Peter Brook, design director at Peddle Thorp Melbourne, has been responsible for the design and concept design of all projects undertaken by the firm since joining in 1983. 

Most recently, Brook and his team have been involved in aquarium design - starting in Melbourne and branching out to Asia and the Middle East.

Architecture & Design spoke to him about Asian design, obtaining a degree from Harvard and the challenges of aquarium design. 

You have been with Peddle Thorp since 1983. What have been some of the most dramatic changes at the firm that you have witnessed?

In 1983 we were a practice of seven people working on relatively limited opportunities in the local Melbourne market. It is now a radically different office, being an international business with a focus on Asia and China in particular. That requires different management expertise and an appreciation of different cultural and business issues. The design responses are also quite different.

What will be some trends that you believe will gain momentum in Asian design?

Our Asian projects in China and now in India and the Middle East all seem to involve creating comprehensive lifestyle environments. We are no longer creating buildings - we are involved in total environments with the creation of multi-faceted places, spaces and landmarks. We think the demand for a more comprehensive approach will continue.

Could these same design techniques be applied to Australia?

These principles certainly should apply in Australia, although generally here our commissions are much smaller and the bigger picture is hard to achieve.

You hold an architecture degree from Melbourne University and an urban design degree from Harvard. How different or similar was it completing both degrees?

The degree from Harvard involved a very different approach to architecture education by comparison to Melbourne. The Harvard urban design degree was focused on the strategic drivers that create urban environments - economics, legal issues, infrastructure and environmental issues and design.  

The emphasis was always on the integration of these issues, not just design. In Australia we seem more focused on visual and sculptural issues. The values from Harvard have been far more important in our presence in China where our business is essentially focused on planning large-scale communities. We have actually been responsible for building over 3 million housing units, so it’s a scale that has required strategic thinking, not just imagery.

 Dubai Mall Aquarium

What were some key lessons you learnt from your Harvard degree that you think you couldn't have learnt in Australia?

I honestly think that Australian architects have not got involved enough in the strategic issues mentioned. The lessons are we should reclaim control of the planning system. We should wrestle back control of the fundamental structure of the development process from Project Managers. We should be the creative minds behind environmental design and recapture that from the engineers. We should also be the key drivers of infrastructure.

I honestly think that the profession in Australia has let too many competing disciplines into the business and technical side of architecture and thereby diminished our influence and status.

Can you tell A&D about your aquarium design? What are the challenges associated with that type of design work?

Aquarium projects have taken us around the world. This actually grew out of Melbourne’s Aquarium, which is a small but innovative project in its layout and technology. The aquarium projects are really about advanced environmental technology. They are fascinating in that they involve complete balanced and sustainable life support systems that I believe has a relevance that goes beyond aquariums. Our projects, such as the mega sized aquarium in Dubai Mall, showcases the technical expertise of Australian architecture.

If you weren't an architect, what would you be doing?

\I have always been fascinated by car designs. It involves technology, functionality, economy and at its best has achieved the beauty of elegant simplicity. If I hadn’t become an architect I would have loved to be a car designer.

 

 

*Correction: An earlier version of this article included an incorrect aquarium image. This has since been updated.