Hill Thalis
Hill Thalis is an independent Australian architecture and urban design practice founded in 1992, serving government and private developer clients with residential, public domain, heritage, and master planning services from its Surry Hills, NSW studio of approximately 15 professionals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersSurry Hills, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hill Thalis does
Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects Pty Ltd is an independent Australian architecture and urban design practice established in 1992 as a partnership between Philip Thalis and Sarah Hill. Headquartered at Level 4, 15 Foster Street in Surry Hills, NSW, the firm operates with a team of approximately 15 professionals and delivers consulting, architectural, and urban planning services across residential, public, commercial, and adaptive reuse sectors. Its client base is anchored in Australian government at federal, state, and local levels — including the City of Sydney, ACT Government, Parramatta City Council, Centennial and Moore Park Trusts, and the University of NSW — supplemented by private developers such as The Trinium Group, Consolidated Properties, and Charter Hall.
The firm's service portfolio spans medium- and high-density residential architecture, public domain and civic projects, commercial fitouts, master planning and structure plans, development control plans, heritage adaptation, design advisory services (design review panels, peer review, Land and Environment Court appeals), and research/publication work. Differentiation rests on domain specialisation in urban design, heritage adaptive reuse, public domain design, and affordable/multi-residential housing, supported by published works including Public Sydney Drawing the City. Practice operations are certified to ISO9001:2015, Climate Active carbon-neutral since 2019, and bound by the NSW Register of Architects Code of Professional Conduct.
The business model is professional-services fee-based, with project-based pricing determined by scope, complexity, and contract type, typically structured as multi-year engagements. The firm generates revenue through direct client commissions, competitive public tenders, and design competitions (it has won over 100 awards, including the 1992 Olympic Village competition, 2006 Barangaroo international competition, and 2016 K2K competition). Marketing relies on a reputation-led approach — awards, publications, academic teaching (Philip Thalis as Professor of Practice at UNSW), podcast appearances, and an active project portfolio website — rather than paid acquisition channels.
Hill Thalis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hill Thalis
- Legal name
- Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://hillthalis.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hill Thalis is an independent Australian architecture and urban design practice founded in 1992, serving government and private developer clients with residential, public domain, heritage, and master planning services from its Surry Hills, NSW studio of approximately 15 professionals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Hill Thalis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Surry Hills
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hill Thalis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Architecture and Design Services: Professional fees for architectural services including design, documentation, and contract administration for building projects across residential, commercial, civic, and public use categories.
- Urban Design Consultancy: Fees for urban design services including master planning, public domain design, policy review, and design advisory services for government and private sector clients.
- Design Competitions: Revenue from winning design competitions that lead to commissioned projects.
- Publications and Research: Income from publications such as Public Sydney Drawing the City and the Hill Thalis Mini Mono monograph.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Hill Thalis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hill Thalis is an independent architecture and urban design consultancy providing professional services including residential architecture (medium and high density housing, apartment refurbishments), public projects (civic buildings, public domain, recreational and educational facilities), commercial architecture, urban projects (master plans, structure plans, development control plans, infrastructure), heritage adaptive reuse and conservation, design advisory services (design review panels, peer review, policy review, competition juries, court appeals), and research and publication.
Product overview
Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects Pty Ltd is an independent architecture and urban design practice offering a comprehensive suite of professional services. The practice operates as a single unified consultancy rather than a platform with modules. Core services span residential architecture (medium and high density housing, apartment refurbishments, aged housing, individual dwellings), public projects (places of public entertainment, recreational facilities, public domain works, educational buildings), commercial architecture (mixed use developments, commercial fitouts), urban projects (master plans, structure plans, development control plans, public domain improvement plans, infrastructure projects), adaptive reuse (heritage studies, conservation plans), design advisory services (design review panels, peer review, competition juries, court appeals), and research and publication (documenting Sydney's public spaces). The practice has completed over 100 award-winning projects including the Sydney Olympic Village, Barangaroo, Pirrama Park, and various residential complexes across Australia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Architecture Medium and high density housing design, apartment refurbishments and interiors, aged housing, and individual dwelling design for developers, community housing providers, and private clients.
- Public Projects Design of places of public entertainment, recreational facilities, public domain projects, and educational buildings with campus planning for government and institutional clients.
- Commercial Architecture Mixed use developments and commercial fitouts and interiors for private developers, commercial tenants, and property owners.
- Urban Projects Urban design consultancy including master plans, structure plans, development control plans, public domain improvement plans, infrastructure projects, and estate plans and subdivisions for government and developer clients.
- Adaptive Reuse Adaptation, heritage studies, conservation plans, urban research, and historical interpretation services for heritage buildings and precincts.
- Design Advisory Services Design review panels, peer review, policy review and advice, competition juries, and Land and Environment Court appeals provided to government and other clients.
- Research and Publication Urban research, historical interpretation, and publications including "Public Sydney: Drawing the City" by Philip Thalis and Peter John Cantrill, and the Hill Thalis Mini Mono monograph.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 professional awards and competitions won
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hill Thalis
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hill Thalis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Hill Thalis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture (JILA)coreLong-standing strategic collaborator on numerous urban design, public domain, and landscape projects including Constitution Avenue (ACT), Campbell Section 5, Lennox Bridge Portals, Lemur Forest Adventure, Thomas Street Cloud Gate, and Merewether Beach. JILA is a primary landscape architecture partner across major projects.
- CKDS ArchitecturecoreCollaborated on multiple residential projects including Verve Towers/Newcastle (awarded Blacket Prize for Regional Architecture, Bolot Award, and Newcastle Medal) and Horizon Apartments (awarded NSW AIA Award for Multiple Housing).
- McGregor Westlake ArchitecturecoreCollaboration on Parramatta Escarpment Boardwalk (awarded multiple 2022/2023 awards) and The Arc Apartments (Sydney).
- Aspect StudiosmajorCollaborated on Pirrama Park (won AIA Walter Burley Griffin Award 2010, AILA National Award 2012) and Pirrama Park Master Plan (AILA NSW Planning Excellence Award 2007).
- Clare DesignmajorWon 2014 competition for Yeerongpilly Green master plan project in Brisbane with Consolidated Properties.
- Candalepas AssociatesmajorCollaborated on Little Bay Cove Master Plan (published in Landscape Australia 2017).
- McGregor CoxallmajorCollaborated on Little Bay Master Plan and Narara Ecovillage master plan.
- Paul Berkemeier ArchitectsmajorWon international competition for Barangaroo (East Darling Harbour) in 2006 - 22 hectare urban design project for NSW State Government.
- SMECsupportingEngineering consultant on Constitution Avenue project and Linking Canberra to the Lake.
- CardnosupportingEngineering/planning consultant on Campbell Section 5 urban project.
- AECOMsupportingPart of team for Constitution Avenue project in Canberra.
- Design 5 ArchitectssupportingHeritage consultant on Lennox Bridge Portals project.
- Taronga Conservation SocietysupportingClient for Lemur Forest Adventure project at Taronga Zoo.
- Lindy Lee (Artist)supportingCollaborated on Thomas Street Cloud Gate public art project in Sydney Chinatown with JILA.
- OLSSON Architecture + Urban ProjectssupportingCollaborated on Height of building and FSR alignment study for City of Sydney Strategic Planning, receiving Australian Urban Design Awards 2024 Commendation.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Hill Thalis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hill Thalis social profiles
Digital presenceHill Thalis compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Hill Thalis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hill Thalis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Hill Thalis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hill Thalis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hill Thalis
What does Hill Thalis do?
Hill Thalis is an independent architecture and urban design consultancy providing professional services including residential architecture (medium and high density housing, apartment refurbishments), public projects (civic buildings, public domain, recreational and educational facilities), commercial architecture, urban projects (master plans, structure plans, development control plans, infrastructure), heritage adaptive reuse and conservation, design advisory services (design review panels, peer review, policy review, competition juries, court appeals), and research and publication.
Is Hill Thalis a public or private company?
Hill Thalis is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hill Thalis founded?
Hill Thalis was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hill Thalis based?
Hill Thalis is headquartered in Surry Hills, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Hill Thalis make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Architecture and Design Services are the primary driver. The others are urban Design Consultancy, design Competitions and publications and Research.
Does Hill Thalis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hill Thalis.