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1980 - 2009

Legacies and Focus in Sydney and East Asia

The firm celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1989. In consolidating the future of the practice, Graham Thorp invited Andrew Andersons to join his son Anthony, together with Peter Watt, Peter Harvey, Anthony Rossi and John Bilmon as partners in the firm.

With the 1990s economic recession in Australia, two directions for the firm were precipitated. Firstly, the ‘Peddle Thorp Partnership’ business model managed and led from Sydney was reframed as a group of independent Peddle Thorp offices in each city or country. The Sydney office repositioned its local design focus through a renewed engagement with the harbour of Sydney by providing a range of urban design, residential and master planning - led refurbishment projects of the harbour foreshore.

These landmark projects, incorporating civic, residential and sporting uses, were undertaken as joint ventures with other well-established Sydney practices in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Iconic state and national theatre and gallery projects as well as innovative commercial projects were also completed, several of which involved the firm in the role of executive architect.

Secondly, there was renewed focus by the Sydney office on consolidating east Asia and Middle East projects and collaborations following the success of the 1992 Shenzhen Development Bank design competition in partnership with Hua Yi Designing Consultants, Hong Kong. PTW Architects, as a partner in the consortium of Arup, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and China State Construction International (Shenzhen Design Institute) (CDDI), was successful in winning the 2004 competition enabling the design and construction of the ‘Watercube’, National Swimming Centre for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In 2004 the firm received Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) approval and opened offices in Beijing and Shanghai. PTW Architects continued to undertake several venture projects with CCDI in the ensuing years.

1980 2009 01
Peddle Thorp & Walker Perspectives Bulletin, 100th Anniversary issue (1989)
1980 2009 04
Peddle Thorp Partnerships (PTP) General Meeting, Brisbane (1988)
1980 2009 02
Shenzhen Development Bank, Shanghai, China (1992)
1980 2009 13
International Grammar School (IGS) Ultimo, Sydney (1994 +)
1980 2009 15
Kings Street Courts, NSW Supreme Court, Sydney; conservation and upgrading (1997+)
1980 2009 05
Campbelltown Sportsground Grandstand (1999)
1980 2009 12
Forum Plaza and Railway Station, St Leonards, Sydney (2000)
1980 2009 03
Newington Apartments Sydney Olympic Village, in association with HPA Architects (2001)
1980 2009 07
Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company Walsh Bay (in association with HPA) Theatre Sketch Design proposal by Andrew Anderson (2003)
1980 2009 08
30 The Bond, Hickson Road Sydney in association with Lend Lease Design (2004)
1980 2009 09
‘Watercube’ National Swimming Centre Beijing in association with Arup, CCDI & CSCEC (2008)
1980 2009 06
Walsh Bay Redevelopment Masterplan Sydney in association with HPA Architects (2005)
1980 2009 14
Flowers Wards pavilion, Prince Henry at Little Bay Sydney; conservation and adaptation (2006)