The Australian Institute of Architects’ ACT Chapter has proudly partnered with the National Film and Sound Archive to present the 2025 Contemporary Australian Architects Speaker Series. Now in its 37^th year, this annual lecture series discusses innovative ideas around design, art, and architecture.

Week 2: Suzannah Waldron (Searle x Waldron Architecture)
Suzannah Waldron leads a Melbourne based studio oriented toward civic and community architecture that responds powerfully to place. Since cofounding Searle x Waldron in 2007, her practice explores how even small scale work - installations, pavilions, public buildings - can provoke meaningful urban and social transformation. Her design philosophy fuses intuition and reason, leveraging constraints as creative catalysts and embracing material specificity and context as critical design drivers. The firm’s approach is inventive and strategic, grounded in civic purpose, and recognised through awards that illustrate the impact of thoughtful, site responsive work.

Searle x Waldron received the Victorian Architecture Medal, and Award for Commercial Architecture, for their project Northern Memorial Park Depot at the 2025 Victorian Architecture awards. The project is shortlisted for the National Architecture Awards held on Thursday 6 November at the National Gallery of Australia.

Join us from 5pm in our beautiful heritage courtyard to connect with fellow attendees or simply unwind. Enjoy drinks and nibbles available for purchase from our on-site deli and bar, Dom's, open until 8pm.

ABOUT CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE SPEAKER SERIES
The series presents a vision for our built environment, serving as a platform for distinguished Australian architects to showcase their work, and delve into pressing issues affecting Australian communities, the profession of architecture, and broader society.

This year, hear from:

Wed 10 September: Chris Haddad RAIA and Josh FitzGerald RAIA, Archier (Hobart, Melbourne)
Wed 17 September: Suzannah Waldron RAIA, Searle x Waldron Architecture (Melbourne)
Wed 24 September: Tina Tziallas FRAIA, Tziallas Architects (Southern Highlands)
Wed 1 October: Shaun Lockyer FRAIA, Shaun Lockyer Architects (Brisbane)

A discounted Season Pass is available for all 4 events. Learn more.

The 2025 Contemporary Architects Speaker Series is supported by Eifer.

In 2025 ticket prices have been reduced to make these thought provoking conversations more accessible, ensuring a wide audience can continue to engage with these important discussions on our built environment.

Image: Searle x Waldron, NMP Depot (Peter Bennetts)

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September

Wed 17 Sep

6:00 PM

Arc Cinema

1 McCoy Circuit Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601

Information

Transport

Accessibility

We are situated in the heart of Canberra on McCoy Circuit, Acton, between the shores of Lake Burley Griffin and the grounds of the Australian National University. Just a 10-minute walk from the city and state bus interchanges.

BY BUS - WEEKDAYS

Note: the NFSA is open daily 10.00am – 4.00pm (except Christmas Day and New Year's Day), and outside those times for special film screenings and events – see our upcoming events calendar.
ON THE NUMBER 6
Route R6 runs between Woden Interchange and City West approximately every 10 to 20 minutes from 5.30am to 11.00pm weekdays. To use this service to visit the NFSA, alight at London Cct after Edinburgh Ave and proceed 600 metres along Gordon Street to the entrance on McCoy circuit.
ON THE NUMBER 53
Route 53 runs between National Museum Lennox Crossing and Dickson Shops Cowper Street on average every 30 minutes from 7.00am to 10.10pm weekdays. Bus alights at Liversidge St behind the NFSA.
Transport Canberra's Routes and Timetables site can help you find the most practical way to our venue (and others).
ON THE CULTURE LOOP FREE SHUTTLE BUS
The free Culture Loop shuttle bus stops at NewActon (on Edinburgh Avenue), within walking distance of the NFSA.

BY BUS - WEEKENDS

Note: the NFSA is open daily 10.00am – 4.00pm (except Christmas Day and New Year's Day), and outside those times for special film screenings and events – see our upcoming events calendar.
ON THE NUMBER 6
Route R6 runs between Woden Interchange and City West approximately every 10 to 20 minutes from 7.00am to 9.00pm weekends and public holidays. To use this service to visit the NFSA, alight at London Cct after Edinburgh Ave and proceed 600 metres along Gordon Street to the entrance on McCoy circuit.
Transport Canberra's Routes and Timetables site can help you find the most practical way to our venue (and others).
ON THE CULTURE LOOP FREE SHUTTLE BUS
The free Culture Loop shuttle bus stops at NewActon (on Edinburgh Avenue), within walking distance of the NFSA.

PARKING

There is dedicated visitor parking on the premises between McCoy Circuit and Ellery Cresent (paid parking, up to three hours). There is also limited free parking surrounding the building on Liversidge Street.
We recommend using public transport in peak times.

Accessible parking is available off McCoy Circuit.
Wheelchair/accessible access via Liversidge Street.