As prominent South Australian buildings are increasingly being designed by interstate, high profile architects, concerns are being raised from local firms missing out on potential work.
Renowned interstate architects John Wardle, Woods Bagot and Hassell have all had a hand in recent major developments.
Also among concerns is the reported in-principle agreement which was reached late last year for Frank Gehry to do the concert hall in Adelaide in a bid for the city to create an icon.
John Wardle has been at the helm of four completed buildings at the University of South Australia and is currently erecting his fifth- the Learning Centre which is being built at a price of $82.5million.
The new Royal Adelaide Hospital. Image via Adelaide Now
The Adelaide Advertiser reports that Nick Tridente, president of the Australian Institute of Architects in South Australia, believes there is concern that local architect's feel pressured to collaborate with high profile interstate firms in order to be successful.
"It becomes a requirement in order to win the bid," Mr Tridente said. "I understand fully why these people go to ... star architects but ... there's another opportunity here to cross-pollinate.
"I've got no issue with John Wardle ... My issue is there may be other opportunities to facilitate the SA community within the profession."
As the word ‘starchitect’ gets bandied about, the term has been criticised as de-valuing and distracting from the work itself, as Gehry told The Independent:
"I don't know who invented that f***ing word 'starchitect'. In fact a journalist invented it, I think. I am not a 'star-chitect', I am an ar-chitect..."
Closer to home the South Australian government architect Benjamin Hewett concurs that the word isn't adequate but that there is a strategic trend for employing people like Gehry and Wardle which can lay the groundwork for an enhanced design culture in a city.
"John is one example where local practices have partnered with a national design architect, we didn't force them to do that ... often they believe it gives them the edge they want," he said.
"It's also about us positioning ourselves in a glo- bal market," he said.
"We have roughly 35,000 students and of those about 15,000 are international students. To attract them you need differentiation."
Current projects taking place within the education sector in SA include a laboratory at Mawson Lakes by Darryl Jackson in conjunction with locals MPH Architects and the Health Sciences Building collaborated on by Phillip Cox and Adelaide based Grieve Gillett.
