HDR announces the appointment of Alison Potter as Design Principal in its Melbourne studio.

Potter brings over 20 years of experience across architecture, master planning, and urban design spanning multiple sectors including health, transport, aviation, tourism, arts and culture, data centres, residential, and education.

She has served in senior design leadership roles at renowned firms including Grimshaw, Hassell, and Foster + Partners, with her considerable experience anchored by a strong commitment to regenerative design, innovation, and socially responsive outcomes. Potter’s past work includes the award-winning Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, the New Mount Barker Hospital redevelopment, and the Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct among many more.

Potter is tasked with bridging HDR’s global design expertise with the local Australian market, shaping infrastructure-led outcomes that go beyond functionality to deliver social, environmental, and cultural value. She will also lead initiatives to strengthen HDR’s design culture, fostering a studio environment where teams are empowered to question, prototype, and challenge convention.

“Joining HDR presents an exciting opportunity to deepen the dialogue around environmentally responsive architecture in highly complex and technical buildings,” says Potter. “I’m looking forward to driving design outcomes that not only put its users at the centre, but are also innovative and deeply responsive to place, ecology, and community.”

In her new role at HDR, she will work alongside key members of the Australian architecture leadership team, helming transformative projects across Australia by leveraging the firm’s regenerative design framework, advanced data-driven methodologies, and a collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach.

“Alison’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for HDR in Melbourne,” says Huai Lim, Managing Principal at HDR. “Her leadership will be central to shaping our next phase of growth, embedding design excellence into our new studio, and strengthening our presence in a fast-evolving market. With Alison on board, we are well positioned to deliver more ambitious, integrated, and sustainable outcomes for our clients and communities.”

Potter is a Living Future Accredited Professional (LFA), a member of the Australian Institute of Architects’ National Climate Action and Sustainability Committee, and a Design Review panellist for the Office of Design and Architecture South Australia (ODASA) and the City of Melbourne.

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