Philip Thalis

Philip Thalis is principal of Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects, a practice recognised for its independent standpoint and design expertise across a range of project types and scales. Working equally for public and private clients, the practice has won more than 100 state and national awards, commendations and competition prizes for architectural, urban, public space and heritage adaptation and interpretation projects. In 2019 Philip was made a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects, and in 2024 was awarded the AIA Gold Medal.

Philip actively promotes the culture of architecture and city making, combining practice with teaching, research, publication, public lectures, community activism and architectural criticism.He has lectured extensively at universities across Australia and internationally, with a particular focus on urbanism and the architecture of the city. He has taught throughout his career, and has held a fractional Professorship at UNSW since 2017.

His substantial book Public Sydney; Drawing the City (co-authored with Peter John Cantrill) was published to acclaim in 2013.

Philip served as an Independent Councillor on the City of Sydney between 2016-21.

Selected Project Experience
Major Government and Public Sector Commissions
- Linking Canberra City to The Lake: Strategic Plan for Inner Canberra for the ACT EDD
- Campbell Section 5: Master Plan and Public domain Works Approval for the ACT Land  Development Agency
- Sustainable Sydney 2030: for City of Sydney with SGS and Simpson Wilson
- Affordable Housing Demonstration Project Glebe for City of Sydney and Housing NSW
- University of NSW Master Plan for UNSW with DEGW
- Parramatta City Centre DCP and Public Domain for Parramatta City Council
- Sydney Olympic Park 2025 Plan for SOPA with Tony Caro +JILA
- The Dig Site, The Rocks: investigation of heritage and architectural potential for Sydney Cove Authority with PJ Cantrill and Richard LePlastrier

Hill Thalis A + UP
Public Space
Philip has an interest in the provision and design of public space in cities.
Major realised projects in Canberra include the 6.25-hectare Campbell Section 5 including the new Hassett Park, and the redesign of Constitution Avenue, one of the Griffins’ major boulevards. Both projects won many awards.

The insertion of Lennox Bridge Portals completes one of the most challenging ‘missing links’ to achieve continuous access along the Parramatta River foreshore and is a national-award winning project.

Other work on public projects includes the Red Wall in Redfern, the heritage interpretation of Giles Gym in Coogee, and public places in Kiama and Newcastle.

Urban Housing
Hill Thalis design residential projects at various scales and densities, including bespoke houses and all forms of urban housing. Hill Thalis have designed more than 100 multi-unit, medium-density, high-density and seniors’ housing projects. To date, these range in scale from duplexes up to 200+ dwellings, often including retail and commercial uses.
Many of these projects have received a range of awards, including:

- 36 x studio Affordable Housing in 5/7 x storey building, Dulwich Hill AIA National Frederick Romberg Award for Multiple Housing, NSW Award for Multiple Housing
- Verve Apartments: 209 x apartments, retail & commercial space in 2 x towers, Newcastle 5 x AIA NSW Awards, incl Newcastle Prize & Aaron Bolot Award for best NSW multiple housing project
- Studios 54: 4 x apartments and shop in a slender six-storey building on a 126m2 site, Surry Hills Aaron Bolot Award for Multiple Housing, AIA NSW Awards + National Architecture Award, widely published
- The Majestic: 27 x apartments and retail in a heritage cinema conversion, Petersham Marrickville Medal and Highly Commended, National Trust NSW Awards:Highly Commended, AIA NSW Awards: 2 x Commendations in the Multiple Housing and Creative Adaptation Categories, internationally published
- 13 x apartments, shops and commercial suites in a four- storey building, Rose Bay AIA Shortlisted project 2009 Awards, State and National AIB Awards, widely published
- The Arc, Bondi: 21 x apartments 3/4/5 x storey building with McGregor Westlake Architects AIA Awards + Waverley Council 2016 Design Awards Shortlist
- 60 x apartments in 10-storey block including commercial car park, Bankstown with Redshift Architects, AIA Shortlisted project 2010 Awards, published in Architecture Australia
- 2 x apartments and a café in a six-storey development on a 45m2 site, Surry Hills AIA Multi-Unit Awards Commendation and MBA Award, Open Sydney, widely published
- 30 apartments and three shops in a seven-storey building in Hurstville Centre, Hurstville Council award
- 26 x apartments in a nine-storey building, Bondi Junction with McGregor Westlake, AIA NSW Awards Commendation
- 27 x aged care dwellings (ILUs) and common facilities, St Peters Green, West Chatswood, AIA NSW Awards Commendation
- 35 x apartments in 2 x five-storey buildings set in gardens, Catalina St, St Ives Ku-ring-gai Council Inaugural Design Awards Commendation

Adaptive Reuse
Adaptive projects in historic structures include the award-winning residential conversion of the Majestic Theatre in Petersham, alterations and additions to Ballarat House warehouse in Surry Hills, the insertion of portals for public access into the abutments of the historic Lennox Bridge in Parramatta, and a performance space at Carriageworks in North Eveleigh.

At the urban scale, heritage analysis includes the urban potential of The Rocks, Dawes Point Battery, and Giles Gym on Coogee’s northern headland.

Publications
Philip’s architectural reviews and criticism are regularly published in the architecture and news media, including radio.

His extensive knowledge of Sydney’s architectural and urban history is widely respected, and he regularly contributes to a number of leading international publications and journals.
- The substantial publication Public Sydney; Drawing the City, co-authored with Peter John Cantrill, was published to acclaim in 2013. A puzzle derived from the book followed in 2015.
- In 2016 Uro Publishing released Minomono #2 on Hill Thalis’ work.

Lecturing, Tutoring and Guest Critic
In 2017 Philip was appointed Professor of Practice in Architecture (Fractional) at UNSW with ongoing reappointments for subsequent terms up to the present day.

Philip has consistently engaged in teaching and tutoring in the fields of Urban Design and Architecture at University of Technology Sydney, the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales, and regularly serves as a guest critic for various design studios.

Other
Trustee and Panel Member
Philip has held the following positions:
- NSW Institute of Architects appointee to the Heritage Council in 2000 - 2001
- Trustee of the Historic Houses Trust of NSW from 1998 – 2006
- A member of the Institute of Architects Awards Juries in 1985 and 2000.

City of Sydney Councillor
Philip served as an Independent Councillor with the City of Sydney between 2016 and 2021; a role he carried out in parallel as Director of Hill Thalis, with the backing of the practice.

Professional affiliations
– Hill Thalis practice – A+ membership of the Australian Institute of Architects
– Hill Thalis practice – member of the Association of Chartered Architects
– Recognised Practitioner Member of the Urban Design Group
– Hill Thalis is a certified member of the Australian Government initiative, Climate Active.