This session emerges from the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2023 Diversity and Inclusion in the Architectural Profession survey, which revealed that only half of respondents believe the profession values diversity and inclusion, despite strong progress within individual workplaces. The findings highlight persistent inequities — from mirror-hiring reflexes and limited flexible work options to barriers in leadership pathways for women, culturally diverse practitioners, and people with disability.
Led by Marika Neustupny FRAIA, Director of NMBW Architecture Studio, and Associate Professor Peter Raisbeck, the discussion explores how unconscious bias shapes architectural practice — from recruitment and promotion to everyday team dynamics. Drawing on evidence from the survey and Institute focus groups, the conversation examines how informal norms, aesthetic conformity, and risk-averse cultures limit diversity of thought and innovation.
Framed around the AACA competencies for professional conduct, the session invites participants to reflect on bias in themselves and their organisations, and to identify concrete ways to embed inclusion into the systems and culture of practice. Through shared examples, the speakers will demonstrate that diversity is not only an ethical imperative but a strategic advantage for design excellence, resilience, and professional integrity
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this session, participants should be able to:
Explain how understanding unconscious bias contributes to meeting our professional obligations around fairness, equity, and compliance in architectural practice
Apply structured recruitment and transparent evaluation criteria as tools of professional quality assurance to minimise bias
Apply strategies to recognise and interrupt bias in everyday decision-making or supervision
NSCA 2021 Performance Criteria
This course will deliver outcomes related to the following Competencies from the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects:
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
PC 1 Be able to apply contemporary and emerging building procurement methods. This involves identifying the most appropriate form of delivery for a project, including risks, mitigation and adaptation strategies, and integrating appropriate construction contracts and consultancy contracts and/or agreements.
PC 2 Implement practice resources and apply ethical employment practice methods and quality assurance systems to facilitate efficient, consistent and timely delivery of architectural services.
PC 16: Be able to apply risk management and mitigation strategies – including safety in design, project risk, requirement for resilience from the impacts of climate change and appropriate insurances – across architectural services.
MARIKA NEUSTUPNY
Marika Neustupny is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and a director at NMBW Architecture Studio. She is a leading advocate for inclusive and socially responsive design. Her work spans housing, urban design, and education, combining deep technical skill with a commitment to community and sustainability. She brings extensive experience in architectural leadership and the design of equitable environments.
PETER RAISBECK
Peter Raisbeck is an Associate Professor of Architectural Practice at the University of Melbourne and a close observer of architectural leadership, diversity, and governance. A disabled academic with an MBA and broad experience across practice contexts, he has written three books on architectural practice. His teaching and research explore design, professional ethics, and organisational change in the built environment.
FELICITY MENZIES
Felicity’s interest in the role of diversity and inclusion in business began during her tenure as the Head of Private Bank, Westpac, in Singapore. There she led a culturally diverse team of bankers serving a multinational client base and learned firsthand how inclusive leadership is a necessary component of business success.
Now Felicity applies her business acumen and technical expertise as a leading diversity and inclusion consultant to help global organisations respond effectively to the opportunities and challenges presented by diverse workforces, unfamiliar markets, and rapid shifts in the competitive landscape. Felicity aided the Institute prior, during and following the Diversity and Inclusion in the Architectural Profession survey implementation and reporting, including leading the focus group discussions associated with the survey.