NAAU is an emerging architecture and urban design practice led by Edmund Carter, John Doyle, Ben Milbourne and Laura Mártires. We have successfully delivered the Latrobe Regional Gallery in Morwell which is becoming a much loved asset for the local community, was delivered on a very tight budget and has been well acknowledged by the design community.
NAAU’s practice seeks to develop innovative solutions to the challenges of building in cities and urban environments. We specialise in design and problem solving, with a trans-disciplinary approach that spans architecture, interior and urban design, as well as information systems, sustainability, planning, economics, infrastructure and construction technology. We are involved in ongoing research into the future of cities, and innovation in information and fabrication technology through our partnership with RMIT University.
NAAU's creative team has over 40 years of experience in significant architecture and urban design projects both internationally and in Australia. We contribute regularly to industry publications and journals and their work has been published extensively. The partners are regularly invited to lecture on issues around architecture and urbanism and have received numerous awards and citations.
John Doyle is a founding partner of NAAU. He registered architect and has expertise in coordinating and working with large multi-stakeholder project teams. John was a project architect at LAB Architecture Studio & Toyo Ito and Associates, where he worked on the delivery of highly complex international commercial projects. John specialises in the delivery of high impact public realm projects that make the most of limited budgets and extreme timeframes. John is the head of the RMIT University Master of Architecture and leads several research teams investigating the future design of cities in Asia & Australia.
Laura Mártires is a founding partner of NAAU. Trained as an urban designer, she has completed projects in Portugal, Italy, Japan and Australia. Laura brings to the practice skills of project computer visualisation and presentation. At NAAU she leads the development of concept imagery, layout and diagramming, along with animations and other concept material. Laura is an ongoing lecturer at the Melbourne School Design, where her design studios have been internationally recognised for their design excellence.
Ben Milbourne is a founding partner of NAAU. He is a registered architect with over 15 years of industry experience across a broad range of projects types and scales. In addition to his professional expertise, Ben is a Lecturer at RMIT University and is engaged in research on the application of advanced manufacturing in architecture and the future fabric of Australian cities. In 2017 he was recognised as the Victorian Emerging Architect of the Year by the Australian Institute of Architects; citing ‘Through built work, speculative projects, research, education and collaboration, Ben demonstrates exceptional leadership and dedication to the environmental and social concerns of our age.”
Edmund is a founding partner of NAAU. Edmund Carter has extensive experience working and negotiating with institutions and communities to produce high quality creative outcomes. Particularly with RMIT University, Edmund has spearheaded 10 projects over 2 years requiring extensive stakeholder consultation, negotiation, discussion and communication, at architectural, practical and contractual levels. Edmund’s experience spans all scales with an interest in the potential of buildings and places to translate experience and tell stories. He is an award winning, broadly exhibited, registered architect.
Evie Blackman is passionate about design particularly its role in the public realm. She is a registered architect experienced in the delivery of complex and challenging projects. As an associate she is responsible for leadership of projects at a range of scales. Evie has worked closely with major institutions, including La Trobe and Monash Universities on delivering their masterplanning visions. She has been involved in numerous projects with RMIT University, where she has worked to deliver outstanding built outcomes on tight frames and limited budgets, in multi-stakeholder procurement frameworks.