CREATIVE DIRECTORS APPOINTED FOR ARCHITEAM 2027 CONFERENCE

ArchiTeam is pleased to announce the appointment of Talina Edwards and Andy Marlow, Directors of Envirotecture, as Creative Directors for the ArchiTeam 2027 Conference.

Media Release

The 2027 conference will be shaped around the provocative and timely theme dis-comfortable, inviting the profession to ask:
Can we thrive beyond comfort — in practice, in place, and in ourselves?

As small-practice architects with nationally recognised leadership in sustainable and regenerative design, Edwards and Marlow bring a deeply values-driven and practice-grounded perspective to the role. Their curatorial vision responds directly to the ecological, economic and personal pressures facing architects today — particularly those operating small and medium practices — challenging long-held ideas of comfort as the primary measure of success in buildings, business and professional life.

“Comfort has long been a benchmark for good architecture and good practice,” say Edwards and Marlow. “But the world is asking something different of us now. Being comfortable with discomfort is central to growth — personally, professionally and planetarily.”

A Conference at Three Interconnected Scales

The dis-comfortable theme will explore architecture through three interrelated lenses:

• Personal — our inner worlds, health, resilience and capacity
• Professional — small-practice realities, business models, financial resilience and collaborative futures
• Planetary — architecture’s impact, responsibility and regenerative potential

A key focus of the conference will be how architects, particularly those in small practice, can build viable, values-aligned businesses that support wellbeing, longevity and meaningful impact, rather than burnout or survival mode.

The program will provoke critical reflection and open dialogue, asking difficult but necessary questions such as:
Can architecture be good if it causes harm?
How do we design regenerative businesses, not just buildings?
Is development without impact possible?
Does architecture always mean new buildings?

Moving Beyond “Business as Usual”

The ArchiTeam 2027 Conference will move beyond conventional conference formats, creating space for reflection, collaboration and shared learning. Grounded in care for Country, community and ecosystems, the event will centre agency, hope and collective action rather than guilt or doom-driven narratives.

Edwards and Marlow bring extensive experience in curating events, leading industry conversations, and advocating for practice models that balance commercial reality with environmental and social responsibility. Their approach is grounded in building science, biophilic design, systems thinking and a strong ethic of care for Country, alongside broad professional networks and a longlist of potential presenters already in development.

They will also be joined by a number of early-career architects, helping to round out the conference theme and ensuring emerging voices and future leaders are actively embedded in shaping the program.

“Sustainable is no longer enough,” they say. “The future is regenerative — and that includes how we structure, value and sustain our practices.”

Shaping a Conference That Matters

Under their creative direction, the 2027 conference will aim to educate, challenge and uplift, supporting architects to build resilient practices while encouraging the profession to pause, reflect, collaborate and move forward together as a living network rooted in responsibility, care and regenerative values.

An ArchiTeam Board Director Karen Erdos said:

“Advocating for architects in small and medium practice has always been central to ArchiTeam’s purpose. The 2027 conference reflects that commitment, supporting the business of practice while challenging the profession to lead with care, responsibility and ambition in a rapidly changing world.”

ArchiTeam looks forward to working with Edwards and Marlow to deliver a conference that is bold, meaningful and responsive to the realities of contemporary practice — and one that equips the profession not just to survive, but to thrive.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Inquiries: Phoebe LaGerche-Wijsman

Email: events@architeam.net.au

About ArchiTeam

ArchiTeam is a cooperative dedicated to supporting, developing, and assisting the growth of emerging, small to medium architect practices across Australia. With over 1000 members nationally, ArchiTeam provides a platform for advocacy, peer support, and recognition within the architectural community.