Fulton Trotter Architects: Three Quarters Final Report Innovation Connections Research Project ID: ICG000188: Final Phase 2 Research Report 31 October 2019

This research builds on the Stage 1 report Innovation Connections Project (ID: ICG000188) completed in September 2018. The aim of this research is to assess the legacy of Fulton Trotter Architects’ (FTA) practice history to determine key attributes that have determined and shaped the professional organisation, its built work and its contribution to the cultural dimensions of architecture within Qld. The practice has seen three distinct phases of leadership which have shaped the aspects of design, management and culture of the firm. The final stage of the research project was structured through three main approaches; participatory action based workshops framed through current practice-based theory, comparative case study analysis of masterplanning and architectural projects, and comparative mapping (GIS) analysis of FTA projects to understand their regional and urban impact over the history of the practice. These approaches extended the critical analysis undertaken in Stage 1 to determine what defines its model of successful, sustained management and practice. The report presents findings of these activities to clarify specific aspects of the practice methods and historical impact as a guide to inform the next phase of FTA’s leadership, as well as professional architecture practice in general. The report highlights FTA’s exemplary “community of practice” model, which employs research engaged leadership, education, regional partnerships, youth led change, BIM and intentional visualisation to support its practice. The report also highlights FTA’s historical significance in bringing modernism to the regions.