Nik Karalis, Woods Bagot

AIA NY Lecture
March 2008, New York

PUBLIC: A CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION

The Woods Bagot story of a global practice

Thank you for this opportunity to present the transformation

of our practice to what it is today - the world’s 13th largest
global architectural firm. And what it means for us to be a
global creative business.

GLOBAL NOMADS

Global nomads, like gypsies, are only comfortable if they

travel. Scouring the face of the world and collecting
memories that are often captured in songs or shared in their
caravans.

We at Woods Bagot have, by necessity, chosen a similar

path.

Today, not only do I want to discuss the state of architecture

and its connection to the cultures it occupies, but what also
fascinates me - how practices, including Western-based
businesses like ourselves, can transform and evolve to
respond to rapid cultural diversification and this new
phenomenon of globalisation.

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Never before have we seen such rapid growth and
emergence of new influential cultures and cities that are
changing the built environment landscape of the 21st
century. We may say that the 20th century of architecture
belonged to America, but the next few early decades of this
century will determine and re-shape our architectural history
books and theory. We are all practicing in an
unprecedented period of major construction and a
movement towards contextualism and what I call SPECIFIC
architecture. A symbolic architecture that is concerned with
the PARTICULARITY of the place it occupies. The notion of
a universal or international approach no longer resonates to
our diverse and complex world.

WELCOME NY-LON-KONG

Welcome ‘Ny-lon-kong’ and the trail of sovereign funds and

investments.

The financial axis between New York, London and China is

providing architects with incredible opportunities. Combine
this with the UAE vision to make its mark on the status of
relevant global cities. This period of human history is
potentially more creative than the American post-second
world war boom – and will leave in its wake a surge of
innovation and culturally diverse building types, including
advances in science, education, technology and the
influence of the arts. Definitely a period that we are all
privileged to participate in; where only hindsight will confirm
the success of our aspirations.

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What does this mean for the shape and form of architectural
practices? How do they need to change to respond to such
speed and diversity of client types, and incredible
differences and of nuances of cultures as diverse as the
Islamic UAE to communist China and the broadening new
European community? This new globalisation is a
cumulative process of world wide expansion of trade,
communications and flow of migration. Globalisation has
taken the place of Imperialism, internationalism and other
forms of interchange between cultures and economies.

SETTING THE SCENE FOR GLOBAL BRAND CHANGE

Allow me the indulgence of a retrospective and possible

prediction on the part of Woods Bagot as to how a specific
operating model such as ours has been affected by and is
responding to the new global political climate. It is difficult
for a practice to review its own ideological direction.
In this talk I will discuss a little of our journey of the
transformation and later describe how our new research
process has influenced our most recent projects.

Historically we were an Australian-based company whose

roots were firmly grounded in Adelaide 140 years ago. I
want to talk a little of our journey and the transformation
from a national focus, in our case Australian, towards the
creation of a global architectural practice.
With a sound and historically classical approach to
architecture, Mr Woods and Mr Bagot built a reputation that
would see them commissioned across a broad range of
projects from churches to commercial buildings, many of
which are still standing today. But that was 140 years ago.

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Fast forward to the 1980’s, the next period of growth. The
business began a rapid expansion fuelled by (those who are
old enough to remember). The IT revolution and Telco’s
with offices opening in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and
Brisbane.

We were aggressively green fielding businesses with and

without opportunities on the horizon and marketing heavily,
including expansion into Asia and the Middle East with a
minor acquisition in London. This was always our way, but
tactical project lead marketing had superseded any potential
client focused relationship marketing and the emphasis on
the quality of product has begun to slip

Tom Peters coined the phrase “leaders are angry, yes

angry” in his book titled Essentials: Leadership and this
certainly began to apply to me. In 2004, after some
nudging, our Board gave a mandate to do a global review of
the work and report back to the Board on how we were
going to lead the then 400 staff around the globe to do
better in the design department and lead our global design
strategy into the next era.

RESEARCH – IDEATION AT WORK

All good change innitiatives start with solid research

We also forecasted the resurgence of ideas and design as a
catalyst for clients to be more competitive and for cities to
gain recognition.

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What we were interested in was qualitative information on
how the brand was perceived in Australia where the market
was mature, and how it is perceived in new markets where
the brand was newly positioned.

The research covered three major areas of focus:

– Client perception (qualitative)

– Financial analysis (brand health)
– product critique (result and future opportunity)

CLIENT PERCEPTION

The client research included more than 60 candidates from

a broad cross-section of clients from a variety of market
sectors. I think as creative’s we are more inclined to dig
deeper and search for ideas during research. Or if not
ideas, we search for valuable brand insights from the
research that can lead to ideation early. This was certainly
the case for Woods Bagot.

The research focused on the 5 main components of our

business.

– People – leadership, talent, service

– Product – architecture, design, longevity and
sustainability
– Place – global, what does this mean to you
– Price – competitiveness and value for money
– Promotion – communications, web presence, value of

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The overwhelming response was that for our Clients, being
a global business meant little to them.
In addition the Clients provided us with valuable brand
insights.

THE BRAND INSIGHTS

The brand insights drawn from this were as follows:

– We needed to deliver to clients and staff real benefits

of being a global practice.

– We needed to build the business around creativity not

just service & delivery.

– This creativity needed to be built around real rigour

and narrative. It needed to be underpinned by
research both theoretic and applied.

– Our full global leadership and design team needed to

be accessible to our Clients wherever they maybe.

THE GLOBAL BRAND IDEA

It was clear that a new business strategy was required to

make the perceptual shift from “professional services” firm to
design studio externally. What we needed was a big brand
idea that would engage the then, 400 staff and motivate a
new generation of architects to join us.

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JAMES CALDER AND THE IDEA

This map, as simple as it looks, was the catalyst for major

changes at Woods Bagot. What we needed was a way of
demonstrating to clients that Woods Bagot was capable of
achieving projects beyond their current portfolio, and proving
to staff that this was a brand that encouraged applied and
theoretic research and innovative behaviour.

This was the birth of PUBLIC.

The research brand was named PUBLIC for relatively

simplistic reasons. The Board’s aspirations to do work of
public significance were already part of the global expansion
and investment strategy years earlier. We just hadn’t been
able to gain traction with the existing position and the
research sub-brand PUBLIC talks to this strategy both
internally and externally and deals with our concern with
identity and context - a nexus between architecture and the
world.

With the idea of PUBLIC overwhelmingly accepted by the

Board, our attention turned to making it real, including doing
the research, compiling the knowledge and publishing
papers and communicating to staff and clients.

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PUBLIC LIVES

The main focus of the campaign was to assign character to

each principal and to promote our staff as equally as
important as the company. For this to be an authentic
change, we also set about reinforcing and aligning the
values and behaviour of our culture, for each staff member
to be the advocate of the new brand, and become the face
of the new organisation.

Brand advocates were established around the globe and the

identity was launched simultaneously within each studio.

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A CULTURE OF KNOWLEDGE EMERGES

Establishing PUBLIC was no mean feat. It required each of

the 33 principals to stand behind it and begin a culture of
research. Research-based cultures don’t happen overnight
and neither can they be forced. PUBLIC without content,
doesn’t work. However, the fever with which PUBLIC
gained traction was quite astounding. As it turned out the
staff were, and continue to be, hungry to contribute to the
broader architectural debate. Finally, the staff had
something they could tap into. If they couldn’t attach
themselves to a large architectural practice that was 140
years old, and this is how it was perceived in Australia, then
PUBLIC breathed fresh air into every studio.

The first research paper “Spatial Tactics – a study in global

architecture”, published in 2006 is, in essence, not a true
research paper. What it does do however is set the scene
for why PUBLIC exists and how it will manifest in the future.
Throughout the more than 300 pages, you will find only
about 20 pages containing Woods Bagot’s projects. I often
refer to the idea of PUBLIC being about the work we are yet
to create, rather than the work we have done.

This paper focuses on broad global issues facing us all such

as generational change and how this affects the way we will
inhabit spaces, communities and cities in the future.

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Sustainability – an obvious one but it focuses contextually
on how Woods Bagot will develop sustainable practices, as
well as how we will green our own business. One of the
great successes of PUBLIC is the formation of the Green
team, who recently celebrated transforming the business
internally by becoming 100% climate neutral in December
2006. As many of your know when you run a global
business, creating a carbon neutral footprint is difficult.
Especially with amount of flying we do. This amounts to
about 2600 tonnes of greenhouse gases. And we are
continuing to charge forward in this area.

The paper also focuses on:

– Changing work/life behaviour – Worklife (24/7)

– Technology – and its influence

– And the worlds unity and disunity whether it be

religious, terror or any other form of social impact.

The successful launch of Spatial Tactics proved to me that

clients, no matter the sector, are all concerned with issues
that are common to all humans. Specialisation, skills
development, advanced technology and products and
services alone are not enough to gain a competitive
advantage. People (clients) want to collaborate with
individuals and organisations that understand the broader
issues facing the planet. To this end, Woods Bagot are no
longer falling into the trap that most architects do of
marketing picture books of the end result, rather than
describing the thinking that took them there.
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PUBLIC has had a couple of profound impacts on the
business:

1. formalised the research position globally (by

committing a sizeable figure to ensure its ongoing
success)

and…….

2. Formalised PUBLIC knowledge platform that

underpins the brand globally moving it beyond pure
research to an innovation philosophy that manifests
in the behaviour and approach to design and is
realised across the website, published papers and
speaking engagements. We currently invest
US$2.0 million back into research each year.

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PUBLIC PERFORMS

PUBLIC and the spirit of PUBLIC has been a major catalyst

for the brands’ growth over the past 2, coming on 3 years.
PUBLIC has now been indoctrinated into the culture. This
articulated diagram best describes how PUBLIC has begun
to have a life of its own.

We have successfully launched 2 more major research

papers since the launch of PUBLIC, each concentrated
around our key sectors.

– PUBLIC #2: Education Futures by Ross Donaldson

who was recently appointed group CEO and describes
how pedagogy is transforming learning environments.

– PUBLIC #3: WorkLife, by James Calder heads up the

Consulting and Workplace sectors of the business
globally. He proposes new tools to measure
productivity and human well being in the office
environment.

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PUBLIC has also begun to manifest successfully in some
fundamental business ways also, such as:

1. More than doubling revenue in the last 2 years.

Sixty percent is derived outside Australia.

2. Increasing staff number from 400 to close to 1000

today. And this includes some fairly senior talent.

3. One of the greatest areas of proof of PUBLIC’s

success is winning some significant public profile
projects such as Tall Tower in Dubai, Hong Kong
University and one of the largest projects in
Australia, the AUD $1 billion dollar Melbourne
Exhibition and Convention Centre.

PUBLIC #4: Lifestyle - a guide to 21st century living.

PUBLIC #5 Sustainability, PUBLIC #6 Urban Design,
designed here in Australia are currently under development
with a pipeline of white papers also on the drawing board.
All of this activity is a true measure of its ability to generate a
knowledge lead culture.

Brand repositioning and culture behaviour are value drivers

for the re-identification of a global architectural practise. We
have now distilled our efforts into 4 regions and 3 simple
sectors. Each of our regional offices are firmly established
local offices who have a deep understanding of the places,
culture, people, and the architectural context they operate
in. The draw upon the knowledge accumulated in the sector
structure and with this unique matrix emerges the core ethos
of Woods Bagot.

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A CONFLUENCE OF IDEAS

We have emerged as an idea based organisation

underpinned by design intelligence, which gives our clients
full access to the total talent and knowledge base residing in
the entire firm. This still allows for diverse contextual
building representations specific to clients projects and
needs.

In Spatial Tactics I predicted that there would be a gap

before the work that reflects the new ethos will take time to
evolve and emerge from the research – PUBLIC was about
the work we were about to do.

5 CASE STUDIES

I now want to present 5 case study projects - not as a ‘show

and tell’ - but about the strength and value of the idea set in
specific cultural contexts.

1. Qatar Science and Technology Park: Sustainability,

flexibility and laboratory innovation

2. Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre:

Reinvention of the conventional exhibition centre
typology, its invaluable connection to the city it
promotes, and mixed use precinct.

3. College of the North Atlantic, Doha: Creation of an

Islamic campus with its unique pedagogical and
spatial opportunities for learning.

4. Central Village, Liverpool: Urban rejuvenation

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5. Hong Kong University of Science & Technology:
Centre of Advanced Learning
QATAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK

The vision of the masterplan was to create both a physical

and virtual hub for the knowledge economy in Qatar as a
termination to the Doha education precinct.

The project includes:

– in Phase 1 – 115,000sqm development site and a

o Central 12,000sqm incubator centre

o I t will be Flanked by tenanted buildings of
20,000 sqm each
o These ITTC buildings (Information Technology
Transfer Centre) will be clear span laboratory
spaces

– Peristitial and interstitial reticulation of services.

– Linking research efforts with industry.
– Green spines link incubator buildings
– Undercover access with landscaped microclimate
environments.
– Veils as shade control and the formation of a
contemporary Islamic interior.
– Topographical tessellation influenced geometry as
texture mapping

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Extend education master plan axis
Worlds first double service zones for laboratories
Maintenance access without impacting security
Flexible laboratory configuration
Column free spaces
Engineering of a light weight veil structure

MELBOURNE EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE

A Precinct masterplan, integrating the Melbourne

Convention Centre as a world class plenary facility. Public
Civic Centre funded by the private sector under a PPP
delivery.

Brief: 5000 seat flexible plenary hall

8,000 m2 of allied meeting rooms
Back of house support infrastructure
400 room hotel
Direct connection to 35,000sqm exhibition space
Precinct:
10,000sqm riverfront promenade
50,000sqm Homemaker retail complex
12,000sqm commercial residential tower

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Research:
5000 seat flexible hall with 12 modes
Fully automated seating
6 star energy rating
Melbourne personality – arts, indigenous culture, sport
Uninterrupted 5 star back of house service
Integrated hotel

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COLLEGE OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC, DOHA

This is a quote from our client:

“Our culture is ancient, but our country is new…

The College utilises experiential learning, both academic
and technical … The campus has an atmosphere of calm
and beauty. The planning draws on the Doha courtyard with
new materials… The human spirit is nourished”

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed

Chairman of the College

This campus included:

– 25 buildings
– 7 faculties training of professionals in petroleum and
industrial trades
– 80,000 m2 of diverse facilities including:
– Teaching spaces
– Workshops
– Cafeterias
– Sports facilities
– Auditorium

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Our research focused on the urban heritage of Doha and
combined both spatial and contextual local references
including:

– Historical spatial order anchored to culture

– Bedouin rug analysis with an extraction of the old
Doha City morphology ceremonial analysis
– National Museum fort like compound planning
strategies
– Built elements combine to form continuous walls
enclosing courtyard spaces
– 3 dimensional dynamic ribbon wraps and engages
buildings and courtyards
– Curious organic connection of compounds

Sustainability / façade texture:

– East West Facade

o protected glazing with traditional mushrabiyya
screens
– North South Facade
o Thermal mass concrete screens derived from
Kufic Arabic typology
– Microclimate courtyards
o Cooler courtyards, catching Gulf breezes

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CENTRAL VILLAGE, LIVERPOOL

This project’s focus is the conversion of a dilapidated inner

urban site of rail lines and maintenance sheds rejuvenated
to a vibrant mixed usage urban village create a development
framework.

The triangular site is a 1.8 hectare inner urban precinct

which will comprise of:
– Podium with 2 tower blocks, 24 levels
– Hotel, 7 levels
– 2 apartment blocks
– Basement carpark

Existing heritage grain

– Historical underground British rail network
– Urban connections
– Heritage ground plan focussed around the original
underground rail networks that used to weave around
existing buildings.
– Determine the urban drivers and public connections.

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HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY

This competition winning scheme was won from our

research knowledge of advanced institutes of study. This
project arose from China wanting to create environments
which enable Nobel Prize Laureates, a place where people
think.

– Institute for Advanced Study (semi-permanent

residents)
– Business Schools
– Accommodation facilities

A study tour around the world revealed there were no

tangible examples. The new media lab at MIT when built will
be the closest environment to these spaces.

Thoughtscapes towards terrains of knowledge

– The aggregation of non-traditional spaces
– Multiplicity of pathways discovered through exploring
– Continuous space linking disparate locations
– Synthesis centres
– Individually determined mental mapping

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These five projects demonstrate the diversity of our work
and focus on the particularity of the place they occupy.
Woods Bagot’s range of design ideology promotes
differentiation. Just like globalisation, we are not a mono-
culture, but a collective of global citizens responding to a
new appetite for specific architecture.

THANK YOU

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