The Government Architect Western Australia (GAWA), under the leadership of Emma Williamson, is dedicated to enhancing the built environment with a clear vision – to create better places, by design, for everyone
GAWA provides design leadership and strategic advice in architecture, urban design and landscape architecture aligned with the State Planning Policy 7.0 Design of the Built Environment to ensure that good design is at the centre of all developments – from housing to major city-shaping projects.
This includes providing expert and independent advice to the Premier and Minister for Planning on key developments which shape the State’s future and facilitate quality outcomes for all Western Australians.
Community is at the centre of GAWA’s thinking. Working alongside partners, GAWA seeks to tackle societal challenges such as housing affordability, cost of living and climate change, to create a sustainable and inclusive legacy for future generations.
Government Architect – Emma Williamson
As Western Australia’s Government Architect, Emma Williamson champions design excellence to elevate the quality of the built environment and create positive outcomes for all Western Australians
The Government Architect provides design leadership and strategic advice to ensure that good design is at the centre of all developments for the benefit of the Western Australian community.
In this role, Emma provides independent, expert advice on significant projects and strategic planning to the State Government, the Premier and Minister for Planning.
As Chair of the State Design Review Panel, Emma plays a pivotal role in the design evaluation of major, transformative projects which shape the future of our city and regions.
Prior to her appointment as Government Architect, Emma was a member of the Western Australian and South Australian State Design Review Panels, as well as the Chair of several local government Design Review Panels.
Emma is co-founder and a former partner at award-winning consultancy TheFulcrum.Agency. With nearly three decades of architectural experience, she has successfully designed and delivered projects at all scales, in both the public and private sector.
She holds degrees in architecture and interior design as well as qualifications in business management. Emma’s written work appears in national and international publications, and she is a sought-after speaker on topics such as design, gender equity, leadership and practice management.
A highly credentialled architect, Emma is an Adjunct Professor at Monash University and was named a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects in 2022 for her contribution to the profession beyond architectural practice. In 2023, she was honoured with the RAIA Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize.
Stuart Harrison – Principal Associate Government Architect
Show moreStuart is a registered architect and good design advocate. He has extensive experience in architectural practice and master-planning and practiced in Victoria for 25 years. Between 2006 and 2024 he was director of Harrison and White architects. He has considerable experience in performance-based planning, having sat on design review panels for Western Australia, South Australia and Victorian state governments, and on several local design review panels. He was a design advisor to the New South Wales Government Architect in 2016 and co-authored the Case for Good Design for the Office of the Victorian Government Architect in 2017. He has written several pieces on the history and adoption of design review.
He joined Government Architect Western Australia in February 2025 after relocating from Melbourne where he sits as Senior Lecturer in Architectural Design at the University of Melbourne and board member of Open House Melbourne. He has worked extensively in TV, public radio, architectural history and authored three books on housing. He writes for Architecture Australia and HOUSES magazines, and is a former host of the ABC TV show Restoration Australia. He is a Life Fellow of the Institute of Architects, and graduate of RMIT University and the University of Western Australia.
Carmel van Ruth – Principal Associate Government Architect
Show moreCarmel is a registered Architect and passionate advocate for good design.
Carmel has close to 30 years of experience; from local and overseas private sector practice delivering a wide range of project types and scales; to the public sector where she has worked for nearly two decades supporting the work of Government Architects in Western Australia.
Carmel has significant experience in chairing, participating, and advising on design review processes for the State and Local Government. Having led the Office of the Government Architect contribution to developing the State’s DesignWA Stage One suite of state planning policies, including State Planning Policy 7.0 Design of the Built Environment (SPP 7.0) she is able to apply her in-depth understanding of the policy to projects of all types.
To assist in leveraging the best long-term value from public projects Carmel works to embed good design across the life of a project, providing strategic advice during early project definition and procurement stages of proposals and improving project "readiness" for later design review and approvals processes.
Government Architects Network of Australia
Show moreThe Government Architect Western Australia is a member of the Government Architects Network of Australia (GANA) which is a network of State Government Architects from around Australia.
Government Architect of New South Wales
Victorian Office of the Government Architect
Contact Us
Show moreGovernment Architect Western Australia
PO Box 2506 Perth, Western Australia 6001
(08) 6551 8002 - please ask for the Executive Assistant to the Government Architect.
gawa@dplh.wa.gov.au
