Architecture, urban design and planning and interior architecture firm, Architectus announces three senior appointments in design and management.
The two new appointments are Karl Traeger as Principal and Ben Mountford as Associate; additionally, Chief Operating Officer Barry Aarons has been appointed as a Director.
The appointments signal Architectus’ strategy to focus on profitable growth in South East Asia in 2015, particularly in the aviation sector.
Describing Karl and Ben as important additions to the Architectus team, Architectus Sydney Managing Director Ray Brown said both bring extensive experience in aviation to their new roles along with demonstrated project expertise in China and the South East Asian market.
Brown added that Barry Aarons’ vision, leadership and comprehensive strategic management experience will continue to enable the Architectus brand to evolve with direction and purpose.
Karl Traeger joins Architectus as Principal and will lead a small design team out of Adelaide. As an owner and executive director at Woodhead, Traeger is recognised for his leadership and management skills with a passion for integrated and elegant design solutions, particularly in the aviation and hospitality sectors. His experience will stand him in good stead in his new role as Principal with responsibilities including the delivery of design processes and solutions for a diverse range of clients across Australia and Asia. His mainland China project experience and language skills will prove beneficial to Architectus’ recently formed joint venture in Shanghai.
Traeger, who will be working on some of the most complex, large-scale airport and airport city projects across Asia and Australia, commented that his focus on aviation and transport architecture brings together fifteen years of experience in master planning, retail, commercial and hospitality projects.
The new Architectus Associate, Ben Mountford comes from GHD Woodhead with extensive experience working on projects located in China and South East Asia spanning small interpretative projects through to large and complex aviation developments. Mountford’s competence in the areas of digital modelling, analysis and visualisation tools will complement his collaborative client approach.
Barry Aarons’ appointment as Director complements his existing role as Chief Operating Officer. Previously a Director at Woods Bagot, Aarons joined Architectus in 2008 with a Chartered Accountant background bringing vast leadership and management experience from construction, engineering, financial and environmental services. Having previously lived in Hong Kong and Bangkok, Aarons also has considerable knowledge of the Asian market and will continue to play a key leadership role in the business planning and strategic direction of the Architectus Group.
Ruth Wilson, Director, Architectus Melbourne adds that Karl and Ben’s international experience and focus on aviation retail design integrates perfectly with Architectus’ track record in delivering complex aviation expansion and upgrade projects. Working with Melbourne Airport for over ten years, and more recently at Sydney’s International Terminal, Architectus is better positioned now than ever before to help expand airports all over the Asia-Pacific to meet the projected 4.9 per cent per annum growth in passenger numbers.
