Architecture, engineering and planning firm HDR has appointed and promoted key leaders that will strengthening its Defence capability and propel the sector forward at a critical time for Australia’s national security. 

HDR’s newly appointed senior leadership team, which comprises Directors Stuart Aslett, Maurice Valentinuzzi and Alex Wessling, supported by Michelle Addley, Michael Shelley, Huey Moo, Brendan Grayson and Design Director Simon Fleet, will leverage their combined experience and deep industry knowledge to deliver complex projects and programs for the Department of Defence. 

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“HDR has been delivering Defence projects for over 30 years. We were the first practice to deliver a project under the Managing Contractor model, introduced in 1993 and were part of a design consortium that delivered the first ever Defence Public-Private Partnership project in 2004,” HDR Director of Defence Stuart Aslett said. 

“With this depth of experience comes a deeply nuanced understanding of the shifting challenges and complexities of the sector, and the capability to deliver base redevelopments, capability facilities and operational and training environments that can sustain military capabilities for the next decade.”  

In line with the appointment of key leaders, HDR will be working in partnership with GroupGSA to design the $1.8 billion Riverina Redevelopment Program. The program will stretch across three Defence establishments and deliver a variety of building typologies to meet the demand for recruits and trainees.  

“In an increasingly complex geopolitical climate, building highly technical, agile and resilient Defence infrastructure requires significant industry collaboration, innovation and international engagement,” Aslett said.  

“At HDR, we are uniquely positioned to tap into our global defence, science and technology exchange across the U.S, U.K and Europe to deliver these kinds of programs at speed.”  

HDR is also developing data-driven design tools that can expedite processes and future-proof Australia’s Defence Estate and facilities. Through computational and generative design, manipulated parameters can now be rapidly evaluated in real-time to test the specific programmatic needs of Defence projects.  

“Past Defence facility data analytics, such as meal pass data used to validate mess capacities, is helping us to simulate how new buildings can be best utilised,” Aslett said.  

“Not only does this assist us in organising a Defence facility’s operation, but it ensures the space is highly adaptable and can be reconfigured for future use or expansion.”  

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All these can help HDR reduce embodied carbons on projects, produce climate-resilient infrastructure, and deliver highly flexible Defence precincts where science, technology and innovation intersect.  

“Our multilateral approach to Defence design means that the growth and development of the sector is being continually shaped by the breadth and deep expertise of our national and local resources,” HDR Managing Principal Cate Cowlishaw said.  

“With a strengthened and diversified leadership team, we are well-positioned to build on our capability edge and operate in a digitally charged and increasingly complex geopolitical climate.”  

HDR has over 30 years of experience in the design and delivery of projects for the Department of Defence. 

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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