It is staggering to consider that an architectural practice established in Australia over 100 years ago continues to operate at the forefront of contemporary design, yet Woods Bagot has achieved just that.
The studio’s origin story begins in 1860 when architect Edward John Woods migrated from London to Port Adelaide. One of his most notable works was a commission to redesign St. Peter's Cathedral in 1869, upon which he became the sole supervising architect. Then in 1905, Woods entered into a partnership with another local architect, Walter Bagot. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Woods Bagot’s enduring legacy speaks volumes of its ability to continually embrace change and accommodate inventive modes of practice. Its current Superspace initiative, for example, integrates cutting-edge data collection, AI, and behaviour analysis into the foundation of its work, enabling more precise evidence-based design outcomes.
“We are continuously questioning how we work, how we are structured, how we can be better, how we can adapt,” says Grant Boshard, principal at Woods Bagot Perth. “The reason for that is it allows us to achieve the best architecture for our times.”
Over the years, Woods Bagot’s standard of excellence has earned worldwide acclaim and abundant accolades. But it is the studio’s intimate understanding of space that remains with those that use and inhabit its buildings, long after the awards are given.
“Every client is different. Part of what we do is listen to what the client’s needs and desired outcomes are, and then interpret that into great placemaking and architecture. A lot of what we pride ourselves on is not trying to implement what we think they should have,” says Boshard. “You have to truly listen and try to understand before you ever put pen to paper.”
This attentive approach extends to myriad projects, from enviable residences to world-class healthcare facilities, schools that uplift students and staff alike, precincts that reshape communities – all representing a unique creative process at the peak of architectural thinking. Yet despite the grand scale of operations, Woods Bagot describes itself foremost as a ‘people architecture company’, and places human connection at the core of each decision.
“Everything that we do and create is for the people, for their experiences,” says Boshard. “It’s about what they want but it’s also about making an experience that impacts people’s lives, and how we can make those lives better.”
With 15 studios around the world, Woods Bagot excels at collaboration and enjoys a communicative in-house culture across continents. “One thing we pride ourselves on is the absolute mobility and interaction between countries. We don’t operate as different franchises, we are a global studio,” says Boshard. “We encourage people to take sabbaticals to work in other studios. And that also allows us to have a 24-hour work cycle – if we’re working on something with New York, when our day ends, their day starts, and that gives us a big advantage.”
Another key to Woods Bagot’s unified approach is the pooling of international resources to form diverse teams based on expertise. For instance, since the Perth studio is well-versed in aviation design, if such a project arises in New York, Woods Bagot will send staff with this specific skill set to work on it.
“We align the best talent with the projects and opportunity in a seamless way across the globe,” Boshard says. “Our main principles are that we need to be everywhere, we need to be people-centric, we have to be globally conscious, we need to be diverse, and we need to be consistent.”
Boshard’s own path demonstrates a parallel with these values. Raised in South Africa, school holidays were spent working on building sites with his father’s contracting company, sparking a lifelong fascination for structure and form.
“That was where the seed was planted. I don’t know whether I should thank him or not!” laughs Boshard. “From there, I also had a passion for art, and the two blended together. It seemed a natural choice to turn those passions to architecture.”
Following a stint with prominent South African firm SAOTA Architecture and Design, Boshard proceeded to work with a British practice in the Middle East in the late ‘90s. A position at Woods Bagot Dubai led to an opportunity to manage its Perth studio in 2009, where he has remained since. Boshard’s well-travelled career has led to a broad worldly outlook, with a focus on transformational, memorable design.
“The thing that inspires me most is making spaces for people that positively impact on them and their lives, and crafting them as beautiful spaces and pieces of architecture,” Grant says.
Known for its sculptural profiles and considered inner workings, Woods Bagot’s most celebrated buildings are often inspired by the natural world. This is embodied by its South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in Adelaide. The building’s exterior is characterised by a multifaceted skin which emulates the surface of a pinecone, made of panels responsive to the movement of the sun. The building is a triumph of salutogenic design, making the World Architecture Festival Awards shortlist in 2012 and earning five South Australian Architecture Awards in 2014. Woods Bagot’s designs for an adjacent building known as SAHMRI 2 have just been released, scheduled for completion in 2021. A highly anticipated project, following the success of the first. Of course, with so many fascinating projects in the works, it is impossible to play favourites.
“I would almost be reluctant to say that there’s one project that we are the proudest of, I would rather say that they all have their own merits,” Boshard says.
What’s next for Woods Bagot? According to Boshard, in the last few years, priorities have shifted. Fittingly, for the ‘people architecture company’, its big-picture goal circles back to legacy and the importance of the human experience.
“We no longer want to be the biggest, but we want to be the best,” says Grant. “It’s not about our ego, it’s not about Woods Bagot, but it’s about the people, urban spaces, the city, and how we as a company have impacted people’s lives through our architecture. Ideally, that’s how we’ll be remembered.”