MEET THE TEAM
Murray Slavin
DIRECTOR
Murray is thoroughly holistic in his approach to architecture, viewing the discipline as the convergence of art, science, culture, spirituality and philosophy. Extensive travel and involvement on overseas projects informs Murray’s global view of architectural design. On his home turf, Murray would like to see more sustainable and adaptable structures cropping up in Perth, buildings designed for multiple (and changing) uses over the long term. If he hadn't been an architect, Murray wanted to be a fighter pilot - now he has the best of both worlds, architecture during the week and flying planes for fun on the weekend.
Stuart Neal
Stuart is one of those work-life-blend people who enjoys his work so much he would hardly call it a job at all. Very much a 'people person', Stuart rates working with exceptional people as his favourite part of the job, alongside his ability to positively impact upon people's day to day lives through the projects he has been a part of. Stuart is an advocate of 'quality over quantity' instead of reactive design and false economies, a stance that is informed in part by Frank Lloyd Wright, whose uncompromising commitment to the integrity of architectural design resulted in some of the most celebrated buildings of the 20th Century.
DIRECTOR
Bill Coe
Bill's thoughtful approach to each new project is the antithesis to reactive architectural design. Deeply aware of the impact the built environment has on its inhabitants, Bill believes that designing responsive, adaptive and sustainable structures is an architect's responsibility to the wider community. Bill holds beauty as equal to functionality in importance - in his view, every new building is an opportunity to create something beautiful.
DIRECTOR
Debbie Ucich
Debbie is the glue that holds our office together. She's been with Slavin Architects for 20 years and says her favourite thing about her job is the people. Debbie counts rowing and pottering in the garden as favourite ways to spend her spare time.
OFFICE MANAGER
Daniela Fiore
Daniela has a hands-on approach to all tasks noting the highlight of all projects is seeing them come to life onsite. Having a father as a builder meant that she spent many hours on site as a child watching buildings come together. Completing her architectural education at UWA in 2003, Daniela brings more than 20 years of experience to the practice. When Daniela’s not administering projects for the practice, she’s overseeing projects at home – gardening and building cubbies with her boys.
ARCHITECT
Chris Dawson
Chris completed his Architectural education in the UK and spent some time designing oak framed structures using traditional construction techniques. Skills that were used in the past are slowly being eroded from our built environment and the quality and longevity of buildings demonstrates this. Chris’s experience within the industry includes a practical knowledge of detailing that hopefully draws on these lost skills. He spends a fair bit of time on the weekends restoring old furniture.
ARCHITECT
Catherine Rose
A hippie at heart, Catherine takes a holistic, research-based approach to each task and believes that design, and in turn architecture, is about contributing the most value by doing the least possible; as seen in nature. She is particularly interested in neuroarchitecture; the connection between design its impacts on our behaviour, well being and our connection with nature. On most weekends, you can find Catherine hiking somewhere around Perth.
ARCHITECT
Yangyan Ou
Yangyan enjoys exploring all possibilities of a design in working towards the best option for the building - the process of design, in essense. Growing up, he wanted to be an artist and travel around the world, capturing life in painting on paper. On the weekend, he spends much of his time painting, fishing, and playing badminton. Yangyan’s vision for Perth includes architecture whose inspiration comes from art as art is unique and mysterious
GRADUATE ARCHITECT