Gray Puksand’s Canberra Studio is a hub of creativity and purpose, where forward-thinking design meets the unique cultural and environmental context of Australia’s capital city. With a wealth of industry experience and local expertise, our team crafts thoughtful, sustainable spaces that are thoughtfully tailored to meet the needs of Canberra’s diverse and evolving community.

We recently sat down with Amanda Fyfe, Lead Partner of our Canberra studio, to explore her journey to leadership, the collaborative culture that fuels her team’s success and the current Gray Puksand projects shaping the city’s future.

“As studio lead, my role is primarily to develop new business for the studio and to be the primary point of contact for our clients.

“My team largely consists of experienced senior designers who are more than capable of running their own projects, so my work is focused on nurturing client relationships and guiding the broader vision,” said Amanda.

With more than three decades of architecture experience across Australia’s capital cities, Amanda has been involved in delivering large-scale workspace, education and commercial projects throughout her career.

Reflecting upon the studio’s recent achievements, Amanda takes great pride in the ongoing delivery of the CIT Woden campus, inclusive of its youth foyer and public transport interchange.

“CIT Woden is a flagship project for us. The sustainable mixed-use precinct will strengthen Canberra’s delivery of vocational education programs and serve as a vibrant community hub that fosters connection, supports local businesses, and enhances the area’s overall liveability.

“Almost every member of the Canberra studio has worked on the project at some point, so to see it come to life and welcome students next year will be incredibly rewarding for the whole team.”

Amanda and her team are deeply engaged with the broader property industry in Canberra, and they have close ties to organisations such as the Property Council of Australia, the National Association of Women in Construction, and the ACT Office for Women.

With this extensive involvement in Canberra’s property landscape, Amanda has gained unique insights into the city’s development trends, allowing her to anticipate key shifts within the industry.

“Recent government initiatives are set to impact Canberra’s property market significantly,” said Amanda. The significant reduction in embodied carbon and 6 Star Green Star certification pathway modelled on the CIT project demonstrates our sustainability leadership towards achieving future targets such as the Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy and ACT Electrification pathway.