New National City Architects Network Launched to Connect Local Government Designers!

Australia’s council-based architects now have a dedicated place to compare notes. The City Architects Network (CAN) was established by Perth City Architect Nic Brunsdon, who took up the role earlier this year. Its aim is simple: connect architects working in local government and strengthen the profession’s role in how public buildings and spaces are commissioned. The launch matters because most people experience architecture through public projects like libraries, parks, plazas and community centres, and the decisions behind them are made long before a designer picks up a pencil.

What Is the City Architects Network?

The City Architects Network is a peer group for architects employed in city and local government roles across the country. Brunsdon describes its purpose as providing “collegial and collaborative” support, while building the profession’s capacity through these appointments. In practice, that means giving a small and often isolated group of specialists somewhere to exchange experience.

The network is still young. It has around 12 members and currently meets once every few months. The range of experience is wide, with some members having held their positions for 25 years and others only a few months. That mix is useful: veterans bring institutional memory, and newer appointees bring fresh questions.

Why Local Government Architects Matter

The idea behind CAN rests on a concern about where design expertise sits in the system. Brunsdon pointed to a figure from Malmö City Architect Finn Williams: in the United Kingdom, roughly half of architects worked in the public sector 50 years ago, and today it is less than one percent. Brunsdon’s view is that this shift has drained “design intelligence” and agency from the early stages of commissioning.

That early stage is where a lot of quality is won or lost. A city architect can influence how a brief is written, how a procurement process is structured and how knowledge is embedded in council systems so that good outcomes become repeatable. Here are the areas where that influence typically shows up:

• Shaping project briefs before they go to market
• Guiding procurement so design quality is weighed alongside cost
• Reviewing proposals and supporting design review processes
• Building long-term knowledge inside councils instead of relying only on external consultants

Who Is Involved So Far

The founding group spans several states and a mix of metropolitan and regional councils. The table below summarises the members named at launch.

Where the Network Could Go Next

Brunsdon hopes CAN will keep growing and eventually formalise, using the Government Architects Network of Australia as a model. That existing group gives state and territory government architects a platform for collaborative exchange. A city-level counterpart would fill the gap beneath it, where councils deliver much of the everyday built environment.

For councils without a city architect, the network is worth watching. Even without a formal appointment, the questions it tackles, such as how to brief well, procure well and retain design knowledge, apply to any local government commissioning public work. For architects in private practice, a stronger and better-connected client side tends to mean clearer briefs and more thoughtful assessment of proposals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the City Architects Network?
It is a new national network connecting architects who work in city and local government roles in Australia, set up to offer mutual support and strengthen the profession’s capacity in project procurement.

Who started it?
Perth City Architect Nic Brunsdon launched it after being appointed to the City of Perth role earlier this year.

How many members does it have?
At launch it had around 12 city architects, and it currently meets once every few months.

How does it relate to the Government Architects Network of Australia?
Brunsdon hopes CAN will formalise along similar lines. The existing network connects state and territory government architects, while CAN focuses on city and local government roles.

Sources (for your records, not for the article body): ArchitectureAu, “New national network for city architects launched,” by Lucia Amies, 20 October 2026. I only used details from that report, so please check member roles against it before publishing.