The Regional Architecture Association (RAA) will host its first Community Conversation, GOVERNMENT + ARCHITECTS – Collaboration for Smarter Regional Public Works this month, bringing together government representatives, architects, industry leaders and the local community at the in-person event to discuss procurement challenges facing regional architectural firms.

To be held on 16th April at the Artie Smith Oval Pavilion on the NSW South Coast, this evening forum aims to explore how public procurement processes can better enable high-quality design outcomes while ensuring fairer access for practices in regional NSW.

Founded in 2021, the RAA has grown to nearly 250 members nationwide, including architects, allied professionals and others interested in regional Australia. Its events are known for connecting practitioners with communities, industry and decision-makers, while highlighting the diversity and challenges of regional architectural practice.

The upcoming forum marks the organisation’s first Community Conversation – a shorter-format event that RAA intends to run more regularly. Free to attend, the session is open to members and non-members alike, with registration required for participation.

Local Architect South Coast director and RAA treasurer Renee McGuinn will open the evening, drawing on her experience navigating shifting procurement systems. In her article ‘In the Public Interest’ published in RAA’s Field: Architecture Gone Regional, she reflects on the challenges faced by regional practitioners, with access to public work increasingly shaped by systems that don’t always reflect the realities of regional practice.

Joining the discussion is Jillian Hopkins, Director of Design Quality at the Government Architect of NSW, who is a champion for good procurement practices in the design and delivery of public projects and has been a key contributor to the Sustainable Buildings SEPP, NSW Housing Pattern Book and the GANSW Strategy and Design Prequalification Scheme.

Danae Vitnell, Economic Development Manager at Goulburn Mulwaree Council, will also contribute a local government perspective, ahead of a roundtable discussion led by RAA president Tim Lee. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance by emailing info@regionalarchitecture.net.au.

The forum will be held at the Artie Smith Oval Pavilion in Bomaderry, a publicly procured project designed by Local Architect South Coast in association with Barnacle Studio, with the pavilion forming the centrepiece of a broader sport and recreation precinct masterplanned with Ayling & Drury. A tour of the project by McGuinn will form part of the evening’s engagement.

Designed to host cricket and AFL competitions, the facility includes amenities, clubrooms and spaces to support inclusive community use. Its architecture responds harmoniously to the surrounding landscape, with a long, dominant roofline that wraps around the existing Sydney blue gum trees, integrating the structure into its setting while providing shade and shelter.

Event details

Event: GOVERNMENT + ARCHITECTS – Collaboration for Smarter Regional Public Works

Date & Time: Thursday 16th April 2026 | 4.45pm - 7.30pm

Location: Artie Smith Oval Pavilion on Yuin Country, 84 Cambewarra Rd, Bomaderry NSW

Register here.

Image: Artie Smith Oval Pavilion. Courtesy: Tom Roe

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