ABOUT
STAFFORD is a boutique architecture studio specialising in unique luxury-living experiences with international appeal.
Stafford Would Like To Acknowledge The Gadigal People Of The Eora Nation, The Traditional Custodians Of This Land And Pay Our Respects To The Elders Both Past, Present And Emerging.
PROCESS
We believe that every design journey is uniquely personal. We collaborate closely with our clients, and together, create truly iconic and memorable homes and hotels that work in perfect harmony with site and context.
The results are luxurious and bespoke architectural statements that leave a proud legacy with significant uplift. Our passion is to create iconic designs that add true generational value to our clients’ projects, while also leaving a meaningful narrative for the communities in which we live and work.
Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy, Which Is Why Every Project Is A True Labour Of Love.
ETHOS
Nothing worth having comes easy, which is why every project is a true labour of love. Driven by passion. Shaped by sacrifice. And fuelled by an innate desire to get things right as we turn our clients’ dreams into stunning realities. We believe that we’re only as good as our last job. That’s why to us, it’s not done – until it’s perfect.
HISTORY
Our story began creating prestige hotels. Today we’re renowned for bringing resort-living inspiration to high-end projects, from luxury single-dwelling homes, multi-res apartments to hotels and hospitality. With a global reputation forged in prestige design, we bring the same high-end sensibilities to residential and boutique multi-res projects all over the world.
We’re A Spirited Young Team, Who Together With A Prominent Mentor Lead An Unrivalled Legacy Of Close Industry Contacts And Relationships.
TEAM
PEOPLE
With a rich spirit of collaboration, our young award-winning team is backed by three decades of expertise and experience.
We are creative, tech-forward and expert designers, working in an agile, close-knit team. Our energy for excellence, blended with decades of award-winning experience, means we bring an open mind and fresh perspective to every design that bears our name.
BRUCE STAFFORD
Founding director of Stafford Architecture, Bruce Stafford has enjoyed an almost 40 year career spanning South Africa, the Caribbean, Australia, the Middle East and Asia. Establishing his first practice in South Africa in 1984, the award winning studio designed a range of multi level residential, commercial workplace, and luxury eco boutique resort hotel projects throughout the region.
Due to considerable interest in private commissions and a lifelong passion for surfing, Bruce relocated the practice to Sydney, Australia in 2001. Bruce oversees all Stafford Architecture projects and provides ongoing mentoring to the practice Associates and team. Each project is centred on a collaborative focus drawing on the community of specialists that Stafford Architecture has built over the past 2 decades. Nom. Architect Bruce Michael Beresford Stafford NSW Architects Reg. No. 7155.
JOE MCGREGOR
Joe McGregor; Senior Associate, joined Stafford Architecture in 2017 following eight years working in South Australia across a variety of projects defining his passion for contemporary high-end residential. Receiving a B.Design Studies and his M. Architecture in 2008 from the University of Adelaide, Joe has applied his skills in producing cohesive and enduring design with Stafford Architecture. With a strong passion for Modernist design, Joe’s minimalist style is echoed through the Stafford Architecture Darling Vista project, which exemplifies his passion for honest materials and bespoke detailing.
ERIK SMITHSON
Erik Smithson; Senior Associate. Since joining Stafford Architecture in 2012, Senior Associate Erik has been a crucial Project Architect overseeing numerous luxury residential designs. Erik received a M.Arch from the University of New South Wales and is highly skilled at infusing drawing and sculpture practice into his architecture.
Connected to an ethos of continual learning within an evolving industry, Erik’s personal interests mirror his professional specialisation and he passionately explores art making, drawing and sculpture when away from the studio.
JULIANA JUNQUEIRA
Juliana Junqueira; Senior Associate, joined Stafford Architecture in 2021 bringing over 12 years of international and local experience to the team. Born and raised in Brasilia, the working home of one of the greatest modernist architects – Oscar Niemeyer – served as significant inspiration of how powerful and impactful architecture can be.
Throughout her career, in Brazil and Australia, she has worked across a diverse portfolio of high end projects, such as residential, multi residential and commercial.
Her passion lies in creating homes with a harmonious balance between a concept and its translation to the aesthetic design as a thoughtful response to one’s dreams. Juliana believes that architecture should always give regard to the physical experience of the space, the feeling it evokes to and the sense of identity it resonates. Her enthusiastic approach to timeless design, is driven by her constant pursuit for functionality without sacrificing elegance.
LUCIA AYUB
Lucia Ayub; Associate, began her practice as an architect trainee on residential projects in 2007 at a small studio in her native Brazil. Joining Stafford Architecture in early 2018, Lucia has been involved across concept design, interior architecture and design documentation of various projects.
An organised and creative architect with a passion for good design, Lucia believes it is crucial to be open to new ideas and challenges whilst maintaining a collaborative focused team.
JAMES TOPPING
James Topping; Associate, after receiving his M. Arch from the University of Canberra in 2015, James immediately joined Stafford Architecture in a Graduate Architect position. Taking a collected and positive attitude to all his endeavours, James is an ambitious, approachable and pragmatic young architect who believes collaboration and simplicity is key.
James prizes a design driven ethos of form and function being one. Outside of the studio James indulges his interests in hiking, cycling, chess and the arts.
BRITTANY COHEN
Brittany joined Stafford Architecture after receiving a B. Architecture (University of Technology, Sydney) and a B.Interior Design (Billy Blue College of Design | Torrens University Australia). Prior to joining Stafford Architecture, Brittany focused exclusively on multiple high end residential projects amongst Sydney’s eastern suburbs coastal and harbourside enclaves. Spending much of her childhood and formative years residing in Sydney’s harbourside eastern suburbs, Brittany has cultivated an innate response to context which embodies contemporary living; focusing on space, light and materiality with layered texture.
JULIAN BADMAN
Julian received his M.Arch from the University of Sydney in 2016. Prior to joining Stafford Architecture, Julian was involved in the design and delivery of commercial, sporting and performance venues. He has developed an affinity for Cultural and Heritage buildings where detail and architectural articulation are clear and deliberate. Julian seeks clarity and simplicity in his craft and believes that design should distil a world of influences to a pure, simple expression. He works to balance function and beauty in equal parts, leaving only that which we cannot do without. Julian is a multidisciplinary designer working in his spare time with ceramics, furniture design, cinematography, and performance art.
HARRIET KENSELL
Harriet, a NSW registered architect, graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Design in Architecture in 2013 and a Master of Architecture in 2017. During her Masters, she studied on exchange at Lund University, Sweden. In 2016, Harriet’s design work was exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale.
Prior to joining Stafford Architecture, Harriet worked extensively on a variety of projects varying in scale, complexity and budget from commencement to completion at Connor and Solomon Architects (2014-2020).
With a passion for residential architecture, Harriet is always seeking ways to design spaces that bring moments of joy and delight to people’s everyday lifestyles.
ALEXZANDRA ISSA
Alexzandra joined Stafford Architecture in 2021, after practising with Koichi Takada Architects, where she contributed to the creation of powerfully organic architecture, through several high end residential, multi residential and hospitality projects amongst Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. She attained her Masters in Architecture at the University of Sydney in 2016. Having her architectural master’s degree as well as a firm, background in interior design, she has the advantage to work simultaneously across both fields, contributing to all aspects of design. As a committed young architect with a passion for high end luxury design, Alexzandra nurtures creative thought and believes intelligent architecture unites technology, sustainability and human senses to ensure a robust and resilient future.
CRISTIANE COSENZA
Originally from Brazil, Cristiane is an enthusiast of Modern Architecture and passionate about simple, meaningful, and memorable design. She is a strong believer that “Less is More” and that a design should always be truthful to its purpose, whilst being timeless and elegant. Cristiane joined the Studio in 2021 and brought with her great experience in high-end and multi-residential projects. Since joining the team, she has contributed with the design of The Hacienda, Park House, Muse, and many other projects.
SASHA HAKIMIAN
Sasha graduated with a Bachelor of Architectural Design and a Masters of Architecture from the University of Queensland. Her career working in small and large practices has given her experience on projects within the housing, multi-residential, commercial and retail sectors. Her involvement ranges from feasibility studies through to concept design, design development, construction documentation and site services.
With strong communication and organisational skills, Sasha brings a creative and collaborative approach to her projects.
She believes that a key part of achieving a well-founded design solution comes from a good work ethic and dynamic team collaboration; she particularly enjoys the collaborative nature of architecture and understands the importance of establishing a strong relationship with the architectural team, consultants and clients. With a keen eye for detail, Sasha enjoys being actively involved in the evolution of a project – from design development, through to construction, to achieve outcomes that are functional, purposeful, relatable, beautiful and site specific.
ANA SUBOTIC
Ana is a NSW registered architect at Stafford Architects. She graduated with Honours from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Architectural Studies in 2012 and a Masters of Architecture from the University of Sydney in 2017. With an inquisitive mind and broad range of interests in architecture, she has been awarded several commendations and scholarships: including the Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship and the University of Sydney Hezlet Bequest. Prior to joining Stafford, Ana worked for multiple highly regarded Sydney architectural practices. Over the years she has gained experience working across a wide range of scales and project types, including educational, cultural, residential and multi-residential projects, as well as large scale master-planning studies.
AMIT ANGANE
Amit completed his Master of Architecture in 2018 from the University of New South Wales, Sydney specialising in ‘High Performance Design’. As a recently registered Architect, he has gained experience working in single and multi-storey residential projects. Amit found his niche working in luxury residential design to complement his appreciation for interior architecture. Since joining the practice, he has been involved in the pre-construction phase of the ‘Floating Vaults’ project. His key strengths lie in working in the intimate scale of construction detailing and design resolution, making architecture not just elegant but also pragmatic. Amit is passionate about local bespoke architecture and actively participates in industry events and guided house tours to seek inspiration.
BEN FARRAR
Ben joined Stafford Architecture at the beginning of 2022 after five years in New York City, where he worked on luxury resorts in the Caribbean and multi-residential projects across the United States. Since returning to Sydney he has pivoted to residential architecture and is driven by the intimate scale and personality of such projects.
In addition, Ben is passionate about off-grid architecture that allows people to connect with the natural world and reclaim time and space from an ‘always-on’ culture. He is excited to participate in and help define the future of sustainable design.
CHARLIE MATAR
Charlie graduated from the University of Technology Sydney with a B. Architecture in 2019 and a M. Architecture in 2022. His Master’s degree consisted of cross disciplinary research in Architectural and Landscape design and has developed a deep curiosity for the merging of both disciplines into a sustained ecosystem. Between the natural and the built, Charlie enjoys drawing connections through the celebration of raw and honest materials Prior to joining Stafford Architecture, Charlie was involved in several high-end Residential projects amongst Sydney’s Inner-west and the eastern suburbs. In his spare time, he continues to peruse his creative side with free hand sketches.
