that the forest comes back. It regenerates. We know the land, we know our bush, we know how it works. We know fire. Managing these forests sustainably like we do, we return them to what they can be; a young, fresh, vibrant forest that has the best start in life."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/dean-sheehan Dean Sheehan Buzzsprout-18615021 Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +1100 2176 39 full false Michael Lee Michael Lee Michael Lee is a technical expert in Tasmanian Timber. Mick, as he's known within the sector, has over 30 years experience in research, timber production, and systems. He works with builders, designers, and architects to create solutions that benefit the environment, the economy, and the community.

"The stadium build for instance, in Hobart, called for 40-metre roof beams. No one in Australia could make a 40-metre roof beam. Could we make two twenties? Of course. So it's just changing the ethos and getting the right engineering involved to change the design parameters to suit our products. There's nothing that can be done anywhere else in the world that we can't do here. We have the capability of producing it on island – so it's buy local, local supply. We have the product. There's nothing stopping us. There really isn't."

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]]> Michael Lee is a technical expert in Tasmanian Timber. Mick, as he's known within the sector, has over 30 years experience in research, timber production, and systems. He works with builders, designers, and architects to create solutions that benefit the environment, the economy, and the community.

"The stadium build for instance, in Hobart, called for 40-metre roof beams. No one in Australia could make a 40-metre roof beam. Could we make two twenties? Of course. So it's just changing the ethos and getting the right engineering involved to change the design parameters to suit our products. There's nothing that can be done anywhere else in the world that we can't do here. We have the capability of producing it on island – so it's buy local, local supply. We have the product. There's nothing stopping us. There really isn't."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/michael-lee Michael Lee Buzzsprout-16852362 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +1000 1127 38 full false Gerard Reinmuth & Philip Oldfield Gerard Reinmuth & Philip Oldfield Gerard Reinmuth is a Director at Terroir Architects and the inaugural Professor of Practice in the School of Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney, and Philip Oldfield is Head of the Built Environment School in the Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture at the University of New South Wales.
They are both co-authors on a paper recently published in Sustainable Cities and Society, titled 'Towards net-zero embodied carbon: Investigating the potential for ambitious embodied carbon reductions in Australian office buildings'.

"From my perspective - I'm an educator and a researcher - the thing that keeps me awake at night, the research question I'm interested in, is how can we create buildings that are necessary for society? We know 3 billion people globally don't have access to adequate housing. United Nations say we need to build 96,000 new homes a day. How can we achieve that within planetary limits? How can we  achieve that without screwing the environment? And it's a paradox. How can we effectively double building stock while getting down to net-zero?"

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]]> Gerard Reinmuth is a Director at Terroir Architects and the inaugural Professor of Practice in the School of Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney, and Philip Oldfield is Head of the Built Environment School in the Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture at the University of New South Wales.
They are both co-authors on a paper recently published in Sustainable Cities and Society, titled 'Towards net-zero embodied carbon: Investigating the potential for ambitious embodied carbon reductions in Australian office buildings'.

"From my perspective - I'm an educator and a researcher - the thing that keeps me awake at night, the research question I'm interested in, is how can we create buildings that are necessary for society? We know 3 billion people globally don't have access to adequate housing. United Nations say we need to build 96,000 new homes a day. How can we achieve that within planetary limits? How can we  achieve that without screwing the environment? And it's a paradox. How can we effectively double building stock while getting down to net-zero?"

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/ Tasmanian Timber Buzzsprout-16852385 Mon, 21 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +1000 2633 37 full false Paolo Aschieri Paolo Aschieri Paolo Aschieri is director at Theca Timber – a firm that is committed to transforming the way we build, by leveraging timber's natural strength and durability to build a low carbon sustainable future.

"Every single state, every single nation has a different appetite for timber. If you travel to the Scandinavian countries, their appetite for timber is just outstanding. It blows my mind when I go there, and I like it, I really like it. It's going beyond the technical capacities, or beyond the technical efficiency of timber versus steel. But if you've got the right reasons, why not? If it's worth it for sustainability, why not do it?"

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]]> Paolo Aschieri is director at Theca Timber – a firm that is committed to transforming the way we build, by leveraging timber's natural strength and durability to build a low carbon sustainable future.

"Every single state, every single nation has a different appetite for timber. If you travel to the Scandinavian countries, their appetite for timber is just outstanding. It blows my mind when I go there, and I like it, I really like it. It's going beyond the technical capacities, or beyond the technical efficiency of timber versus steel. But if you've got the right reasons, why not? If it's worth it for sustainability, why not do it?"

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/paolo-aschieri Paolo Aschieri Buzzsprout-16852337 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +1000 2614 36 full false Stephen Geason Stephen Geason Stephen Geason is Director at Cykel Architecture. Stephen has an expertise in designing for people living with dementia. He's a registered architect in Australia and a Churchill fellow, and was heavily involved with presentations for the Built Environment for the Understanding Dementia MOOC at the Wicking Dementia Center at the University of Tasmania. Stephen was the fireside architect for Korongee Dementia Village, a project that he managed from inception to completion.

"A colleague and a friend of mine came to us as a client, had a PhD in dementia care, was very well respected in it. And he would say to me, 'you architects Stephen, you tell a good story, but you don't deliver'. But his point was, as an architect, you've got the confidence you're designing, you're going to sell the idea. He was saying there was no substance behind what people were telling him were good for people with dementia. I kind of took the challenge on, you know, cups of coffee on the deck of the house that we designed and worked with him over many years was a part of this ongoing conversation around architecture, built environment, design for dementia care models; I took him to task and got him to assist me and we started to get really deeply involved in how it unfolded, and he was my referee for my Churchill Fellowship. So I got an interview; one of my interview panel says to me, 'Stephen, so how do you feel that one of your referees said that there is no architectural expertise in the design of dementia in Australia?' and I said, 'it looks like I'm sitting in the right seat, doesn't it?' "

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]]> Stephen Geason is Director at Cykel Architecture. Stephen has an expertise in designing for people living with dementia. He's a registered architect in Australia and a Churchill fellow, and was heavily involved with presentations for the Built Environment for the Understanding Dementia MOOC at the Wicking Dementia Center at the University of Tasmania. Stephen was the fireside architect for Korongee Dementia Village, a project that he managed from inception to completion.

"A colleague and a friend of mine came to us as a client, had a PhD in dementia care, was very well respected in it. And he would say to me, 'you architects Stephen, you tell a good story, but you don't deliver'. But his point was, as an architect, you've got the confidence you're designing, you're going to sell the idea. He was saying there was no substance behind what people were telling him were good for people with dementia. I kind of took the challenge on, you know, cups of coffee on the deck of the house that we designed and worked with him over many years was a part of this ongoing conversation around architecture, built environment, design for dementia care models; I took him to task and got him to assist me and we started to get really deeply involved in how it unfolded, and he was my referee for my Churchill Fellowship. So I got an interview; one of my interview panel says to me, 'Stephen, so how do you feel that one of your referees said that there is no architectural expertise in the design of dementia in Australia?' and I said, 'it looks like I'm sitting in the right seat, doesn't it?' "

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/stephen-geason Stephen Geason Buzzsprout-16852325 Mon, 07 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +1000 1775 35 full false Tim McAllister Tim McAllister Tim McAllister has been a designer for 26 years based in Northern Ireland. He's the creative director of local agency Bennett and the designer behind the multi award-winning original Tasmanian Timber brand. Tim has extensive experience in developing brands for the built environment, from residential developments selling a lifestyle to commercial projects that require way finding and consistent brand application within.

"I remember just trying to get your head around it all and all the different species and the different aspects to the brand and all the products, and so it was really interesting to be involved in the industry and just to see the importance of it in Tasmania. So it's going back to finding out the purpose of it and where it's going to, and a big part of what Tasmanian Timber is, is the original aspect of it. And everything we do even seven years on, is all about that originality, 'cause that's what really makes it different. There's so much noise in the marketplace from all these imports that we thought, well, this is the product that was used in the shearing sheds, way back in the day, this is the Original, this is the one that's lasted. [It's the product that built our nation.] Yeah, it is. And so let's celebrate that."

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]]> Tim McAllister has been a designer for 26 years based in Northern Ireland. He's the creative director of local agency Bennett and the designer behind the multi award-winning original Tasmanian Timber brand. Tim has extensive experience in developing brands for the built environment, from residential developments selling a lifestyle to commercial projects that require way finding and consistent brand application within.

"I remember just trying to get your head around it all and all the different species and the different aspects to the brand and all the products, and so it was really interesting to be involved in the industry and just to see the importance of it in Tasmania. So it's going back to finding out the purpose of it and where it's going to, and a big part of what Tasmanian Timber is, is the original aspect of it. And everything we do even seven years on, is all about that originality, 'cause that's what really makes it different. There's so much noise in the marketplace from all these imports that we thought, well, this is the product that was used in the shearing sheds, way back in the day, this is the Original, this is the one that's lasted. [It's the product that built our nation.] Yeah, it is. And so let's celebrate that."

originalthinkers.com.au/tim-mcallister


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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/tim-mcallister Tim McAllister Buzzsprout-16852293 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +1100 2307 34 full false Nina Schubert Nina Schubert The Agent: Nina Schubert is a real estate agent and the Director of Insitu Property. Insitu Property is a dynamic and innovative real estate agency dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and tailored property solutions. Focusing on property management and sales, Insitu Property leverages a deep understanding of local markets to deliver outstanding results for clients. Under Nina's leadership, the agency prides itself on its integrity, professionalism, and commitment to exceeding client expectations.

"If you just buy ticking those boxes but it doesn't feel good and you are the only buyer in the mix, is it a good buy? Because down the track you want to be able to sell it again. It's really interesting because investors will say, "I just want to buy brick and tile because it's going cost me less to maintain in the short term", but I genuinely believe that those homes with soul and with heart will always achieve a much better result down the track. So, I've bought both investments and homes for myself, and I always go with heart no matter what."

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]]> The Agent: Nina Schubert is a real estate agent and the Director of Insitu Property. Insitu Property is a dynamic and innovative real estate agency dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and tailored property solutions. Focusing on property management and sales, Insitu Property leverages a deep understanding of local markets to deliver outstanding results for clients. Under Nina's leadership, the agency prides itself on its integrity, professionalism, and commitment to exceeding client expectations.

"If you just buy ticking those boxes but it doesn't feel good and you are the only buyer in the mix, is it a good buy? Because down the track you want to be able to sell it again. It's really interesting because investors will say, "I just want to buy brick and tile because it's going cost me less to maintain in the short term", but I genuinely believe that those homes with soul and with heart will always achieve a much better result down the track. So, I've bought both investments and homes for myself, and I always go with heart no matter what."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/nina-schubert Nina Schubert Buzzsprout-15235410 Sun, 21 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +1000 1786 33 full false Dylan Graham Dylan Graham The Makers: Dylan Graham is the Project Manager for Construction in Tasmania's North-West for Fairbrother. Fairbrother is a nationally award-winning company specialising in commercial and industrial construction whose expertise spans a wide array of projects, from large-scale infrastructure developments to bespoke commercial buildings. They are known for their commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. With a strong focus on client satisfaction, Fairbrother consistently delivers projects that meet rigorous standards and contribute significantly to the built environment.

"Mass timber – it's an exciting space, it has a long way to run. There's huge potential, and I think a few of the preconceived ideas of the past in terms of costs or time or limitations around fire, we should continue to challenge these. They're not insurmountable. What you might've been told is impossible two years ago, could well be possible now, or it may be possible by the time your project kicks off, and I think more than ever that is true."

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]]> The Makers: Dylan Graham is the Project Manager for Construction in Tasmania's North-West for Fairbrother. Fairbrother is a nationally award-winning company specialising in commercial and industrial construction whose expertise spans a wide array of projects, from large-scale infrastructure developments to bespoke commercial buildings. They are known for their commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. With a strong focus on client satisfaction, Fairbrother consistently delivers projects that meet rigorous standards and contribute significantly to the built environment.

"Mass timber – it's an exciting space, it has a long way to run. There's huge potential, and I think a few of the preconceived ideas of the past in terms of costs or time or limitations around fire, we should continue to challenge these. They're not insurmountable. What you might've been told is impossible two years ago, could well be possible now, or it may be possible by the time your project kicks off, and I think more than ever that is true."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/dylan-graham Dylan Graham Buzzsprout-15235397 Mon, 15 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +1000 1757 32 full false Murray Griffiths Murray Griffiths The Makers: Murray Griffiths is a Director of My Build Collective. My Build Collective is a team of passionate designers and builders based in Launceston, specialising in creating unique custom homes. They offer a complete design and build experience, guiding clients from initial consultation through to the final handover. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and transparency, My Build Collective ensures clients are involved and informed throughout the process.

"I've used a lot of imported timbers that are softwoods that come out from all over the world, and they don't stand up. They shrink, they buckle, they swell. Whereas with Tassie hardwood, you know it's gonna shrink, but you know that. But it's gonna silver off and harden beautifully. They say if you eat from your area, it's a lot healthier for you, and I think your building, if you're using materials from around the area, isn't that making a healthier building?"

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]]> The Makers: Murray Griffiths is a Director of My Build Collective. My Build Collective is a team of passionate designers and builders based in Launceston, specialising in creating unique custom homes. They offer a complete design and build experience, guiding clients from initial consultation through to the final handover. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and transparency, My Build Collective ensures clients are involved and informed throughout the process.

"I've used a lot of imported timbers that are softwoods that come out from all over the world, and they don't stand up. They shrink, they buckle, they swell. Whereas with Tassie hardwood, you know it's gonna shrink, but you know that. But it's gonna silver off and harden beautifully. They say if you eat from your area, it's a lot healthier for you, and I think your building, if you're using materials from around the area, isn't that making a healthier building?"

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/murray-griffiths Murray Griffiths Buzzsprout-15235391 Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +1000 2259 31 full false Amanda Hardinge Amanda Hardinge The Makers: Amanda Hardinge is the CEO of Merritt Joinery, a renowned Australian company specialising in high-end architectural joinery. With a commitment to precision craftsmanship and cutting-edge design, Merritt Joinery creates bespoke solutions for kitchens, bathrooms, wardrobes, and custom interiors, transforming spaces with exceptional quality and attention to detail. Under Amanda’s leadership, the company maintains a strong focus on sustainability, utilising ethically sourced materials and employing environmentally responsible practices throughout their operations.

"We like to be given a challenge. Let's give it a go. If we can't find it, we try and source it. If we can't make it, we try and figure out different ways that we can create the same end finish that they want. We all work together from day one. We don't run off and create it into our own ideas. At the end of the day, we wanna see the client have their space that they've created, come to life."

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]]> The Makers: Amanda Hardinge is the CEO of Merritt Joinery, a renowned Australian company specialising in high-end architectural joinery. With a commitment to precision craftsmanship and cutting-edge design, Merritt Joinery creates bespoke solutions for kitchens, bathrooms, wardrobes, and custom interiors, transforming spaces with exceptional quality and attention to detail. Under Amanda’s leadership, the company maintains a strong focus on sustainability, utilising ethically sourced materials and employing environmentally responsible practices throughout their operations.

"We like to be given a challenge. Let's give it a go. If we can't find it, we try and source it. If we can't make it, we try and figure out different ways that we can create the same end finish that they want. We all work together from day one. We don't run off and create it into our own ideas. At the end of the day, we wanna see the client have their space that they've created, come to life."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/amanda-hardinge Amanda Hardinge Buzzsprout-15235386 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +1000 1854 30 full false Al & Imogen Roberts Al & Imogen Roberts The Makers: Al & Imo Roberts are the creative force behind their eponymous studio, Al & Imo. Based in Freshwater Creek, Victoria, they craft bespoke, handcrafted furniture and objects. Drawing inspiration from their natural surroundings, their pieces showcase a deep respect for materiality, with an emphasis on ethically and sustainably sourced timber. Al & Imo’s work transcends functionality, each creation imbued with artistry and designed to enrich the spaces they inhabit.

"I've got goosebumps thinking about us making the rocking chair and the cot when I was pregnant. My memories are all based around us building things for ourselves. We constantly just make things that we need for ourselves, and then we're starting to offer more of those products to our customers as well. Good design attracts good people. Good people attracts good design. And then you just end up surrounded by lovely things and lovely people."

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]]> The Makers: Al & Imo Roberts are the creative force behind their eponymous studio, Al & Imo. Based in Freshwater Creek, Victoria, they craft bespoke, handcrafted furniture and objects. Drawing inspiration from their natural surroundings, their pieces showcase a deep respect for materiality, with an emphasis on ethically and sustainably sourced timber. Al & Imo’s work transcends functionality, each creation imbued with artistry and designed to enrich the spaces they inhabit.

"I've got goosebumps thinking about us making the rocking chair and the cot when I was pregnant. My memories are all based around us building things for ourselves. We constantly just make things that we need for ourselves, and then we're starting to offer more of those products to our customers as well. Good design attracts good people. Good people attracts good design. And then you just end up surrounded by lovely things and lovely people."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/al-and-imo Al & Imogen Roberts Buzzsprout-14980136 Mon, 24 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +1000 2047 29 full false Greg Nolan Greg Nolan The Problem Solvers: Greg Nolan is a Professor at the University of Tasmania’s School of Architecture and Design and the Director of the University’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW). As an advocate for innovative timber applications, Greg leads CSAW in its mission to be a global leader in sustainable architectural design and building with wood. His work centres on developing practical, environmentally responsible solutions that highlight the potential of wood to reduce the construction industry’s carbon footprint.

"Architects are by definition, multi-variable problem solvers. Clients come to us with issues, with desires, and the architect has to accommodate those, or adjust within a whole regulatory framework, so there's many, many, many different variables that they've got to consider and coming up with a solution. And then they've got to do it in three dimensions. While we work in research, the research is also then multi-variable problem solving."

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]]> The Problem Solvers: Greg Nolan is a Professor at the University of Tasmania’s School of Architecture and Design and the Director of the University’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW). As an advocate for innovative timber applications, Greg leads CSAW in its mission to be a global leader in sustainable architectural design and building with wood. His work centres on developing practical, environmentally responsible solutions that highlight the potential of wood to reduce the construction industry’s carbon footprint.

"Architects are by definition, multi-variable problem solvers. Clients come to us with issues, with desires, and the architect has to accommodate those, or adjust within a whole regulatory framework, so there's many, many, many different variables that they've got to consider and coming up with a solution. And then they've got to do it in three dimensions. While we work in research, the research is also then multi-variable problem solving."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/greg-nolan Greg Nolan Buzzsprout-14980135 Mon, 17 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +1000 2370 28 full false Louise Wallis Louise Wallis The Problem Solvers: Dr. Louise Wallis is a passionate advocate for sustainable construction and the innovative use of wood in architecture. As Deputy Director of the Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW) at the University of Tasmania, she leads research and development initiatives exploring the vast potential of timber in creating environmentally responsible and structurally sound buildings. Her work at CSAW, a leading research center dedicated to advancing the use of wood in the built environment, focuses on promoting sustainable forestry practices and developing innovative timber-based building solutions for a lower-carbon future.

"I've always been very interested in materials and how we use them, and then thinking about, as an architect, it's a bit like a fashion designer – we have material, or fabric, and we are trying to sculpt it and make it in ways that it will be expressive, and it'll also form its function. The same's true with architecture."

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]]> The Problem Solvers: Dr. Louise Wallis is a passionate advocate for sustainable construction and the innovative use of wood in architecture. As Deputy Director of the Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW) at the University of Tasmania, she leads research and development initiatives exploring the vast potential of timber in creating environmentally responsible and structurally sound buildings. Her work at CSAW, a leading research center dedicated to advancing the use of wood in the built environment, focuses on promoting sustainable forestry practices and developing innovative timber-based building solutions for a lower-carbon future.

"I've always been very interested in materials and how we use them, and then thinking about, as an architect, it's a bit like a fashion designer – we have material, or fabric, and we are trying to sculpt it and make it in ways that it will be expressive, and it'll also form its function. The same's true with architecture."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/louise-wallis Louise Wallis Buzzsprout-14980133 Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +1000 2300 27 full false Scott Flett Scott Flett The Architects: Scott Flett is the Director of Flett Architecture, an award-winning studio based in Sydney. Driven by a deep appreciation for context, materiality, and the human experience, Flett creates refined, enduring architectural solutions that seamlessly blend functionality and aesthetics. Scott's work is characterised by a thoughtful approach to design, emphasising natural light, honest materials, and a strong connection to the surrounding landscape.

"The reason why we had so much confidence is that when you build a boat out of timber, you know what timber is capable of - capable of so much more than just cladding, and Tasmania has that sort of institutional knowledge of making things with timber, curving with timber, and part of that's just like, when you're familiar with how they used to make boats out of timber just float, all of a sudden, just a cladding board, doesn't seem to feel as scary."

originalthinkers.com.au/scott-flett

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]]> The Architects: Scott Flett is the Director of Flett Architecture, an award-winning studio based in Sydney. Driven by a deep appreciation for context, materiality, and the human experience, Flett creates refined, enduring architectural solutions that seamlessly blend functionality and aesthetics. Scott's work is characterised by a thoughtful approach to design, emphasising natural light, honest materials, and a strong connection to the surrounding landscape.

"The reason why we had so much confidence is that when you build a boat out of timber, you know what timber is capable of - capable of so much more than just cladding, and Tasmania has that sort of institutional knowledge of making things with timber, curving with timber, and part of that's just like, when you're familiar with how they used to make boats out of timber just float, all of a sudden, just a cladding board, doesn't seem to feel as scary."

originalthinkers.com.au/scott-flett

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/scott-flett Scott Flett Buzzsprout-14980102 Mon, 03 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +1000 2470 26 full false Fiona Dunin Fiona Dunin The Architects: Fiona Dunin is the Director of FMD Architects, a renowned Melbourne-based architecture firm known for its innovative and sustainable designs. Merging her interior design and architecture expertise, Fiona brings a holistic approach to her projects, ensuring a seamless and harmonious integration of spaces from the inside out. FMD Architects specialises in crafting residential, commercial, and public spaces that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and environmentally responsible. Their collaborative approach and dedication to design excellence have earned them a reputation as one of Australia’s leading architectural practices.

"I think we have a huge role to play. I mean, the amount of energy that our buildings take to build, but also to run and to live in, is enormous. So we have a huge role to play to make these buildings, one, minimise the carbon footprint of the actual construction of the buildings, maximise the lifespan of the buildings and the interiors, and think about that sort of ongoing lifespan of the building."

originalthinkers.com.au/fiona-dunin


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]]> The Architects: Fiona Dunin is the Director of FMD Architects, a renowned Melbourne-based architecture firm known for its innovative and sustainable designs. Merging her interior design and architecture expertise, Fiona brings a holistic approach to her projects, ensuring a seamless and harmonious integration of spaces from the inside out. FMD Architects specialises in crafting residential, commercial, and public spaces that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and environmentally responsible. Their collaborative approach and dedication to design excellence have earned them a reputation as one of Australia’s leading architectural practices.

"I think we have a huge role to play. I mean, the amount of energy that our buildings take to build, but also to run and to live in, is enormous. So we have a huge role to play to make these buildings, one, minimise the carbon footprint of the actual construction of the buildings, maximise the lifespan of the buildings and the interiors, and think about that sort of ongoing lifespan of the building."

originalthinkers.com.au/fiona-dunin


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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/fiona-dunin Fiona Dunin Buzzsprout-14980118 Mon, 27 May 2024 07:00:00 +1000 2264 25 full false Josh Turnbull Josh Turnbull The Timber Processors: Josh Turnbull is the Green Mill Manager at Neville Smith Forest Products. Neville Smith Forest Products is a leading Australian hardwood sawmilling company and a key supplier of high-quality timber products. Operating multiple sawmills nationwide, they specialise in processing a diverse range of hardwood species, catering to various market segments, including structural and engineered wood products, flooring and decking. Neville Smith Forest Products plays a significant role in the Australian timber industry with a commitment to sustainable forestry practices and efficient production processes.

"We've definitely seen a bit of ambiguity around supply, or continuity of supply, with the exit of the Victorian forests in the native space, and I can assure you that the continuity of supply in Tassie is great, now and into the future. And obviously we've got the estates of the plantation yields coming online in the very near future. So I would say it's readily available and it is very, very sustainably harvested."

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]]> The Timber Processors: Josh Turnbull is the Green Mill Manager at Neville Smith Forest Products. Neville Smith Forest Products is a leading Australian hardwood sawmilling company and a key supplier of high-quality timber products. Operating multiple sawmills nationwide, they specialise in processing a diverse range of hardwood species, catering to various market segments, including structural and engineered wood products, flooring and decking. Neville Smith Forest Products plays a significant role in the Australian timber industry with a commitment to sustainable forestry practices and efficient production processes.

"We've definitely seen a bit of ambiguity around supply, or continuity of supply, with the exit of the Victorian forests in the native space, and I can assure you that the continuity of supply in Tassie is great, now and into the future. And obviously we've got the estates of the plantation yields coming online in the very near future. So I would say it's readily available and it is very, very sustainably harvested."

originalthinkers.com.au/josh-turnbull


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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/josh-turnbull Josh Turnbull Buzzsprout-14980131 Mon, 20 May 2024 07:00:00 +1000 2120 24 full false Andrew Morgan Andrew Morgan The Timber Processors: Andrew Morgan is Co-Founder of Hydrowood. Hydrowood is a company driven by innovation and sustainability within the timber industry. As a specialist in timber drying and processing, Hydrowood utilises cutting-edge technology to responsibly source and process submerged and salvaged timber, transforming it into premium quality wood products for various applications. Their commitment to environmental responsibility is evident in their practices, ensuring the preservation of valuable timber resources while minimising waste.

" So, it is treasure hunting; whenever we take people to the lake and it's the first time they're there, it is captivating. People will watch it, because there's that mystique, that reveal. So, as that tree comes up, it might be a beautiful blood-red Myrtle, or it might be Huon Pine, or it might be a Celery Top Pine – we extract a number of different species. And so there's always that mystique of what's it going to be next? And it really captures people. And you can sit there for an hour, or two hours, and people are just quite happy watching trees being harvested. It's quite an amazing experience."

originalthinkers.com.au/andrew-morgan


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]]> The Timber Processors: Andrew Morgan is Co-Founder of Hydrowood. Hydrowood is a company driven by innovation and sustainability within the timber industry. As a specialist in timber drying and processing, Hydrowood utilises cutting-edge technology to responsibly source and process submerged and salvaged timber, transforming it into premium quality wood products for various applications. Their commitment to environmental responsibility is evident in their practices, ensuring the preservation of valuable timber resources while minimising waste.

" So, it is treasure hunting; whenever we take people to the lake and it's the first time they're there, it is captivating. People will watch it, because there's that mystique, that reveal. So, as that tree comes up, it might be a beautiful blood-red Myrtle, or it might be Huon Pine, or it might be a Celery Top Pine – we extract a number of different species. And so there's always that mystique of what's it going to be next? And it really captures people. And you can sit there for an hour, or two hours, and people are just quite happy watching trees being harvested. It's quite an amazing experience."

originalthinkers.com.au/andrew-morgan


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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/andrew-morgan Andrew Morgan Buzzsprout-14902921 Mon, 13 May 2024 07:00:00 +1000 1884 23 full false Shawn Britton Shawn Britton The Timber Processors: Shawn Britton is Managing Director of Britton Timbers. Britton Timbers is a family-owned and operated Tasmanian business with a long and proud history spanning more than 110 years. Specialising in the sustainable harvesting, processing, and marketing of Tasmanian specialty timbers, they cater to both domestic and international markets. With a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, Britton Timbers offers a wide range of timber products, including high-grade sawlogs, veneer logs, and craftwood, meeting the diverse needs of the timber industry.

"From the forest through to the finished products that we manufacture, waste is critical to minimise, but it's also not looking at certain things as waste, but as opportunities. At the end of the day, sawdust is a product from the logs. So, our local pool is heated with woodchips, and a flower farm up the road, they use our sawdust. We supply the boiler fuel for McCain's Potato Factory. Everything gets utilised, and that's pretty important to us as well."

originalthinkers.com.au/shawn-britton


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]]> The Timber Processors: Shawn Britton is Managing Director of Britton Timbers. Britton Timbers is a family-owned and operated Tasmanian business with a long and proud history spanning more than 110 years. Specialising in the sustainable harvesting, processing, and marketing of Tasmanian specialty timbers, they cater to both domestic and international markets. With a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, Britton Timbers offers a wide range of timber products, including high-grade sawlogs, veneer logs, and craftwood, meeting the diverse needs of the timber industry.

"From the forest through to the finished products that we manufacture, waste is critical to minimise, but it's also not looking at certain things as waste, but as opportunities. At the end of the day, sawdust is a product from the logs. So, our local pool is heated with woodchips, and a flower farm up the road, they use our sawdust. We supply the boiler fuel for McCain's Potato Factory. Everything gets utilised, and that's pretty important to us as well."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/shawn-britton Shawn Britton Buzzsprout-14902913 Mon, 06 May 2024 07:00:00 +1000 2212 23 full false Justin Baily Justin Baily The Growers: Justin Baily is a Forest Steward and owner of Baileaf. Baileaf offers tailored solutions designed to help private landowners and trusted partners manage their forests and land in a way that promotes biodiversity, builds community, and enhances their vitality and value for future generations.

" This is particularly relevant to the architectural space because the architect will be in a position to say, not only are we using these materials for these particular inputs, these materials have come from these particular areas, within this farm, this farmer took them down for these reasons, and there's some sort of market differentiation, which can happen.There's provenance. "

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]]> The Growers: Justin Baily is a Forest Steward and owner of Baileaf. Baileaf offers tailored solutions designed to help private landowners and trusted partners manage their forests and land in a way that promotes biodiversity, builds community, and enhances their vitality and value for future generations.

" This is particularly relevant to the architectural space because the architect will be in a position to say, not only are we using these materials for these particular inputs, these materials have come from these particular areas, within this farm, this farmer took them down for these reasons, and there's some sort of market differentiation, which can happen.There's provenance. "

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/justin-baily Justin Baily Buzzsprout-14902906 Mon, 29 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +1000 1942 21 full false David White David White The Growers: David White is the Forest Manager for Sustainable Timber Tasmania – a Tasmanian Government Business Enterprise that manages approximately 812,000 hectares of public production forest in sustainable ways.

"My old wildlife professor used to say, forestry is not rocket science. It's ten times more complicated. The misconception, once you go and burn it, that's it, the forest is gone. Well, it simply isn't true; there's a whole set of natural processes, it's evolved over millennia that eucalypt forest burns from time to time and it burns incredibly hot. Animals know how to move away from smoke, and then they know how to recolonise back. Plants have seeds that get ground-stored and then released during a fire, and so the biodiversity comes back and that probably is the biggest misconception – once you've done it, then you can't have it back. Nothing could be further from the truth."

originalthinkers.com.au/david-white


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]]> The Growers: David White is the Forest Manager for Sustainable Timber Tasmania – a Tasmanian Government Business Enterprise that manages approximately 812,000 hectares of public production forest in sustainable ways.

"My old wildlife professor used to say, forestry is not rocket science. It's ten times more complicated. The misconception, once you go and burn it, that's it, the forest is gone. Well, it simply isn't true; there's a whole set of natural processes, it's evolved over millennia that eucalypt forest burns from time to time and it burns incredibly hot. Animals know how to move away from smoke, and then they know how to recolonise back. Plants have seeds that get ground-stored and then released during a fire, and so the biodiversity comes back and that probably is the biggest misconception – once you've done it, then you can't have it back. Nothing could be further from the truth."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/david-white David White Buzzsprout-14888281 Mon, 22 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +1000 3128 20 full true Marius Myking Marius Myking Marius Myking, Director of Product Design at Snøhetta, is a strategic designer and creative force leading the charge in sustainable design and innovation. With an illustrious career marked by an array of prestigious awards, including the 2021 Dezeen Sustainability Award, Marius leverages his international expertise and strategic insight to connect industry, markets, and technology, creating designs that positively shape our future.

"At Snøhetta, the most important project is Snøhetta itself. We believe that we can change the world through architecture and design; architecture and design are of the most important tools to evolve society, to evolve behaviour, and to learn from – and sometimes we're able to gain a big impact and sometimes a smaller one. But, always pushing ourselves to explore, to get even better."

originalthinkers.com.au/marius-myking

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]]> Marius Myking, Director of Product Design at Snøhetta, is a strategic designer and creative force leading the charge in sustainable design and innovation. With an illustrious career marked by an array of prestigious awards, including the 2021 Dezeen Sustainability Award, Marius leverages his international expertise and strategic insight to connect industry, markets, and technology, creating designs that positively shape our future.

"At Snøhetta, the most important project is Snøhetta itself. We believe that we can change the world through architecture and design; architecture and design are of the most important tools to evolve society, to evolve behaviour, and to learn from – and sometimes we're able to gain a big impact and sometimes a smaller one. But, always pushing ourselves to explore, to get even better."

originalthinkers.com.au/marius-myking

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/marius-myking Marius Myking Buzzsprout-13558696 Mon, 18 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +1000 1630 19 full false James Fitzpatrick James Fitzpatrick James Fitzpatrick, the visionary founder of Fitzpatrick and Partners, leads one of Australia's top commercial architectural practices. His award-winning design studio, boasting a talented team of 45 architects, continues to set industry standards through their innovative architectural solutions.

"One of the things I'm really keen on is looking at different levels of housing. How do we start to solve our housing shortage problems in Australia? To be clear, that's a worldwide problem – but how do we do it in a smart way of doing beautiful homes for people, but at different tiers that they can afford? So in some ways, stop talking about it and time to actually do something about it."

originalthinkers.com.au/james-fitzpatrick

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]]> James Fitzpatrick, the visionary founder of Fitzpatrick and Partners, leads one of Australia's top commercial architectural practices. His award-winning design studio, boasting a talented team of 45 architects, continues to set industry standards through their innovative architectural solutions.

"One of the things I'm really keen on is looking at different levels of housing. How do we start to solve our housing shortage problems in Australia? To be clear, that's a worldwide problem – but how do we do it in a smart way of doing beautiful homes for people, but at different tiers that they can afford? So in some ways, stop talking about it and time to actually do something about it."

originalthinkers.com.au/james-fitzpatrick

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/james-fitzpatrick James Fitzpatrick Buzzsprout-13523769 Mon, 04 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +1000 2252 18 full false Michael Berger Michael Berger Michael Berger is the Secretary-General and CEO of the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), bringing over 20 years of expertise in environmental and quality management and sustainable supply chain development. He holds a PhD in forestry and has served as a lecturer in corporate social responsibility at the Technical University in Munich, shaping minds for a sustainable future.

"It's actually the core element of sustainable forest management that we try to find a balanced way for a society – how to go forward and not just to freeze something or to go backwards, and that's a serious, difficult task. But that's actually exactly what PEFC want to do; to be a dialogue platform for different stakeholder groups to find solutions, to find ideas, to find concepts, to find visions, how to manage forests, how to use a forest for different purposes in society, how to live with forests, and that, that's for me, always very important. "

originalthinkers.com.au/michael-berger

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]]> Michael Berger is the Secretary-General and CEO of the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), bringing over 20 years of expertise in environmental and quality management and sustainable supply chain development. He holds a PhD in forestry and has served as a lecturer in corporate social responsibility at the Technical University in Munich, shaping minds for a sustainable future.

"It's actually the core element of sustainable forest management that we try to find a balanced way for a society – how to go forward and not just to freeze something or to go backwards, and that's a serious, difficult task. But that's actually exactly what PEFC want to do; to be a dialogue platform for different stakeholder groups to find solutions, to find ideas, to find concepts, to find visions, how to manage forests, how to use a forest for different purposes in society, how to live with forests, and that, that's for me, always very important. "

originalthinkers.com.au/michael-berger

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/michael-berger Michael Berger Buzzsprout-13397515 Mon, 14 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +1000 1642 17 full false Ona Flindall Ona Flindall Ona Flindall is the award-winning CEO of Oslotre, a leading Norwegian architectural firm with a focus on innovative and sustainable timber constructions. A prominent figure in eco-friendly architecture, Ona shares her expertise through frequent national and international lectures, and by teaching at the Oslo School of Architecture..

"Because we're timber focused, we're very concerned with what surfaces you touch. The experience of your feet on a floor will feel much warmer if it's a timber floor than if it's a tiled floor. That's about the conductivity of the materials, right? So the timber will reflect the heat back at you, whereas the tile floor will drain that heat from the soles of your feet. You have to have a higher temperature overall for it to be experienced as a comfortable space to be in, whereas in a timber building because it has that reflective ability, you can lower the overall temperature."

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]]> Ona Flindall is the award-winning CEO of Oslotre, a leading Norwegian architectural firm with a focus on innovative and sustainable timber constructions. A prominent figure in eco-friendly architecture, Ona shares her expertise through frequent national and international lectures, and by teaching at the Oslo School of Architecture..

"Because we're timber focused, we're very concerned with what surfaces you touch. The experience of your feet on a floor will feel much warmer if it's a timber floor than if it's a tiled floor. That's about the conductivity of the materials, right? So the timber will reflect the heat back at you, whereas the tile floor will drain that heat from the soles of your feet. You have to have a higher temperature overall for it to be experienced as a comfortable space to be in, whereas in a timber building because it has that reflective ability, you can lower the overall temperature."

originalthinkers.com.au/ona-flindall

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/ona-flindall Ona Flindall Buzzsprout-13317902 Mon, 31 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +1000 2220 16 full false Anne Chuter Anne Chuter As Tasmania's Chief Forest Practices Officer, Anne Chuter plays a pivotal role at the independent Forest Practices Authority (FPA), balancing industry requirements with sustainable environmental practices in timber harvesting and conservation.

"Sustainable Forest management is about environmental values, economic values, social values, and trying to embed all of those different things when you're doing forest practices planning and forestry operations. Around Australia or internationally, the Tasmanian system is held in high regard, and a lot of that is about our emphasis on planning before doing, getting out in the field, finding out what's in the forest before the forest harvesting operation commences, and that's a really unique part of our system."

originalthinkers.com.au/anne-chuter

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]]> As Tasmania's Chief Forest Practices Officer, Anne Chuter plays a pivotal role at the independent Forest Practices Authority (FPA), balancing industry requirements with sustainable environmental practices in timber harvesting and conservation.

"Sustainable Forest management is about environmental values, economic values, social values, and trying to embed all of those different things when you're doing forest practices planning and forestry operations. Around Australia or internationally, the Tasmanian system is held in high regard, and a lot of that is about our emphasis on planning before doing, getting out in the field, finding out what's in the forest before the forest harvesting operation commences, and that's a really unique part of our system."

originalthinkers.com.au/anne-chuter

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/anne-chuter Anne Chuter Buzzsprout-13183855 Mon, 10 Jul 2023 22:00:00 +1000 1585 15 full false Jana Soderlund Jana Soderlund Jana Soderlund is a biophilic design consultant, a sustainability professional, and the Chair of Biophilic Cities Australia.

"Biophilic design, it's more than greenery. It's about facilitating our connection with nature. It's recognising that we're biological beings and we're evolutionary, hardwired, genetically programmed to respond to nature."

originalthinkers.com.au/jana-soderlund

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]]> Jana Soderlund is a biophilic design consultant, a sustainability professional, and the Chair of Biophilic Cities Australia.

"Biophilic design, it's more than greenery. It's about facilitating our connection with nature. It's recognising that we're biological beings and we're evolutionary, hardwired, genetically programmed to respond to nature."

originalthinkers.com.au/jana-soderlund

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/jana-soderlund Jana Soderlund Buzzsprout-13097852 Mon, 26 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +1000 1259 14 full false David Rowlinson David Rowlinson David Rowlinson is the Campaign and Marketing Manager for Make It Wood, a program at the Planet Ark Environmental Foundation.

"Concrete and steel have their place. They're used widely and, in many cases, for good reason; they're cost-effective and so on, but they're extremely carbon intensive. There's an awful lot of energy that goes into their manufacture. In fact, both individually are responsible for about 8% of total CO2 emissions. Now, if they were each of them a country, they'd be the third largest emitter in the world behind the US and China."

originalthinkers.com.au/david-rowlinson

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]]> David Rowlinson is the Campaign and Marketing Manager for Make It Wood, a program at the Planet Ark Environmental Foundation.

"Concrete and steel have their place. They're used widely and, in many cases, for good reason; they're cost-effective and so on, but they're extremely carbon intensive. There's an awful lot of energy that goes into their manufacture. In fact, both individually are responsible for about 8% of total CO2 emissions. Now, if they were each of them a country, they'd be the third largest emitter in the world behind the US and China."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/david-rowlinson David Rowlinson Buzzsprout-13021740 Tue, 13 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +1000 1930 13 full false Sophie Bence & Shamus Mulcahy Sophie Bence & Shamus Mulcahy Sophie Bence and Shamus Mulcahy are co-founding directors of Bence Mulcahy, an award-winning Hobart architecture firm founded by the pair in 2014. Sophie and Shamus believe that great design shapes the engagement between people and the world around them and that architecture should be driven by the spirit of generosity. They are interested in global ideas applied to the specific context and push the boundaries to create unique and distinctive buildings that make a difference.

"Having complexity, and having parameters and rules and constraints, actually makes it quite easy – you just bounce off them. I mean, obviously, there were so many parameters to this project, but there was a determined design agenda as well, and trying to maintain that through all of that, is probably the real trick."

originalthinkers.com.au/bence-mulcahy

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]]> Sophie Bence and Shamus Mulcahy are co-founding directors of Bence Mulcahy, an award-winning Hobart architecture firm founded by the pair in 2014. Sophie and Shamus believe that great design shapes the engagement between people and the world around them and that architecture should be driven by the spirit of generosity. They are interested in global ideas applied to the specific context and push the boundaries to create unique and distinctive buildings that make a difference.

"Having complexity, and having parameters and rules and constraints, actually makes it quite easy – you just bounce off them. I mean, obviously, there were so many parameters to this project, but there was a determined design agenda as well, and trying to maintain that through all of that, is probably the real trick."

originalthinkers.com.au/bence-mulcahy

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/bence-mulcahy/ Sophie Bence & Shamus Mulcahy Buzzsprout-12932064 Mon, 29 May 2023 00:00:00 +1000 1931 12 full false Scott van Tuil Scott van Tuil Scott van Tuil is a Tasmanian designer-maker and the founder of VAN TUIL Design Studio. Scott graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Environmental Design and was named the 2015 DIA Vic-Tas Graduate of the Year for Furniture Design. He works with a range of materials to create objects that are beautiful in both form and design.

"I like the phrase – that if something is too beautiful or too good to throw out, then you've done a good job in terms of sustainability. That object or thing, whatever it is, is going to go on and serve its purpose for a much longer time."

originalthinkers.com.au/scott-van-tuil

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]]> Scott van Tuil is a Tasmanian designer-maker and the founder of VAN TUIL Design Studio. Scott graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Environmental Design and was named the 2015 DIA Vic-Tas Graduate of the Year for Furniture Design. He works with a range of materials to create objects that are beautiful in both form and design.

"I like the phrase – that if something is too beautiful or too good to throw out, then you've done a good job in terms of sustainability. That object or thing, whatever it is, is going to go on and serve its purpose for a much longer time."

originalthinkers.com.au/scott-van-tuil

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/scott-van-tuil/ Scott van Tuill Buzzsprout-12843613 Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 +1000 1810 11 full false Dayne Davis Dayne Davis Dayne Davis is the Managing Director of Timber Design Studio, a firm that designs timber buildings internationally. They bring sustainable and forward-thinking design approaches to the mainstream of society.

"We actually have a really challenging one we're doing at the moment in the Middle East, a resort in the Middle East, where we're having to deal with a beautiful free-form canopy structure, which is cantilevering off moment-resistant connections about nine metres, and it's twelve metres tall so it's on an angle, but it being out in the desert, dealing with high humid, we're having to work with different species to overcome these challenges, and so it's exciting, you know, we always wanna be on the cutting edge but doing it within the realms of acceptability."

originalthinkers.com.au/dayne-davis

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]]> Dayne Davis is the Managing Director of Timber Design Studio, a firm that designs timber buildings internationally. They bring sustainable and forward-thinking design approaches to the mainstream of society.

"We actually have a really challenging one we're doing at the moment in the Middle East, a resort in the Middle East, where we're having to deal with a beautiful free-form canopy structure, which is cantilevering off moment-resistant connections about nine metres, and it's twelve metres tall so it's on an angle, but it being out in the desert, dealing with high humid, we're having to work with different species to overcome these challenges, and so it's exciting, you know, we always wanna be on the cutting edge but doing it within the realms of acceptability."

originalthinkers.com.au/dayne-davis

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/dayne-davis Dayne Davis Buzzsprout-11778107 Mon, 19 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +1100 1564 10 full false Adam Gibson Adam Gibson With an eye for dramatic tension, Adam Gibson's photography reflects a life spent roaming within and beyond the wild Tasmanian landscape. Responding to diverse creative briefs, architecture, people, and landscapes are the heroes of his work.

"I think my creativity gets nurtured from doing anything but being creative. So, in some ways it's about being in the ocean, it's about being in the mountains - walking or riding, or trying to teach my kids about creativity, or kind of fostering their minds in terms of creative thinking as well. So, I think my creativity comes from my connection to place. That's probably the ultimate driver of my inspiration and my motivation."

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]]> With an eye for dramatic tension, Adam Gibson's photography reflects a life spent roaming within and beyond the wild Tasmanian landscape. Responding to diverse creative briefs, architecture, people, and landscapes are the heroes of his work.

"I think my creativity gets nurtured from doing anything but being creative. So, in some ways it's about being in the ocean, it's about being in the mountains - walking or riding, or trying to teach my kids about creativity, or kind of fostering their minds in terms of creative thinking as well. So, I think my creativity comes from my connection to place. That's probably the ultimate driver of my inspiration and my motivation."

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/adam-gibson Adam Gibson Buzzsprout-11766191 Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +1100 1996 9 full false Scott Balmforth Scott Balmforth Scott Balmforth is an architect and Director at Terroir — Terroir is a collective of architects and urbanists dedicated to producing work that increases the connection between people and the places they inhabit. With offices in Tasmania, Sydney, and Copenhagen,  Terroir engages in the world from opposite corners of it, bringing breadth and depth of experience and multiple perspectives on the fragility of our world and the need to care for it.

"Most wonderful clients - St Luke's Health - who at the core of what they do, they've got the fantastic vision for Tasmania to be the healthiest island in the world. When it came time to do the project, we just thought doing a mass timber building and the inherent qualities that, that will bring in terms of proven data around the benefits for people that are using those buildings, the enjoyment, the healthy aspects of working within an all-timber building, it was a perfect fit."

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]]> Scott Balmforth is an architect and Director at Terroir — Terroir is a collective of architects and urbanists dedicated to producing work that increases the connection between people and the places they inhabit. With offices in Tasmania, Sydney, and Copenhagen,  Terroir engages in the world from opposite corners of it, bringing breadth and depth of experience and multiple perspectives on the fragility of our world and the need to care for it.

"Most wonderful clients - St Luke's Health - who at the core of what they do, they've got the fantastic vision for Tasmania to be the healthiest island in the world. When it came time to do the project, we just thought doing a mass timber building and the inherent qualities that, that will bring in terms of proven data around the benefits for people that are using those buildings, the enjoyment, the healthy aspects of working within an all-timber building, it was a perfect fit."

originalthinkers.com.au/scott-balmforth

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]]> https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/scott-balmforth Scott Balmforth Buzzsprout-11643551 Mon, 07 Nov 2022 13:00:00 +1100 1781 8 full false Peta Heffernan & Elvio Brianese Peta Heffernan & Elvio Brianese Peta Heffernan & Elvio Brianese of LIMINAL Studio — LIMINAL is a globally connected, creatively agile think-tank that integrates design and architecture with the disciplines of interior design, furniture, object design, arts, curation and production design. Embracing a multi-disciplinary design approach driven by purpose, function and meaning, LIMINAL was recently awarded the Tasmanian Architecture Medal, the highest accolade of the Tasmanian Architectural Awards along with a raft of other awards for the Hedberg, the University of Tasmania's Performing Arts Centre.

"It's about re-imagining something that already exists. That for us is what generates our approach to new thinking. It's not starting from a blank canvas, so much of this has already existed before. But it's, how do you look at this a bit more sideways? How do you actually reimagine this to make it something that fits this place? It's similar to the way that we looked at the materiality of the building, and the interiors and the timbers that we used."

originalthinkers.com.au/liminal-studio

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]]> Peta Heffernan & Elvio Brianese of LIMINAL Studio — LIMINAL is a globally connected, creatively agile think-tank that integrates design and architecture with the disciplines of interior design, furniture, object design, arts, curation and production design. Embracing a multi-disciplinary design approach driven by purpose, function and meaning, LIMINAL was recently awarded the Tasmanian Architecture Medal, the highest accolade of the Tasmanian Architectural Awards along with a raft of other awards for the Hedberg, the University of Tasmania's Performing Arts Centre.

"It's about re-imagining something that already exists. That for us is what generates our approach to new thinking. It's not starting from a blank canvas, so much of this has already existed before. But it's, how do you look at this a bit more sideways? How do you actually reimagine this to make it something that fits this place? It's similar to the way that we looked at the materiality of the building, and the interiors and the timbers that we used."

originalthinkers.com.au/liminal-studio

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]]> https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/liminal-studio/ Peta Heffernan & Elvio Brianese Buzzsprout-11512736 Mon, 17 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +1100 2328 7 full false David Brand David Brand David Brand has over 40 years of experience in forestry investment, forest management, science, and public policy and holds a PhD in Forestry Quantitative Ecophysiology from the University of British Columbia. David is the Founder, Chair and CEO of the forestry investment management business New Forests. New Forests manages nearly 9 billion dollars in forestry, conservation and wood processing assets across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Africa and the United States.

"I look out 20, 30, 40 years and we think about a world of 10 billion people. We think about a world that the gross world product will triple; that's like putting three of the world's economies on the same planet. And when you think about that weight of economic activity, it drives you to thinking about sustainability as central to everything, and so then I thought about the forestry sector as really, a source of sustainability solutions."

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]]> David Brand has over 40 years of experience in forestry investment, forest management, science, and public policy and holds a PhD in Forestry Quantitative Ecophysiology from the University of British Columbia. David is the Founder, Chair and CEO of the forestry investment management business New Forests. New Forests manages nearly 9 billion dollars in forestry, conservation and wood processing assets across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Africa and the United States.

"I look out 20, 30, 40 years and we think about a world of 10 billion people. We think about a world that the gross world product will triple; that's like putting three of the world's economies on the same planet. And when you think about that weight of economic activity, it drives you to thinking about sustainability as central to everything, and so then I thought about the forestry sector as really, a source of sustainability solutions."

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]]> https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/david-brand/ David Brand Buzzsprout-11186271 Tue, 23 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +1000 1274 6 full false Henry Williams Henry Williams Henry Williams is a multi-disciplinary designer and head of Henry Williams Studio. He was recently Senior Architect for Snohetta Australasia. Henry collaborated with Designer Maker Jon Goulder at Melbourne Design week for an exhibition called Self Portrait - creating a table from cross-laminated timber with a collection of ceramics and tableware.

"A lot of the products that endure have been anonymously designed. Things like staplers, coffee makers, coat hangers - they're so familiar we almost forget that they had to be designed. And interestingly, all efforts to design them better, tend to fail. They do what they need to do. They're not acts of one-off creation; industry, economics, and a thousand little creative acts get them to that point. It's a modest way of thinking about design, but I think a really powerful one."

originalthinkers.com.au/henry-williams

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]]> Henry Williams is a multi-disciplinary designer and head of Henry Williams Studio. He was recently Senior Architect for Snohetta Australasia. Henry collaborated with Designer Maker Jon Goulder at Melbourne Design week for an exhibition called Self Portrait - creating a table from cross-laminated timber with a collection of ceramics and tableware.

"A lot of the products that endure have been anonymously designed. Things like staplers, coffee makers, coat hangers - they're so familiar we almost forget that they had to be designed. And interestingly, all efforts to design them better, tend to fail. They do what they need to do. They're not acts of one-off creation; industry, economics, and a thousand little creative acts get them to that point. It's a modest way of thinking about design, but I think a really powerful one."

originalthinkers.com.au/henry-williams

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]]> https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/henry-williams Henry Williams Buzzsprout-10938812 Mon, 11 Jul 2022 19:00:00 +1000 1311 5 full false Michelle Boyde Michelle Boyde Michelle Boyde is a designer and curator living in Tasmania, with a Bach (Design) at RMIT's School of Architecture and Design and a background in contemporary dance. Michelle approaches design in a broad-thinking and cross-disciplinary way, with a unique and transferable skill that spans fashion, interiors, objects and installation.

She has designed and curated extensively within the national cultural sphere for organisations such as Chunk Move, Mona, Bakehouse Studia, State of Design and Melbourne Fashion Week. Michelle is the co-creator of Unconscious Collective.

"I think people are drawn to Tasmania and Tasmanian design; designers here treat their materials with a respect that comes from being inextricably linked to the natural world. Sustainability comes naturally to us, living on an island, and I think people are drawn to that - we've been practising it a long time, and are leaders now, I guess, in sustainability."

originalthinkers.com.au/michelle-boyde

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]]> Michelle Boyde is a designer and curator living in Tasmania, with a Bach (Design) at RMIT's School of Architecture and Design and a background in contemporary dance. Michelle approaches design in a broad-thinking and cross-disciplinary way, with a unique and transferable skill that spans fashion, interiors, objects and installation.

She has designed and curated extensively within the national cultural sphere for organisations such as Chunk Move, Mona, Bakehouse Studia, State of Design and Melbourne Fashion Week. Michelle is the co-creator of Unconscious Collective.

"I think people are drawn to Tasmania and Tasmanian design; designers here treat their materials with a respect that comes from being inextricably linked to the natural world. Sustainability comes naturally to us, living on an island, and I think people are drawn to that - we've been practising it a long time, and are leaders now, I guess, in sustainability."

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]]> https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/michelle-boyde Michelle Boyde Buzzsprout-10777656 Mon, 13 Jun 2022 07:00:00 +1000 2235 4 full false Fiona Lyda Fiona Lyda Fiona Lyda is the Principal behind Spence & Lyda, a Sydney retail showroom that seeks to showcase design that adds meaning to the living experience - pieces designed to stay in our lives for generations. She has a background as a production designer, art director and spent 20 years as a costume designer for film and tv, before opening Spence & Lyda.

"What has always driven Spence & Lyda and always driven me, is a fascination for the why of the thing, not just the wow of the thing. There needs to be a reason for things to exist, and it can be and should be obviously beauty, but it really should also carry with it the embodied elements of care for our planet, care for ourselves, and the stories behind why it's being built."

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]]> Fiona Lyda is the Principal behind Spence & Lyda, a Sydney retail showroom that seeks to showcase design that adds meaning to the living experience - pieces designed to stay in our lives for generations. She has a background as a production designer, art director and spent 20 years as a costume designer for film and tv, before opening Spence & Lyda.

"What has always driven Spence & Lyda and always driven me, is a fascination for the why of the thing, not just the wow of the thing. There needs to be a reason for things to exist, and it can be and should be obviously beauty, but it really should also carry with it the embodied elements of care for our planet, care for ourselves, and the stories behind why it's being built."

originalthinkers.com.au/fiona-lyda

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]]> https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/fiona-lyda/ Fiona Lyda Buzzsprout-10659492 Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000 1554 3 full false Brodie Neill Brodie Neill Brodie Neill is a Tasmanian-born London-based furniture designer and maker. Since establishing his studio in London's east end, Brodie's worked with an impressive roster of clients, including Reva 1920 Swarovski and Kundalini. He's collaborated with international brands, including Microsoft Mercedes-Benz and Alexander McQueen, and his limited edition works are included in galleries and private collections around the globe.

"The way it works for me is that the idea is a kind of 'what if' moment. A moment of spontaneity. Like, what happens if you put ocean plastic together and made a new material? When an idea strikes, you can be anywhere. So, you've got to hold that thought, play it over and over and over in your mind. Really refine it. Almost like how a wave might shape a rock."

originalthinkers.com.au/brodie-neill

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]]> Brodie Neill is a Tasmanian-born London-based furniture designer and maker. Since establishing his studio in London's east end, Brodie's worked with an impressive roster of clients, including Reva 1920 Swarovski and Kundalini. He's collaborated with international brands, including Microsoft Mercedes-Benz and Alexander McQueen, and his limited edition works are included in galleries and private collections around the globe.

"The way it works for me is that the idea is a kind of 'what if' moment. A moment of spontaneity. Like, what happens if you put ocean plastic together and made a new material? When an idea strikes, you can be anywhere. So, you've got to hold that thought, play it over and over and over in your mind. Really refine it. Almost like how a wave might shape a rock."

originalthinkers.com.au/brodie-neill

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]]> https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/brodie-neill/ Brodie Neill Buzzsprout-10538583 Mon, 02 May 2022 09:00:00 +1000 1485 2 full false John Wardle John Wardle John Wardle is Partner at the award-winning John Wardle Architects, a practice internationally renowned for making extraordinary buildings and places that matter. As a Partner at a firm of 100 people, John says he is as much a navigator as an architect. He enjoys drawing the many threads together to create something far greater than ever first imagined.

"An idea in its infancy is a fragile thing. It can be killed off with logic almost immediately. It must be allowed to be given oxygen. History reminds us of how influential original thinking can be, and how lives are improved by it. To be truly creative you need to push against the norm - and certain political and commercial pressures."

originalthinkers.com.au/john-wardle

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]]> John Wardle is Partner at the award-winning John Wardle Architects, a practice internationally renowned for making extraordinary buildings and places that matter. As a Partner at a firm of 100 people, John says he is as much a navigator as an architect. He enjoys drawing the many threads together to create something far greater than ever first imagined.

"An idea in its infancy is a fragile thing. It can be killed off with logic almost immediately. It must be allowed to be given oxygen. History reminds us of how influential original thinking can be, and how lives are improved by it. To be truly creative you need to push against the norm - and certain political and commercial pressures."

originalthinkers.com.au/john-wardle

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]]> https://originalthinkers.com.au/john-wardle John Wardle Buzzsprout-10410235 Mon, 11 Apr 2022 11:00:00 +1000 1480 1 full false Welcome, Original Thinkers Welcome, Original Thinkers We'll be interviewing some of Australia's leading creative minds from architecture, design, the environment, culture and business about what it takes to have an original thought, its impact, and how it endures over time. We'll also explore how creativity can improve lives and make a meaningful difference.

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]]> We'll be interviewing some of Australia's leading creative minds from architecture, design, the environment, culture and business about what it takes to have an original thought, its impact, and how it endures over time. We'll also explore how creativity can improve lives and make a meaningful difference.

originalthinkers.com.au

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]]> https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/welcome/ Claire Bennett Buzzsprout-10366831 Sun, 03 Apr 2022 08:00:00 +1000 125 0 trailer false