National Tasmanian Timber Masterclass Series: Book Now

Students at one of Sydney’s most decorated technical secondary colleges, Northern Beaches Secondary College (NSBC) Freshwater Senior Campus, had the unique opportunity to use premium Tasmanian timber as a part of their HSC Major Project, crafting Tasmanian Blackwood and Oak into fine custom furniture.

Two free masterclasses, Working with Tasmanian Timber and Timber for Internal Applications, designed specifically for architects, interior designers, specifiers, builders, and joiners, are now available online.

Following the completion of her studies in Architecture at the University of Adelaide, Kyra Wood practiced architecture for several years, before continuing her education as a researcher looking at the cultural aspects of architecture and design in countries like Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. Fast forward to today, Kyra is a postdoctoral fellow studying timber as a building material at the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood. With a fascination for discovering how materials impact the built environment, Kyra says there’s no time like the present to learn new things. And so she does. Taking her fascination for timber to the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation, which is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State governments and the timber industry, Kyra has been working to uncover how characteristics of Tasmania’s timber could be improved, helping to reduce waste and increase value by creating a highly durable and sustainable building material. Endlessly passionate about her work, Kyra hopes that her research not only sparks the interest of the architecture industry’s leaders but also can create lasting change.

At the base of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula where the Western Port meets Bass Strait, sits the coastal town of Flinders and the newly built Flinders Residence by Abe McCarthy Architects’. Capturing views of the often-turbulent Southern Australian waters and the lush and rolling seaside landscape, Flinders Residence is modern Australian farmhouse meets comforting luxury.

Working as an architect for 15 years, and in the profession for 18, Kate Symons’ focus has always been on one thing: the client. Customising and creating bespoke residential homes has been her specialty. After 5 years of co-directing architectural practice MGA.I, in the midst of 2020, Symons established her very own Hobart based practice, Studio ilk. With a client focused approach, Symons has also taken on projects beyond the family home working on commercial and public facing projects. After the establishment of her own practice, Symons shares how she’s found her sweet spot in the industry and why the future of Tasmania’s architecture industry looks bright.