Masterplans are the frameworks for our future communities and cities. From city centres to greenfield opportunities, we work holistically to deliver transformative places that change expectations and ensure a thriving, connected and sustainable future for cities around the globe.
View projectsAt Buchan, we believe in shaping places that have a life of their own. That pulsate with the thrum of energy and momentum. That push progress and uplift the people in them. That create echoes of growth and ripples of positive impact – now and far into the future.
For over 130 years, Buchan has been constantly reimagining urban life, transforming spaces and places into destinations that people love. Our global scale and diversity means we view the world, and our practice, differently. We transcend boundaries and design disciplines to bring together the best creative minds and we empower them to design a brighter, more sustainable future.
What we do
Our mission is to confront the challenges of urbanisation with deep insight and visionary creativity that transcends boundaries and cultures to deliver high performing destinations.
Disciplines
Architecture is the opportunity to challenge what’s inherent and explore new ways of thinking. Remaining open and curious, we design and deliver large-scale urban landscapes to boutique spaces, all characterised by their ability to bring meaning and joy to the people who use them.
View projectsOur interior designer dream team works holistically across sectors, considering not what buildings do but how they make you feel. Specialists in the details, they produce high-quality, functional and creative outcomes that prioritise responsible materials and life cycle benefits for all who use them.
View projectsExperiential design is embedding limitless ideas into built form. Through brand, wayfinding, graphics, placemaking, interpretive design and architectural facades, we innovate, elevate and amplify, harnessing the experiential into a tangible outcome.
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Sectors
Our civic spaces and public architecture shapes the identity and character of our cities. As civic design experts, we bring a new level of public amenity and imagination, enhancing our communities with life-affirming places and spaces for generations to come.
View projectsAgility is key when it comes to workplace design. Our future-facing work spaces reflect the function, culture and aspirations of our clients, while committing to sustainability, wellness and social responsibility. Valuing work-life balance, they engage and energise their immediate community and beyond.
View projectsSeamlessly integrating architecture, interior design and fit out, graphics and branding, we provide a holistic solution for our clients as part of a large mixed-use project or standalone destination.
View projectsWe create places where people gather and want to be. Where they can entertain friends and spend time with family. Whether it’s high-rise communities, build-to-rent, multi-residential or boutique – whatever their size or shape, we create homes for life.
View projectsCreating fluidity between retail, dining, leisure and community spaces is when the magic happens. Our pioneering yet democratic design focuses on the customer to build legacy destinations that provide endless flexibility and potential for experiences that get people talking.
View projectsWe take the town and create the city. We take the city and ensure the elements – retail, commercial, hospitality and residential – work in harmony. Infused with a sense of place, we create the whole from the part and make it hum. Then it works like a city, but feels like a town.
View projectsWe take the town and create the city. We take the city and ensure the elements – retail, commercial, hospitality and residential – work in harmony. Infused with a sense of place, we create the whole from the part and make it hum. Then it works like a city, but feels like a town.
View projectsThese are our stories of transformation. Carefully balancing conservation, preservation and reinvention, we examine the past, present and future to build new beacons of the community, that preserve our cultural heritage and resonate in a busy world.
View projectsExperts in health precincts, Buchan Health & Wellbeing delivers caring and functional environments designed for modern healthcare in all its forms. From specialist health facilities to public hospitals and private sector developments, we use pioneering design to set the benchmark for what the hospitals and health services of the future should look like.
Learn more about our Health capabilityDrawing on our collective wealth of international and domestic experience in sport, community placemaking and delivering solutions we make a lasting impact on projects, people and place.
Learn more about our Design Alliance Olympic capability
Our projects
From concept through to built form, our projects showcase successful outcomes achieved through good design and effective collaboration. Our work is an expression of our vision to positively influence life in our cities for the benefit of people and the planet.
Our extensive portfolio spans boutique, intimate settings through to large-scale buildings and urbanscapes.
See our work
Our design ethos
We believe that design is not just about creating spaces, it’s about elevating the human experience. Our design ethos revolves around placing people at the heart of every project we undertake.
We understand that places can shape behaviours, emotions, and interactions, and we embrace this responsibility. We are dedicated to creating spaces that enrich lives, foster connections, and leave a legacy of opportunity for generations to come.
Our people and culture
We are a dynamic collective of talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, driven by design thinking at our core.
Our culture is shaped and led by our people. We empower our people to design a brighter, more sustainable future that influences life in our cities for the benefit of people and the planet.
Meet the team Our perspectives
Our history
Founded in Geelong in 1890, Buchan is one of Australia’s oldest architecture and design firms. Buchan has made a significant contribution to the built environment in Australia, New Zealand and across the globe, with an extensive portfolio that spans boutique, intimate settings through to large-scale buildings and urbanscapes.
Buchan’s longevity as a design practice and the tenure of our people has enabled us to build client and community relationships over decades, providing continuity to visionary city shaping and community building projects.
Our design journeyDesigning for Country
As designers of the built environment, we all hold a unique position to incorporate Indigenous cultures into what we do, to reflect the deep history of the land and surrounding waters our designs sit upon.
Our reconciliation journey
At Buchan we understand the importance of reconnecting with First Nation peoples’ history and cultures.
Buchan’s Reflect Reconciliation Plan marks a key milestone in our reconciliation journey, and our commitment to playing an active role in creating an inclusive and diverse profession.
This includes partnering with The University of Queensland to establish the Buchan Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Architecture Industry Scholarship program which both supports a student though their degree and offers an employment pathway. This is the first scholarship of its kind for the University with the inaugural placement commencing in 2023.
Deepening our connection through education, Buchan engaged local First Nations artist Theresa Bower of Burrundi Design Studio (pictured) to create an original artwork that reflects our practice’s reconciliation journey from the present and into the future, focused on the pillars of education, inclusivity, connection, and the reconciliation pathway forward.
Our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan
Our Te Ao Māori journey
Buchan is committed to our Te Ao Māori journey, beginning with authentic connections to Māori communities through cultural engagement and indigenous design kōrero.
We recognise the unique role of Māori as Tangata Whenua of Aotearoa and embrace Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
We are invested in enhancing capability within our team, building partnerships with like-minded people, and growing our mātauranga Māori. We believe early cultural, community and stakeholder engagement, creates equity and naturally embraces kaupapa Māori. Our te ao Māori approach is defined by unity, overlaid with a desire for authenticity, rather than process.
Our featured perspectives
“The emphasis is very much on creating a future that is carbon-positive and energy self-sufficient.”
