Emma Townsend

“The best projects don’t just transform our cities – they bring people together and set new benchmarks for what’s possible when we design with equity and inclusion at heart.”

Emma thrives on the kind of projects that make most people’s heads spin – the big, messy, wonderfully complicated challenges where engineers, specialists and multiple stakeholders all need to pull in the same direction.

Relocating from Sydney to Brisbane in 2019 to deliver a significant part of Hassell’s Cross River Rail design, Emma led the architectural inputs for the project’s TSD contract, working alongside a team of over 100 architects and landscape designers. By sitting down with individuals from the accessibility reference group to understand their lived experiences of transport, Emma translated those personal insights into more equitable design. It’s work she’s immensely proud of, especially knowing it will help shape Brisbane’s legacy ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Emma’s career has taken her across many sectors and continents – from designing a new Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh to leading the elevated stations for Sydney Metro Northwest, which won the Walter Burley Griffin National Award for Urban Design in 2020.

Now, as Architectural Team Lead for Brisbane Stadium, Emma’s two loves of sport and inclusive design have collided. A passionate AFL supporter, she’s delivering a stadium that will set new benchmarks for accessibility and sustainability.

Key projects:

• Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane, Australia
• Cross River Rail, Brisbane, Australia
• Sydney Metro Northwest, Sydney, Australia
• Townsville Hospital Expansion Project, Townsville, Australia
• Australian Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia *

*Prior to Hassell