In Conversation with Ritz & Ghougassian

When you think of 'interesting Australian architecture' right now, what qualities define it? 
I’m drawn to architecture that reveals its connections, the way components meet, support and rely on one another. When these relationships are exposed, the building becomes legible. It allows the observer to understand not only how the building works, but how the architect thinks. 
In an Australian context, another layer emerges. Our architecture must negotiate the particularities of this landscape. An intense sun and extreme temperature changes. The question becomes: how does a building respond to all of this? When architecture engages directly with the realities of its environment, rather than resisting or disguising them, it becomes genuinely interesting to me. 

Your current material fascinations – what are you reaching for, and what are you avoiding? 
I’m drawn to materials that are comfortable with time: timber that softens and greys, brick and concrete that show their mass, metals that shift tonally in the sun. I’m looking for tactility, grain and shadow. In essence, I want materials that speak quietly but with depth. 
I’m moving away from materials that feel synthetic or overly engineered. I have little interest in surfaces that disguise themselves, chase flawlessness, or rely on decorative effect. I’d rather work with materials that hold truth, rather than those that try to escape it. 

If you could change one planning rule tomorrow to enable better housing design, what would it be? 
If I could change one planning rule tomorrow, it would be to establish clearer, more generous “as-of-right” design parameters. When owners and architects have well-defined guidelines to operate within, the design process becomes far more linear and purposeful. We spend less time negotiating subjective outcomes and more time designing quality architecture. 
This inevitably means a shift in the balance of rights. Neighbours would have fewer discretionary avenues to challenge compliant proposals. Yet if the rules were robust, transparent and consistently applied, we would replace the current circular, uncertain process with a more efficient system that delivers better design outcomes for everyone. 

What recent public Australian projects have moved the dial in architecture? 
The National Gallery of NSW’s Sydney Modern has moved the dial in Australian architecture. Its significance lies not just in its scale, but in the cultural shift it signals. Instead of monumentality, SANAA and Architectus have created a building that is light, open and deeply tied to landscape, a distinctly Australian sensibility. 
The project reframes what a major cultural institution can be. It terraces into the site, blurring interior and garden; roofs become courtyards; circulation becomes a gentle meander. It is almost anti-object, prioritising climate, shade, permeability and generous public space over formal display. 
Sydney Modern proves that Australian public architecture can be both ambitious and quiet, environmentally responsive, open, and genuinely public. It signals a shift in how we conceive our cultural buildings and their responsibility to place. 

In your opinion, what is the next frontier for Australian architecture in one word? 
Regeneration 

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