As we are frequently told, this is the age of the city. Cities are larger, denser and more intensely used than ever before. From this perspective it is possible to see the role of the architect as of critical importance: as a designer of and advocate for the ever-expanding built environment. Few architectural practices in Australia embody this attitude more fully than Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects. For close to a quarter of a century it has practiced architecture as the art and craft of city making.

In so doing, the practice has engaged in a diverse range of project types, from houses and apartments to public parks and civic infrastructure. The scale of these projects also varies wildly, from projects that are the urban equivalents of keyhole surgery, to the ambitious masterplanning of major new urban developments.

Regardless of the project or its size, one thing remains constant: an unswerving commitment to the belief that the city is owned by us all, and it needs defending. As co-authors David and Michael Neustein observe in their essay, “regardless of client, cost, size or site, every Hill Thalis project is undertaken pro bono publico: for the public good.”

Since opening its doors in 1992, Hill Thalis has undertaken over 550 projects, studies and commissions. Minimono Volume 02 samples just 10 key projects from this diverse and critically acclaimed body of work. It includes considered insights from Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medallist Lawrence Nield, an interview between Philip Thalis and fellow Sydney architects Rachel Neeson and Richard Francis-Jones, as well as an essay by David and Michael Neustein.

It provides a window into the work and thinking of an award-winning practice that has contributed significantly to the cities and streetscapes of Australia.

ABOUT THE MINIMONO SERIES:

Uro’s minimono series distils the big ideas of burgeoning architectural practices into compact books with a critical remit. Each edition in the series focuses on the output of a select practice, unpacking its thinking and approach through the presentation and analysis of a collection of key works. Modestly presented and affordably priced, the minimono series nevertheless offers readers rare insights into the conceptual genesis of some of Australia’s most innovative architectural practices.