Searle x Waldron

Since graduating in 2001 from Deakin University, Searle has gained a wide variety of experience working for several Architectural firms internationally. The firms include Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, UK and Erick van Egeraat Architects, Netherlands and BVN Architecture, Australia where he was involved in design, documentation and contract administration for a broad range of projects. Aside from building his practice, he is also encouraging the future of Architectural design by teaching in an architectural and urban design studio in RMIT University, School of Architecture & Design.

Since graduating from RMIT University, Waldron has gained a wide variety of experience working for several Architectural firms internationally. The firms include Office for Metropolitan Architecture, Rotterdam and dRMM (de Rijke Marsh Morgan Architects), London where she was involved in the design works of projects ranging from civic buildings to commercial and retail. Some of these projects include Prada, the City of Ghent and Cornell University. Waldron was also selected to exhibit her works in the National Design Centre's "Do Not Crop" Exhibition held at Federation Square in 2008. Along with Searle, she is also leading an architectural and urban design studio in RMIT University, School of Architecture & Design.

MoCAPE: Museum of Contemporary Art & Planning Exhibition (MoCAPE) was an open competition for an international art institution located in Shenzhen, China, covering an area of 80,000sqm with a budget of US$100 million. The site sits within the Shenzhen civic masterplan, which features a new library and concert hall by Arata Isozaki. Searle X Waldron's design proposal was for 2 spaces that are connected by cultural facilities that covers about 30,000sqm. There were 170 entries from around the world but Searle X Waldron managed to win a position in the final 4 and was invited for a second round proposal in collaboration with Arup.

Their work was exhibited in National Design Centre, Melbourne.[1]

Searle X Waldron was commissioned by the City Of Ballarat and the Art Gallery of Ballarat, the project had completed construction in 2011. The brief for the project was to expand on the existing heritage listed structure of The Art Gallery of Ballarat and create a suitable space to be used for conduction of Lectures, Workshops, Art installations, and Community Functions. Its design also caters for the option to facilitate private functions which operate independently from the other gallery spaces.[2]

The project combines the attributes of three specific structures – Public hall for Mix programs, Verandah as a transitional space and a Bandstand as an Event Space. By incorporating these three ideas in one flexible space Searle X Waldron have designed a building which has multiple uses and has become a focal point for public addresses in the City of Ballarat. The project was awarded the 2011 Award for Public Architecture and the Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture from the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects.[3]