Growing Beyond Podcast | Industry Leaders Series EP02

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Growing Beyond Podcast | Industry Leaders Series EP02
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Episode Title: Industry Leaders Series

Guest: Felicity Douglas – Managing Director, NH Architecture

What does it take to grow architectural practice across multiple states — while staying grounded in people, culture, and design excellence?

In This Episode:

In EP02 of Growing Beyond – Industry Leaders Series, Seton Walsh-Rose sits down with Felicity Douglas, Managing Director of NH Architecture, to explore leadership, career progression, and the realities of running a national practice in a changing industry.

From Felicity’s international journey into Australian architecture to NH’s multi-studio expansion across Melbourne, Tasmania, Brisbane, and South Australia, this episode offers grounded insight into how strong culture, collaboration, and adaptability shape long-term success.

We dive into:

  • Felicity’s pathway from interior design to architectural leadership
  • Building a national practice with strong local presence
  • The importance of culture, trust, and “finding your tribe”
  • Balancing large, complex projects with smaller, agile work
  • Career advice for graduates and emerging leaders
  • Why relationship-building is a long-term leadership skill
  • Navigating construction cost pressures and market volatility
  • How NH approaches growth, mentorship, and leadership development
  • The role of AI and technology in the future of architectural practice
  • Designing for place, country, and Australia’s evolving identity

Connect and Follow Felicity Douglas:
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/felicity-douglas-b6135a11
Website: https://nharchitecture.net/

Takeaways:

  • Leadership in architecture is as much about people and trust as it is about design
  • Career growth benefits from cross-disciplinary learning and real-world experience
  • Strong practices balance project diversity to manage risk and nurture talent
  • Relationships built early in a career often return value later
  • Technology should support efficiency — not replace thinking
  • Architecture’s future lies in place-responsive, collaborative practice

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to Growing Beyond – Industry Leaders
01:00 Felicity’s journey into architecture
04:30 Why Australia — and how it shaped her approach
07:00 NH Architecture’s design ethos and sector diversity
11:00 Career progression, skills, and advice for graduates
17:00 The power of relationships and networking
22:00 Expanding NH across multiple states
26:30 Balancing project scale, cashflow, and team wellbeing
30:30 Industry challenges, construction costs, and opportunity
33:00 AI, technology, and future skills in architecture
40:00 Designing for place, country, and culture
41:30 Recommended resources and final reflections

Sound Bites / Quotes:
“Leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about creating the conditions for people to do their best work.”
“Growing a practice is really about growing people, not just projects.”
“Culture doesn’t scale automatically. You must design it intentionally.”

Referenced in This Episode:

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