Paul Francis Gallagher - Director

B. Arch, M. Arch Columbia University NYC, RAIA

During final year studies, with Adelaide in the midst of economic recession and employment prospects looking bleak, Paul put out exploratory inquiries to secure employment in his field of endeavour. This pre-emptive sense of urgency and enquiry set in motion 37 years of adventures and diversity of experience in his chosen field of architecture.

After five years committed endeavour at the age of 22, Paul earned a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the South Australian Institute of Technology in 1979 graduating with Best Thesis and First in Class Awards. The following six years working in the Commonwealth Department of Housing and Construction (interspersed with six months travel in architecture in Scandinavia, western Europe and the USA and a two year placement with Philip Cox and Partners) realised a broad spectrum of executive level experience and rapid promotion. In 1985 Paul was awarded a two-year, Post-Graduate Study Scholarship gaining independent competitive entry at Columbia University in New York City graduating with a Masters of Architecture in 1987. Studying personally in the design studios of Jose Oubrerie and Rafael Vinoly in the dynamic environment that was Columbia University; Paul received a number of awards including a Kinne Travel Fellowship and graduated with Lucielle Smyer Lowenfish Prize.

During these intense formative years in New York City, Paul rigorously pursued full-time study, part-time work, and international and national travel opportunities. On returning to Australia in 1987 the subsequent proposal to close his sponsoring Government Department was catalytic to a return back into the private sector in Australia and between 1992-1996, in the capacity of Design Director and Principal Architect in Bangkok, Thailand.

Since graduation from Columbia University and while engrossed in executive level roles of architectural practice, Paul has periodically served as a visiting critic in design and construction at the University of NSW, Sydney University and the University of Technology Sydney. Paul has held architectural registration since 1981 in the ACT and NSW in 1987; and in 2002 was appointed to and continues contributing as an examiner on the NSW Board of Architects.

During his career Paul has lived and worked in Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney, New York and Bangkok. While in Thailand from 1992-95 he was the Principal Architect and Design Director of Raimon Land Public Company with a departmental staff of twenty-seven and also later managed the establishment of his own practice, Studio GA. Since returning to Sydney in 1996, Paul was an Associate Director at Peddle Thorp & Walker and later Rice Daubney Architects and in early 2003 re-established Studio GA in the capacity of principal.

Paul has demonstrated design, feasibility and project management skills in his work in Australia, US and Thailand with design awards in all three forums. His international experience has also demonstrated his ability and capacity to work with different delivery methods, cultures and languages delivering a diversity of projects with skill and efficiency and always the same drive and enthusiasm. He also has experience with large cultural projects having lead roles on the Penrith Civic Centre and Central Library, Master Plans for the Adelaide Festival Centre, the Australian Museum, and redevelopment for Erina Fair Shopping Centre and ongoing work in education facilities such as the acclaimed Roseville College Campus.

Overseas consultancies include the Master Plans for the Port Moresby Foreshore and Paga Hill Redevelopment plans that are ongoing in Papua New Guinea culminating in the 2015 approval for the $2.0B redevelopment of the Paga Hill headland in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Recent projects include the Roseville College Library (and the next 2030 Master Plan), four new stages at Richard Johnson Anglican School, Australian Museum Temporary Exhibition Galleries, and Paga Hill Master Plan with hotel, residential apartments and luxury villa developments, the Cultural and Exhibition Centre in Port Moresby and a number of luxury and low cost residences.

Today the endeavour continues, enthusiastically exploring opportunities that every new project affords in collaborative dialogue with and in service to new and repeat clients across an ever-expanding diversity of building typologies. Explorations that continue with a fundamental commitment to continuous learning, rigorous and enthusiastic enquiry in the pursuit of excellence manifest in meaningful, intimately crafted and sustainable architecture.

Paul Gallagher
M. Arch. Columbia University, NYC