Alec is the founding director of Tzannes. He established the firm’s distinctive design philosophy and collaborative work practices with a record of design excellence across a wide range of projects.

Alec has served the community in a number of other roles including as National President of the Australian Institute of Architects (2006-2007) and as Professor of Practice and Dean of UNSW Built Environment (2008-2015). He retains an ongoing relationship with UNSW as an Emeritus Professor undertaking research and teaching roles, contributing to the firm’s commitment to thought leadership in design and architecture practice. In 2017 UNSW honoured Alec’s achievements with the degree of Doctor of the University honoris causa.

In 2018 he was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal. The Gold Medal recognises distinguished service by architects who have designed or executed buildings of high merit, produced work of great distinction resulting in the advancement of architecture or endowed the profession of architecture in a distinguished manner. “Our aim is to uplift the human spirit through our architecture. We are interested in the design and delivery of enduring architecture of substance – advancing the discipline of architecture as a city-making proposition in the process of fulfilling our client’s briefs. Our design philosophy means that we address each brief with distinctive and relevant propositions, creating artefacts in the process that have an appreciating value in every respect – culturally and materially.”