Team Members: Chris Clarke and Joel Kelder

Firm: BVN: Bligh Voller Nield Architecture

Location: Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia

BVN is one of Australia’s largest architectural firms with offices in all the major east-coast cities. The practice was established between 1997 and 1999 through the merger of a number of different firms.

BVN will send principal architect, Chris Clarke and recent graduate Joel Kelder to represent them in Helsinki. Chris Clarke first started designing steel-framed buildings in 1974. In the 1980s he was appointed Master Architect for the Expo 88 site in Brisbane. This involved the design and construction of more than 50,000 m² of pavilion space. His design adopted a kit-of-parts approach to create a very economical, modular steel-framed and sandwich-panel construction. Chris was also the Design Director for the major Olympic Stadium used in the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

As well as these major projects, Chris has also designed and built two steel-framed houses among other private commissions. He has a highly-rational approach to the design of buildings with a particular emphasis on design solutions that respond appropriately to function, climate and place.

Joining Chris Clarke will be Joel Kelder. Joel graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Architecture in 2006. In 2007 he won the James Hardie Scyon Design Challenge against architects from all around Australia. His winning design was for a sustainable lake house situated in on an isolated site in Tasmania. Joel’s entry reflected his empathetic approach to architecture which recognises the fundamental importance and influence of site, climate and culture.

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