Brewster Hjorth Architects

What Brewster Hjorth Architects does

Brewster Hjorth Architects (BHA) is a Sydney-based architectural practice specialising in public and institutional buildings across Australia and New Zealand. The firm designs libraries, aquatic and leisure centres, performing arts venues, university facilities (including medical, dental and engineering schools), civic buildings, and heritage-adaptive reuse projects, with a documented portfolio spanning New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT, Victoria, and New Zealand. BHA is led by four directors — Ian Brewster, Andrew Hjorth (Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects), Larry Melocco and Maria Colella — and operates from a single Surry Hills office with approximately 24 personnel across directors, associates, technical team and administrative staff.

BHA's service portfolio is organised around three core offerings — Masterplanning, Public Buildings Design, and Education and Teaching Facilities Design — alongside deeper specialisations in aquatic centres, libraries, performing arts centres, and university/health sciences buildings. Technical capabilities include 3D immersive modelling (notably a multi-projector "world-leading" 3D full immersion studio at the SCU Engineering Futures Building), JV3 thermal and energy modelling, and Greenstar/LEED sustainability benchmarking, with the firm targeting 5 Greenstar and Platinum LEED ESD standards on flagship commissions. BHA has developed a standardised "kit of parts" design system used to roll out TAFE NSW Connected Learning Centres across 14 regional NSW sites, enabling repeatable, site-adapted delivery at scale. Heritage-adaptive reuse is a documented specialisation (State Theatre Sydney, Italian Forum Cultural Centre, Kings Cross Library), and document management with clients and consultants is supported by a Nextcloud-based web file service (cloud.brewsterhjorth.com.au). No AI/ML capability is disclosed.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional architectural design fees, typically tied to the construction value of engagements, supplemented by masterplanning and feasibility study commissions. Documented construction values range from approximately $2.5 million (Kings Cross Library) to $110 million (University of Otago School of Dentistry), with most major public commissions valued between $5 million and $65 million. Engagements are tendered or directly negotiated, fees are not publicly disclosed, and heritage-sensitive refurbishment work commands premium rates. Customers are predominantly Australian public sector — local councils, state agencies, universities and TAFE NSW — with the firm's only documented international commission being the University of Otago in New Zealand, delivered in partnership with Jazmax NZ.

Name

Brewster Hjorth Architects

Legal name

Brewster Hjorth Architects

Website

https://brewsterhjorth.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brewster Hjorth Architects is a Sydney-based architectural practice specialising in public and institutional buildings across Australia and New Zealand, designing libraries, aquatic and leisure centres, performing arts venues, and university facilities for government and education clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Public building design
• Aquatic centre design
• Library architecture
• Heritage refurbishment

Headquarters

HQ city

Surry Hills

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architectural design fees: Primary revenue stream is professional architectural design services billed on a project basis, typically tied to the construction value of public and institutional buildings. Project values range from $2.5 million (Kings Cross Library) to $110 million (University of Otago School of Dentistry), with most major public building commissions valued between $5m–$65m.
2. Masterplanning and feasibility studies: Secondary revenue stream derived from masterplanning commissions and feasibility studies (e.g., Rockhampton Art Gallery Quay Street Precinct feasibility assessment, North Sydney Olympic Pool masterplan), often serving as precursors to full design commissions.
3. Heritage consultancy and refurbishment design: Revenue from heritage-sensitive refurbishment projects (State Theatre Sydney, Italian Forum Cultural Centre, Kings Cross Library) which command premium fees due to specialized heritage consulting expertise and complex regulatory approvals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Core offering

Brewster Hjorth Architects is a Sydney-based architectural practice that designs public, civic, educational, aquatic, cultural and health sciences buildings for government, council and institutional clients across Australia and New Zealand. The firm's portfolio spans masterplanning, public buildings, libraries, performing arts centres, university faculties, and heritage refurbishment, supported by a dedicated BHA Web File Service (Nextcloud-based) for client collaboration on project documents.

Product overview

Brewster Hjorth Architects (BHA) is an established Sydney-based architectural practice with a portfolio of public architecture projects across Australia and New Zealand. Rather than a single unified software product, the firm delivers a portfolio of professional architectural design services organised into three core service areas — Masterplanning Services, Public Buildings Design, and Education and Teaching Facilities Design — alongside specialisations in Aquatic Centre Design, Library Design, Performing Arts Centre Design, and University and Health Sciences Design. Their named project offerings include award-winning buildings such as the North Sydney Olympic Pool Redevelopment, Ashfield Aquatic Centre, Roseville College Wellness Centre, University of Otago School of Dentistry, Goulburn Performing Arts Centre, Orange Conservatorium and Planetarium, and the TAFE NSW Connected Learning Centres (CLC) rollout. Underpinning client engagement, BHA provides the BHA Web File Service — a cloud-based file sharing platform built on Nextcloud — for project document exchange with clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Masterplanning Services Strategic planning of communities of buildings, working with stakeholders to develop long-term planning strategies for precincts and town centres. Sold to government and institutional clients as a precursor to full design commissions.
• Public Buildings Design Design of public and community buildings including libraries, civic centres, auditoriums and sports centres for government, council and institutional clients across Australia and New Zealand. The firm positions this as a leading public and community design specialisation on the Pacific Rim.
• Education and Teaching Facilities Design Design of specialist teaching and learning facilities embodying new pedagogy for Australian educational institutions, encouraging collaboration and participation. Sold to universities, TAFE institutions, and schools.
• Aquatic Centre Design Specialist design of indoor and outdoor aquatic and leisure centres including Olympic pools, learn-to-swim facilities, splash pads and integrated gym/health club facilities. Notable commissions include North Sydney Olympic Pool, Ashfield Aquatic Centre, Willoughby Leisure Centre, McQuoin Indoor Aquatic Centre, and others.
• Library Design Design of large public and academic library projects, considered one of the firm's leading specialisations with numerous award-winning completed projects across Australia. Notable commissions include Oran Park Library, Kings Cross Library, and Glen St Library Belrose.
• Performing Arts Centre Design Design of performing arts venues including theatres, recital halls and auditoriums. Notable commissions include Goulburn Performing Arts Centre, Italian Forum Cultural Centre, Muswellbrook Entertainment Centre, and Orange Conservatorium and Planetarium.
• University and Health Sciences Design Design of university facilities including dental schools, medical schools and engineering buildings. Notable commissions include University of Otago School of Dentistry, CSU School of Dentistry (Wagga Wagga and Orange), CSU Joint Program of Medicine, and SCU Engineering Futures.
• BHA Web File Service Cloud-based file sharing service powered by Nextcloud, accessible to clients at cloud.brewsterhjorth.com.au for project document exchange and collaboration with consultants during design and construction phases.

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• John Wardle Architects:

Direct peers

• FJMT (Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp): Sydney-headquartered architecture practice of comparable scale with a strong public architecture portfolio across libraries, universities and civic buildings in Australia. Highly comparable mid-sized Australian firm competing in the same public-tender market as BHA.
• ARM Architecture: Melbourne-based design-led practice recognised for public and cultural architecture including performing arts centres, galleries and civic projects. Directly comparable in scale and public-sector focus to BHA.
• Jackson Clements Burrows (JCB): Mid-sized Melbourne architecture firm with comparable specialisation in public, education and community architecture. Highly similar size, design ethos and public-sector client base to BHA.
• BVN (Bligh Voller Nield): Australian architecture practice with significant education, health and civic portfolio including university and aquatic facility work. Comparable mid-sized competitor for BHA's institutional and civic tenders.
• Architectus: Trans-Tasman architecture firm with offices in Australia and New Zealand, recognised for public architecture including libraries, education and civic buildings. Direct peer given shared ANZ public-sector focus and similar scale.

Broad incumbents

• Bates Smart: One of Australia's oldest and largest architecture firms with deep public sector heritage work across NSW. A larger incumbent competing for the same institutional and civic commissions as BHA.
• Cox Architecture: Major Australian architecture firm with significant education, civic and aquatic portfolio (e.g., Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, university buildings). Larger incumbent that competes for the upper-end public commissions BHA targets.
• Hassell: Large international architecture practice with a substantial Australian public architecture portfolio including education, transport and civic projects. A scaled competitor that frequently competes against BHA on major NSW tenders.
• Grimshaw Architects: Global architecture firm with Australian studios active in transport, education and public architecture. A larger international incumbent competing for high-value NSW civic commissions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brewster Hjorth Architects