There are many practitioners who leave an indelible imprint on the profession, but few women have shaped Australian architecture — and paved the way for those who follow — as profoundly as Leone Lorrimer LFRAIA GAICD.

As Lorrimer steps down from her role as National Practice Leader at GHD Design, she can reflect with pride on a career that spans more than four decades and has influenced architecture across Australia and around the world. A juror since the inception of the INDE.Awards, she has been a long-standing supporter of the program, bringing depth of knowledge, generosity and rigour to the jury.

Born and raised in Sydney, Lorrimer graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Architecture) from the University of Sydney in 1977. Early roles at the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority were followed by a move to London, where she worked for Peter Ednie & Partners and completed her second architecture degree while raising two children. Returning to Sydney, she joined Davenport Campbell before moving to Stephenson & Turner (S&T) in 1985.

In the 1980s, architecture was still very much a male domain. Women were expected to focus on interiors, bringing a supposed “feminine touch,” and were often assumed to leave practice to raise families. For Lorrimer, this bias opened an unexpected door: she was tasked with establishing an interior design subsidiary, Innerspace and appointed its Managing Director. Under her leadership, Innerspace was extraordinarily successful, employing 35 people within its first six months.

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After two years, Lorrimer joined S&T Managing Director David Tregoning in moving to Woods Bagot to establish its Sydney studio in 1988. Both were appointed directors and over the next 19 years Lorrimer became a defining force within the practice. Often the only woman in the room, she brought resilience, strategic acuity and an unwavering voice, shaping internal processes and contributing to major local and international projects.

As Director, Middle East at Woods Bagot, she worked on significant projects including the Qatar Science and Technology Park before becoming Director of Planning and Development at Sama Dubai LLC, overseeing global projects such as Salam Resorts, Dubai Towers and city masterplans across North Africa and the Middle East.

Returning to Australia in 2012, Lorrimer became CEO of Suters Architects, leading its rebranding to dwp. Six years ago, she joined GHD Design (formerly GHDWoodhead) as National Practice Leader, once again driving strategic transformation, process refinement and a strengthened architectural offering.

Reflecting on her career, Lorrimer says, “I was always focused on consistent systems – the glue. I set up the systems – documentation standards, quality and people systems, adopting intranet technology immediately it came out.” She continues, “My team put in all the software, technology, all the self-serve 10 or 15 years before anybody else did… getting everyone to work really smart and consistently so you can actually grow and expand.”

Her list of projects is vast — from headquarters for Johnson & Johnson, Goodman Fielder and Siemens, to strategy and workplace design for Air New Zealand, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Bank, Optus and Westpac, through to the Qatar Science & Technology Park and, most recently, the National Measurement Institute. She has collaborated with some of the world’s most celebrated architects, including Foster + Partners (Zayed National Museum), Jean Nouvel (Louvre Abu Dhabi) and Frank Gehry (Guggenheim Abu Dhabi).

Lorrimer’s leadership has earned numerous accolades, including a NAWIC Award, a Luminary recognition from Indesign and international respect for her research into climate and Islamic design. But her legacy extends beyond her work: she has shown generations of women that they not only belong at the table — they can lead it.

As she shifts her focus to sailing, the arts and time with her grandchildren, Lorrimer remains deeply committed to supporting women in architecture. “If you can create a safe place for women, then everything is balanced,” she says. “Anything that you do to help a woman helps everybody. It helps men. If you can remove the hierarchy and allow people to do their best work, it helps everyone.”

Looking back on government reforms such as the 1984 Sex Discrimination Act, she acknowledges their role in creating pathways for women, even as she recognises the work still to be done. “There is still a long way to go, but there has been a lot of change… The childcare centres of today that my grandchildren go to are amazing early learning centres.”

From being the only woman in the room to leading world-class practices, Leone Lorrimer has reshaped what is possible. With tenacity, intelligence and generosity, she hasn’t just broken the glass ceiling — she has remade the structure entirely.

Leone Lorrimer is a jury member of the 2026 INDE.Awards.

Leone Lorrimer
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