Office

Expertise

We are a micro-international practice working as a single office across three locations: Sydney, Hobart and Copenhagen. As a collective of architects and urbanists, we are engaged in the world from opposite corners of it, bringing breadth and depth of experience and multiple perspectives.

Our approach is underpinned by three key values: Research, Rigour and Respect. This means that each project is approached a-new, in pursuit of uncovering the unique possibilities of each site and brief, and devising a compelling design argument. This embeds a resilience in our work that provides our clients and collaborators with the confidence that their aspirations for the project can be realised.

RESEARCH

TERROIR has always been underpinned by a high research capacity. This research takes many forms and is the basis of the expertise we bring to every project. Research is important to us in two ways:

As an acknowledgement that in a field as complex as architecture and urbanism, deep knowledge about issues important to our work is essential;
The structuring of a practice around a culture of genuine research influences every team member, and what occurs or every project, every day.

Our research focus means we are not isolated to any single sector or project type. We bring a keen interest in how we can achieve the best quality, equitable and positive outcome from every project whether design work, building, urban design, writing or publication.

RIGOUR

TERROIR was founded on an interest in how communities work with complex spatial, cultural and economic problems, particularly in sensitive or strategically important sites. Rigorous testing, genuine care and collaboration sit at the core of our approach to every project.

Our work sets an agenda for equitable city-building, place-specific design and supports these agendas with evidence. We bring these together through the re-making of places. We say re-making, as all places already exist. The most significant and successful places are those where their long history and deep logics are bought to the surface in new work. We always build on and with respect to what already exists – often revealing this is the project itself.

RESPECT

We feel a responsibility to contribute and care for our world. We demand of ourselves and our clients that every commission creates a lasting social, economic and environmental impact, specific to that place and which transcends the project itself. For our projects in Australia, we believe the continuing custodianship of the land and generous leadership of First Nations People are a critical part of the future.

Our work represents over two decades of thinking and working about connecting people and place. Projects are not designed as isolated set pieces or objects but are part of a larger story and contribute to a broader set of relations. They make connections, and in doing so they seek both a heightened experience of place but an increased motivation to care for it. Each project is therefore a story about this quest, and like stories, they contain their own specific narrative – a combination of symbols, metaphors, flashbacks and hyperbole. They contain memories and imagine new futures.

Our Australian projects are situated on Aboriginal land, or Country – a constellation of territories that were never ceded. The kinship systems connected to Country are complex and overlapping and so do not always overlap neatly with specific project locations. We therefore acknowledge collectively the Bunnerong, Dharug, D’harawal, Eora, Gai-maragal, Gundungara, kriwalayti, nipaluna, pataway, trumanyapayna, turikina truwala and Wann nation groups and kinship systems on whose Country we have worked. Their continuing custodianship of the land and generous leadership is a critical part of our future.

Awards

> View Project

Albert Hall Renewal

TAS AIA Awards - 2026
The Alan C Walker Named Award for Public Architecture

> View Project

Launceston Timber Tower

AIA National Architecture Awards - 2025
Commendation for Commercial Architecture

AIA TAS Awards - 2025
Award for Commercial Architecture
Commendation for Sustainable Architecture

TERROIR: Territories

Good Design Awards 2025
Winner in Communication Print and Packaging

Plastic Pavilion

International AIA - 2024
Commendation for Small Project Architecture

Hobart Office

TAS AIA Awards - 2024
Award for Sustainable Architecture

TAS AIA Awards - 2024
Peter Willmott Award for Small Project Architecture

Australian Interior Design Awards - 2024
Best of State Commercial Design - Tasmania

Australian Interior Design Awards - 2024
Commendation for Sustainability Advancement

Interior Design Excellence Awards - 2023
High Commendation for Sustainability

Dezeen Awards - 2023
Shortlisted in Workplace Interior (Small) Category

Resource Recovery and Learning Centre

World Architecture Festival - 2023
Winner of the Future Projects - Education Category

Australian Institute of Landscape Architects - 2024
Regional Achievement Award

Mallanganee Lookout

World Architecture Festival - 2023
Shortlisted in the Leisure-led Development Category

Puffing Billy Railway Visitor Centre

World Architecture Festival - 2023
Shortlisted in the Completed Projects - Display Category

The Chicago Athenaeum - 2022
Awarded - Best New International Architecture

Victorian Architecture Awards - 2022
Commendation - Public Architecture Category

World Architecture Festival - 2019
Finalist, Future Projects: Culture

World Architecture Festival - 2019
Shortlisted, Future Projects: Culture

Penguin Parade Visitor Centre

World Architecture Festival - 2021
Highly Commended - Display (Completed Buildings)

AIA National Architecture Awards - 2020
Shortlisted - Public Buildings Category

VIC AIA Awards - 2020
Awarded - William Wardell Award for Public Architecture

VIC AIA Awards - 2020
Regional Prize

The Chicago Athenaeum - 2019
The International Design Award - Parks and Gardens

World Architecture Festival - 2017
Shortlisted - Cultural (Future Projects)

> View Project

Castle Cove House

NSW AIA Awards - 2020
Shortlisted - New House Category

World Architecture Festival - 2019
Winner, Completed Buildings - House

Concrete Institute of Australia - 2019
State Award: NSW
Residential Buildings Category, Award for Excellence

NSW AIA Awards - 2019
Commendation for Residential Architecture Houses (New)

Australian Timber Design Awards - 2019
Excellence in Timber Products

World Architecture Festival - 2019
Shortlisted, Completed Buildings - House

TERROIR

Børsen Gazelle - 2019
Recipient

Interior Design Awards - 2006
Emerging Practice Award

Penrith Anglican College

Lysaght Inspirations Design Awards - 2019
Overall National Winner

Lysaght Inspirations Design Awards - 2019
National Award Winner, Commercial and Industrial Category

Koondrook Wharf

The Chicago Athenaeum/The European Centre for
Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies - 2019
The International Design Award: Urban Planning/Landscape Architecture

Victorian AIA Awards - 2018
Urban Design, Award

Victorian AIA Awards - 2018
Small Project Architecture, Award

Victorian AIA Awards - 2018
Regional Prize

World Architecture Festival - 2018
Shortlisted, Landscape: Rural Projects

NRAS Student Housing

Tasmanian AIA Awards - 2018
Urban Design, Commendation

Princess Park Amenities

Tasmanian AIA Awards - 2017
Commendation, Small Project Architecture

Tornhuset

World Architecture Festival - 2016
Shortlisted, Higher Education and Research (Completed Buildings)

Stadsbyggnadspris (Malmo City Building Prize) - 2015
Winner, Public Building and Best Building in the Southern Swedish Architectural Awards

Swedish National Architecture Awards - 2015
Winner, National Architecture Award

Bispebjerg Hospital

MIPIM Awards - 2016
Architectural Review Future Projects Award

Aarhus Student Housing

International AIA Awards - 2015
Residential Architecture, Award

Aarhus City Architecture Awards - 2013
Winner, City Architecture Award

Clareville House

Timber Design Awards - 2015
Excellence in Timber Design

Institute of Marine and Antarctic

AIA National Architecture Awards - 2014
National Award for Public Architecture

Tasmanian AIA Awards - 2014
Alexander North Award for Interior Architecture

Tasmanian AIA Awards - 2014
Alan C Walker Award for Public Architecture

Tasmanian AIA Awards - 2014
Urban Design, Award

Tasmanian AIA Awards - 2014
Sustainable Architecture, Award

Tasmanian AIA Awards - 2014
Colourbond Award for Steel Architecture

Burnie Makers Workshop

Tasmanian RAIA Awards - 2010
Alan C. Walker Award for Public Architecture

Australian Institute of Architects National Awards - 2010
Shortlisted

George Street Plaza

Property Council of Australia Awards - 2009
High Commendation in Heritage and Adaptive Reuses

Australian Institute of Project Management - 2009
Sustainable Project

BPN National Sustainability Awards - 2009
Large Commercial

Energy Australia National Trust Heritage Awards - 2008
Conservation Energy Management

The Green Building Council of Australia - 2007
5-Star Green Star Office Design Rating the first for a State heritage-listed office building

Smith Street Warehouse

Interior Design Awards - 2009
Best in State, Residential Interior Design

Commonwealth Place Kiosks

RAIA Awards - 2008
ACT Urban Design Commendation

Dulux Colorbond Awards - 2007
Commercial Exterior

Fish349

Tasmanian RAIA Awards - 2008
Small Projects Architecture Award

Interior Design Awards - 2007
Best of State Commercial Interior Design Award

Tasmanian RAIA Awards - 2006
Interior Architecture Commendation

Peppermint Bay

2007 Kenneth F. Brown Architecture Design Awards - 2007
Honourable Mention

Tasmanian RAIA Awards - 2005
Commercial Award

Tasmanian RAIA Awards - 2004
Interior Architecture Commendation

Tasmanian Tourism Awards - 2005
Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services

Tasmanian Tourism Awards - 2004
Best New Development