Michael Rahill

PROFILE

I’ve worked in most facets of architecture across a wide range of building typologies during my career. In China with my practice, redstudio, I was based in Shanghai in the period 2009-19. I returned to Australia, to live in Sydney just before the outbreak of COVID and I’m in the process of re-starting my practice in Australia.

I’m a proponent for social and environmental responsibility in architecture, with special interest in education, affordable and social housing and sustainability. My final year thesis was, with 3 other students, working with the Aboriginal Housing Coop in Fitzroy, to establish an aboriginal housing project in the Fitzroy area. It was most important for us that we were co-designing the housing with our clients not imposing it on them. The thesis involved not only the design process but an analysis of funding based on Bureau of Statistics data to advocate for more funding from the government for aboriginal housing. I’ve been interested and involved in social and affordable housing since that time, even working at the Victorian Ministry of Housing for a short time.

In terms of architectural theory I follow a critical regionalist approach. It’s not an anti-globalist approach, although I am that, it is that I look for the possibilities available in each project and place that tie the design to its place. Passive design has always informed my work since university.

I have a strong interest in the promotion of architecture and architectural issues to the public in general and I’m in the process of building a network of like minded people to push for the establishment of a museum and exhibition spaces that will showcase the value of architecture and design to the public, in Sydney and the rest of Australia, which I am promoting in my instagram account @public.architecture.
I’m a supporter of Australian architecture and the protection of significant modern buildings. I’ve written articles published in The Age, advocating for the protection of Fed Square and the NGV.
Architectural education is important to me; it is important to increase the practical knowledge base of architecture students on sound construction techniques and detailing.

Above all, THE most important issue we face today is the climate crisis, which represents an existential threat to our existence. That, I hope, will represent a major focus of a Museum of Architecture and Design in Sydney.
Professional History:
2010- Founder + Director of Redstudio Shanghai.
2009- Founder + Director of Rational Environmental Design Studio P/L (redstudio)
2007-08 Senior Design Architect : McGauran Giannini Soon Pty. Ltd. Architects
2004-07 Director : MSM + Associates Pty. Ltd. Architects.
2000-09 Principal : Michael Rahill Architects
1998-00 Director : Bochsler+Partners P/L Architects
1995-98 Senior Architect : Bochsler+Partners P/L Architects
1988-95 Senior Architect : Curnow Frieverts Glover Architects
1986-88 Senior Architect : Robinson Chen Architects
1985-86 Design Architect : Victorian Ministry of Housing
Registrations and Qualifications:
NSW Architects Registration Board. Registration # 9638
Architects Registration Board of Victoria.Registration # 13375
Bachelor of Architecture (University of Melbourne)
Skills: Autocad,
Word, excel, Power Point,
Photoshop, Indesign, Acrobat
Numbers.
Gardening and landscaping, Carpentry