Architecture: Consciousness, Ecology or Willfulness

We're coming to Brisbane! 

‘What do you want, Brick?' - Louis Kahn 

This thought-provoking discussion on architecture and design, attempts to navigate the ethical and environmental challenges of whether consciousness extends beyond human life to the natural world and our creations.

Following a series of sold-out events in Sydney, this captivating evening—sparked by Richard Francis-Jones' book Truth and Lies in Architecture — is here for one night only. We have invited some of Brisbane's leading architects and designers to delve into and debate the intersection of consciousness and architecture.

Limited seats available so reserve your spot now!

What can you expect? Watch our Sydney event Youtube Trailer 

Earn 1 formal CPD point.

Speakers

Richard Francis-Jones - Design Director at fjcstudio  

Anna O'Gorman - Director of Anna O'Gorman Architects 

Aaron Peters -  Director of Brisbane-based architecture practice Vokes and Peters.

Chris Saines CNZM (MC)– Director, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)

Tahlia Steadman - Principal at Blaklash

Details

Date: Tuesday October 22nd, 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Event Type: In-Person Only

Location: Cinema A - GOMA Brisbane - Stanley Pl, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Agenda

5:30 PM - Doors Open, canapes and refreshments

6:00 PM - Welcoming Remarks by the RAIA QLD President, Russell Hall & ThinkBrick Sponsor, Cathy Inglis

6:15 PM - Presentations by Speakers, followed by Panel Discussion 

8:00 PM - Drinks, canapés and networking to finish

Kindly Supported by

ThinkBrick Australia represents Australia’s clay brick and paver manufacturers. Our mission is to be the credible voice of the clay brick and paver industry. Our industry strategy focuses on advocacy, sustainability, technical assistance, research, engagement and education on clay brick and paver products.

About the Speakers

Richard Francis-Jones is a highly awarded and leading contemporary Australian architect. Richard is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and in 2012 was invested as an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Richard received his architectural education at the University of Sydney (where he was awarded the University Medal in Architecture) and Columbia University in New York, through an ITT Fellowship. He has led a distinguished architectural career, designing many highly-awarded buildings and winning several international architectural competitions. He is Design Director and the nominated architect of fjcstudio, a highly acclaimed practice noted for its commitment to the public domain.

Anna O'Gorman has worked with award-winning studios in Brisbane and established Anna O’Gorman Architects in 2016 to collaborate closely with clients. Valuing this client-first approach above all else, Anna possesses an empathetic understanding of the relationship between people and place. She balances this insight with design intellect to create work that maturely responds to the project brief. Anna’s forward-thinking practice has been shaped by a variety of rich professional experiences, including international architecture tours, design collaborations and invitations to teach at the University of Queensland. Since establishing AOG Architect, her work has won several national and state awards and exhibited at Museum of Brisbane.

Aaron Peters graduated from QUT in 2006 winning the QIA Medallion, Board of Architect’s Prize and the Australian Institute of Architect’s Glenn Murcutt Student Prize. He worked in London and Singapore before returning to Brisbane in 2011 to establish Vokes and Peters with Stuart Vokes. In 2023 Stuart and Aaron published a collection of essays entitled Migrations from Memory with Canalside Press. He is a PhD candidate at RMIT and a current member of the 2025 Australian Architecture Conference Steering Committee.

Chris Saines has been a director, collection manager, educator and curator at leading Australian and New Zealand galleries for more than 40 years. Director of QAGOMA since 2013, he has overseen exhibitions by Robert MacPherson, Gerhard Richter, Sally Gabori, Gordon Bennett and Judy Watson, and led 2021’s ‘European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York’. In this time, he has guided the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art through its eighth, ninth and tenth editions, and led the acquisition of major works by James Turrell and Olafur Eliasson. He is currently a member of the Brisbane Economic Development Agency’s Better Brisbane Alliance

Tahlia Steadman is a proud Ngemba woman with family ties to Brewarrina in northwest New South Wales. With a degree in Architectural Design and a background in Project Management, her role at Blaklash often involves identifying where cultural narratives and positive social impact can best be achieved through architectural outcomes. Still early in her career, especially in design terms, she is driven everyday by the idea that the inevitably-harmful Construction industry has the potential and responsibility to create positive social, economic and environmental impact and is very interested in shaping strategy and policy that allows for this to become a reality.