Peter Lee: after decades of design, Hassell’s ​‘team sport’ visionary shifts focus

Following 45 extraordinary years helping to define the Perth skyline, Principal Peter Lee OAM is transitioning from an Equity Principal to become a Hassell Fellow, a position reserved for our most esteemed leaders. 

Pete is a highly respected figure in Western Australian architecture, not just for the projects he’s led - including the city’s celebrated Optus Stadium, Brookfield Place, and one40william - but for his philosophy of design. He has long championed a collaborative approach, a belief he summarises elegantly: ​“My greatest skill has simply been to surround myself with brilliant minds - people far more talented than myself. I find true fulfilment not in what I’ve designed, but in what we have all achieved together.”

Pete’s ethos of design as a ​‘team sport’ has made him a mentor to many. His career, which began with a coveted design award in 1980 and included leading one of Australia’s oldest architecture practices before a merger with Hassell in 2004, has been defined by a deep sense of shared purpose.

This philosophy extends beyond the drawing board. Pete has been a steady advocate for community housing and sustainability, receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his contributions. For him, architecture is about more than just buildings; it is about the broader world they inhabit.

“Great architecture is born from a blend of extraordinary talent and a sense of responsibility to the world we inhabit.”

— Peter Lee OAM, Principal 

“It’s this culture of thoughtful collaboration and shared awareness that has been my greatest privilege to be a part of,” says Pete. ​“It’s what allows us to create projects defined as much by their purpose as by their design excellence.”

AWARDS

• 2022 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for outstanding contributions to Community Housing Initiatives and for Contribution to Architecture
• 2020 Committee for Perth Outstanding Contribution by a Member Award
• 2015 Curtin Alumni Achievement Award 
• 2015 Architects Registration Board Award for Outstanding Community Achievement
• Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects 
• Since 2011, the Perth studio has won six AIA George Temple Poole Awards for WA’s Highest Quality Building

KEY PERTH PROJECTS 

• Optus Stadium
• 140 William Street
• Brookfield Place
• The Westin Hotel
• Chevron Tower
• Crown Towers
• The ABC Headquarters
• Parliament House Northern Exterior
• Panorama Apartments
• Chinese Consulate
• Railways Institute
• Perth Riverfront master plan
• Parliament House master plan
• Subi Centro master plan
• Claremont Quarter

BOARD MEMBERSHIPS AND ADVISORY PANELS 

• Design review panels for Perth City Council, Development WA and the State Design Review Panel
• Specialist member of WA Statewide Development Approval Panels
• Advisory Panel for Curtin University Bachelor of Architecture degree
• Adjunct Professor, Curtin University, a position Peter has held for 12 years
• Board member for the Rottnest Island Authority
• Board member for Foundation Housing, WA’s largest community housing provider, and Chairman of the organisation’s Development Committee - positions he has held for 26 years
• Board member for FORM, one of Australia’s largest creative industry organisations, a position he has held for 13 years