One to one with Scott Matthews

Q: What made you pursue Architecture?  What do you love about it?

I remember when I was a boy a friend and I decided to build a tree house. We had a heap of materials, a youthful exuberance and a distinct lack of skills. After banging a few nails into the tree, reality set in and we downed tools.

I came home and spoke to my father (an ex-director at pdt) about my frustration with the project. He opened my eyes to the fact you can’t just start building without knowing what you want to achieve.

My insistence that a trap door was ‘critical to the design’ meant I ran into some problems with parental certification, and we never completed the build.

Somewhere at home I’ve still got my sketches.

I guess that incident inspired me to consider things carefully, and reinforced the fact that there’s a lot more to the construction process than bricks and mortar.

I love the journey that architecture provides, teaming up with a client and taking things from a sketch to cutting the ribbon, is a very rewarding process.

After all the hard work and the project completed, it’s great to finish with something tangible.

 

Q: In your day to day role at PDT what is your creative process?

Sometimes it’s difficult to switch on the creativity when you are sitting at an office desk, surrounded by project files and the telephone. You can sit there staring at the paper willing something to happen, and then it hits you the moment you head outside for lunch or something.

I find it’s good to get away from the workstation to clear the head. We are lucky enough to have some flexible layout spaces in our office that are perfect to create a clean slate.

As far as the delivery goes, it’s important to draw out the key drivers within client briefing information and constantly evaluate how they are being addressed in every scheme.

 

Q: Why do you like working in (your sector/your department/your role)?

My focus over the last 8 years has been on the Aged Care and Retirement Sector.

The ageing population and evolving demographics, coupled with increased expectations, has forced the industry to re-evaluate itself over the last few years, and the response is fantastic.

Why should these facilities be generic designs located in the outer suburbs?

Current demand dictates that residents of both Retirement Villages and Aged Care want to live in vibrant facilities, in their current suburbs and interact with family and friends in the same manner in which they always have. They want their surroundings to feel like a resort, without compromising on state of the art care technologies.

We are now designing facilities to provide a ‘Lifestyle’ and not just a destination.

These are places to “live” after all.

It’s an exciting time to be involved in the industry.

It’s great to work in a space that’s making real impacts to an essential need within the community. It’s inspiring to see residents and their families enjoying the spaces that we have helped to provide, and the partnerships we forge with our clients along the way really adds to the satisfaction.

 

Q: What has been one of your most rewarding projects and why?

In addition to the numerous Aged care projects I’ve highlighted above, I’d have to say my most rewarding project was the State Schools of Tomorrow, High School, Primary School and Special School at Inala.

The schools hadn’t received any funding or refurbishment for some time. All 3 campuses were pretty run down and uninviting, this was reflected in lower than average educational outcomes, poor participation rates, and behavioral issues. 

Students were invited and encouraged to participate in the briefing process, which was both refreshing and particularly helpful, after all they would form the end users

All of the masterplans were redesigned for each campus, with the objective of creating environments that students, teachers and the community could be proud of.

The scope of work included new buildings, refurbishments and in some cases demolitions to create open spaces and vistas.

It was an 18 month process from master planning to completion of construction.

In the years that followed the school achieved impressive improvements in education, participation and behavior.

It’s hard not to be proud of being involved in something that made such a difference.

 

Q: What’s the best thing about PDT?

The people are what make PDT great. It doesn’t matter what your role is everyone is treated equally and given the same amount of support and opportunity. 

There can be a lot of pressure in an architectural office, but our team approach here at PDT brings out the best in us all.

Additionally we build strong partnerships with our clients that last long after the drawings have been completed. We offer a lot more than just consultancy here, the success of a project is as important to us as it is to the clients that commission us. 

 

Q: What keeps you busy away from work?

My 15 month old son is keeping me on my toes away from the office.

I’m also still clutching on to a football career, I’m a player / coach of a Masters AFL side.

I used to enjoy golf and photography, but haven’t had much of an opportunity since my wife and I started our family.