Masters of design

Geof Nairn: DesignInc

Graduating in 1964, Geof Nairn is among some of the earliest University of Adelaide Architecture graduates.

He is the Managing Director and principal designer of DesignInc Adelaide Pty Ltd, the South Australian representative of DesignInc Ltd which has branches across Australia and in Jakarta and China. Nairn Architects, the highly successful practice he set up in 1976, became DesignInc in 2001.

Just four years after graduating, Mr Nairn won his first Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) award for a house in Walkerville. He has since won 20 awards and commendations, including the Sir Osborne McCutcheon Award in 1999 for best commercial building in Victoria with the design for the greyhound racing pavilion, track and kennels in Broadmeadows.

In Adelaide, the company's best known projects include the Centennial Park Chapel Complex, the science technology centre and indoor sports centre at St Peter's College, Saint Ignatius College's multi-use learning centre and chapel, the Immanuel College technology centre, Immanuel Primary School learning centre and Adelaide bus passenger shelters.

Mr Nairn's career highlights include being awarded the 2006 Sir James Irwin RAIA President's Medal and, this year, having one of their buildings - the 4-star green-rated office building at 151 Pirie Street - chosen as the State entrant for the National Property Council awards.

James Hayter: Oxigen

James Hayter graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1978 and, after further study, moved into the profession of landscape architecture and urban design.

Today he is Director of the landscape architecture and urban design company Oxigen, and a leader in the growing young profession of landscape architecture in Australia.

"Landscape architecture is an emerging profession world wide, and I have been fortunate to be able to make a contribution towards the advocacy and greater understanding this profession is having towards our sustainable urban futures," Mr Hayter says.

Over the years, Mr Hayter has won nearly 100 professional awards. He is Penny White Fellow at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design and a past National President of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.

His best known projects include the master plan for Canberra's new town of Gungahlin and, in 2007, master plans for the proposed Marjorie Jackson Hospital, the Riverwalk/Elder Park Precinct alongside the River Torrens, and the Canberra Central Parklands, a commission he was awarded after winning first prize in an international competition for the project.

His broad architectural education, experience gained working overseas and on a wide range of projects has helped define the direction of his practice and contribution towards new definitions for landscape architecture in this country.