As the studio celebrates its 50th year of practice, we are pleased to announce a new leadership structure, which will open up new pathways for leadership talent while continuing to evolve the practice alongside shifts in the market.

The studio has achieved great success under the direction of Sue Carr. The new leadership team will see Sue remain as Founding Principal, with a continued focus on nurturing future talent and design direction. Strengthening the senior management of the studio is a new joint leadership model with Nick Carr as CEO; and Chris McCue as Managing Director, leading the design streams of the business. The new structure means Nick and Chris both bring their specialised experience to create a robust and well-rounded design business.

“I see this as an evolution of Carr and fully trust that with both Nick and Chris leading, our studio will continue to grow. They each bring a unique skill set and each embodies the Carr philosophy,” says Sue.

Nick Carr has had a continuous presence within the business, working across the full spectrum of commercial roles as a Director over the past 20 years. Through this intimate insight, Nick will oversee the strategic and operational side of the studio, bringing an astute commercial sensibility.

On the future of the practice, Nick says, “The foundation of our success is the direct result of Sue’s visionary leadership and our shared and unwavering commitment to design excellence.

“I believe the strength of Carr is that we don’t always take the easy road – in design and in business. We are committed to doing things differently and staying true to our design philosophy, and these principles will continue into the future.” Adding, “I see my role as one that will balance the dynamic nature of business and design.”

Chris McCue’s experience spans 20 years, working as an architect across all scales and typologies, both in Australia and abroad. Currently a Director at Carr, for the last 10 years Chris has worked in partnership with Sue, embodying and driving the design principles of the studio, honing a strong sensibility and appreciation for the relationship between interior and exterior. Chris’ key role and success in the past 10 years has been to spearhead the expansion of the architecture and residential interiors portfolio across the practice, which has seen significant growth under his direction. Chris now looks to cement the design and thought leadership across all sectors of the business, expanding in the areas where Carr can enact difference and influence.

On what he sees for the future of the studio, Chris says, “We have established a strong reputation for creating work that has a timeless built outcome, and that responds to a client’s brief in terms of design and commerciality. We’ve assembled a strong team, across all facets, to deliver a cohesive vision regardless of scale.

“Our philosophy of ‘Every Move Matters’ will continue to drive our thinking and design solutions. It’s important that we maintain a balance between the art in design and commercial performance in the delivery of our projects.”

It is through this straddling of design and commerciality with a united purpose and vision – coupled with the support and skills of the entire team of Associate Directors, Associates, architects, designers and business team – that will make Carr the strongest it has ever been.

For Nick and Chris, the goal is to build on the legacy that Sue Carr and the team have built over the past 50 years while presenting continued opportunities for career progression with existing and future talent.