DesignInc celebrates the promotion of Claire Kirlew to Principal, who joins Sydney’s all-female defence sector leadership team.
Claire’s experience has been shaped organically through a career which spans aviation (Sydney Airport Expansion), transport (Sydney Trains TAP Upgrades) and major infrastructure sectors; a perfect fit for a sector which combines it all.
‘You will see almost every architectural typology on a traditional base,’ said Claire. ‘That’s what I enjoy most about designing defence bases—they’re like complex, micro-CBDs.
‘Bases have their own commercial office buildings, transport systems, health and education centres, live-in accommodation, training facilities, wellness and recreation centres, open spaces, boundaries and security. They have everything.
‘To me, that is why it’s an interesting space because you’re not being pigeon-holed in designing for one function, or one sector. As a designer, you’re getting exposure to everything at some point.’
It’s also design with purpose, perfect for a function- and process-driven architect like Claire.
‘It’s very function-driven, which is not exclusive to form. Our objective is to create high-performance spaces that cater for bases’ very individual requirements.’
You’re designing for specific user groups that have specific capability requirements, processes, functions. Form should respond to this specificity to ensure that personnel are requirements are met or exceeded.
And as Australia is growing its defence capability, DesignInc is growing with it – having delivered a number of major projects nationally.
‘DesignInc’s national footprint—which now includes Darwin—allows teams to service major projects across the country. We’re continuing to build on this success by delivering big projects across specialist typologies of land, sea and air.’
Claire’s appointment completes an all-female leadership team comprising Director Cathryn Drew-Bredin and Principal Jane McGarry, totalling decades of collective experience across aviation and defence. Claire attributes her personal success to a collaborative environment fostered by Cathryn and the directorship generally.
‘Females are still greatly outnumbered in the industry. But to have an all-female sector leadership team, with two female Directors (in Cathryn Drew-Bredin and Mary Anne McGirr), and now Jane McGarry and I as Defence Principals is really rewarding.
‘Cathryn and I have worked together for many years now. There’s no egos, no surprises, no blurred lines, and the communication is open and consistent. There’s a ‘no stupid questions’ mentality which is complemented by a culture of accountability. ‘
‘Having someone like Cathryn that believes in you, gives you chances to grow and nurtures decision making as you progress up tiers of management has been fundamental.’
DesignInc has expanded into the Northern Territory, establishing a studio in Darwin. With expertise across sectors including defence, health, education, community, workplace, residential, transport, aviation, and urban design, DesignInc will now combine its national experience with established local knowledge, having completed numerous projects across the Northern Territory over the last decade.
Claire is a Registered Architect with over 16 years of professional expertise. She values strong working relationships with all stakeholders, striving to satisfy project requirements in a timely and efficient…
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