PDT may have been delivering architectural projects since 1938, but how will it weather the current economic storm? Gemma Battenbough speaks to newly appointed managing director Susan Playford…

How is PDT holding it’s positing within the marketplace?

We’re 120 strong at the moment, so the company has achieved significant growth over the last 12 months, which is wonderful for us. 

The position of MD arose as the result of succession planning. There was a need to have someone to develop the business development and marketing of the firm. But also to have an overall focus on the business itself as opposed to specific project work. 

How did you find transferring from a design role to a business role?

It’s been a gradual development. It doesn’t happen overnight. I ran the Sydney office and also ran the interiors department, so you do become more focused on the business side. Now I guess it’s a real pull back from the project work. Having said that PDT is a environment where everyone communicates what happens on different projects. The business side excites me, so I’m loving it.

Are you planning a new direction?

Not a new direction as such; PDT’s strength is that we have very strong client relationships. So we’re focusing very much on continuing those and providing good service to our existing clients.

We’ve got a very strong government base at the moment — probably 80 per cent of our work is government focused. And that’s what will get us through the financial crisis. We’ve already seen some of the other markets decline, in the commercial and retail to a degree.

Do you expect to win work off the back of Rudd’s stimulus package?

We’re in a great position because a lot of our work is public education, so we’re well known with project services and they’ve already come to us to talk about the new infrastructure projects. If that funding does come through, we will go to them with ideas about how to focus and target specific sites in a programmed way.

What excites you about the industry at the moment?

The industry is more of a challenge now than ever. It’s a time to think smart about what we do. It’s not a time for resting on laurels, but developing ways that we can provide more value. Developing our efficiencies. And keeping our team motivated. Communication is really important in keeping people positive.

Does Queensland have its own signature design style?

There’s a vernacular style in Queensland but we’re becoming more sophisticated. There are a lot of projects here that are world class.

And what is PDT working on at the moment?

One of the main projects is a joint venture project for the Gold Coast University Hospital, a tertiary hospital that is a $1.5-million at the moment, and we’re just about to complete design developments. The theme is a hospital in a parkland setting. It’s a very patient care-focused hospital. How can you incorporate natural light into the building, to make the staff happier and look after patient well being in a holistic sense.

There are a lot of education projects on the board at the moment, three or four health projects here too. But we are doing quite a lot of work for Telstra as well. We did a 16-floor fit out for them in an existing building in Brisbane. We’re doing some contract administration on 275 George Street, which is another 22 floors for Telstra.