DesignInc has announced that longtime employee Darryl Suttie (pictured left) has been promoted to the role of Director of its Melbourne operations.
Joining the practice in 2005, Suttie assumed the role of Principal in 2020, before moving into the Director's position at the beginning of 2022. The move strengthens DesignInc's leadership, with four Directors now leading the Melbourne design firm.
The practice has also announced the promotion of Health Architect and Planner Helen Neill (pictured right) to the role of Associate. Neill has experience on some of Australia's largest and most demanding health projects including Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital.
DesignInc Melbourne Directors Christon Batey-Smith, Stephen Webb and Rohan Wilson extended their congratulations to both Suttie and Neill in a collective statement.
“With Darryl on board as a Director, it enables us to be more effective as leaders. We will each be able to focus more strategically on our strengths and not feel stretched across many things. As an Associate, Helen will work closely with clients and stakeholders to improve design strategies and better health outcomes,” the statement reads.
Darryl Suttie is passionate about following through on DesignInc's commitment to core values. The new Principal says he wants every DesignInc project to yield positive results for the environment and community. DesignInc aims to see healthy building principles delivered in more institutional and government buildings.
“Today, the most significant thing DesignInc can do is work with our clients to deliver carbon zero buildings and guide them into the realm of regenerative architecture that heals the planet,' said Darryl. 'In fact, we believe that this is what our profession should be doing now. We are moving beyond being 'sustainable'. It's critical now to design healthy environments that contribute to the earth's energy reserves, water stores and air quality to repair the earth and climate,” he says.
Suttie says DesignInc aims to lead from the front and challenge clients to commit to a carbon-neutral future.
“Whether designing environments for learning, communities or healing; we are clear on our priorities. What matters most to us is making healthy buildings with outstanding environmental values and design solutions that are good for people and good for the planet.”
Neill joined DesignInc in 2016 and has worked on health facilities including the Alfred Hospital, Thomas Embling SPICU and Deakin University's School of Nursing. She has also been busy on complex defence projects, working with large multi-disciplinary consultant teams and contributing her extensive stakeholder engagement skills.
DesignInc has managed to grow its Melbourne studio in spite of the pandemic, now housing over 60 people, representing a 30 percent increase over two years. Despite the continued growth, the practice is not pursuing a growth strategy for its own sake, instead looking to be selectively focused on working on the right projects with the right people.
Suttie says the growth of the practice brings about the opportunity to nurture young design talent.
“Practice growth has allowed us to be strategic in hiring emerging talented designers and graduates to support our broad portfolio of projects. It's refreshing to welcome this new cohort into the studio. We are focused on providing outstanding career opportunities to nurture this next generation of design professionals.
“Our business is about people, and we understand that we must look after our team’s health and wellbeing if we are to be genuine employers of choice. We want to deliver outstanding projects, so we must have a diverse and agile workplace environment that cultivates great talent.”
