Hannah Tribe is the director of Tribe Studio Architects, a 20-year-old Sydney-based practice known for their playful and expressive approach to residential and community projects.

In this episode, Hannah and I discussed:

• How she has designed her business to run efficiently and profitably, from a focus on gradual and sustainable growth to succession planning and delegation, and the hires she has made to help her focus her time on the studio's projects rather than administration.
• Hannah's insights into how residential clients experience the design journey, from their initial sense of overwhelm to their enjoyment of the design process as an act of self-expression of their personality and goals for their lives.
• Why Hannah believes that her studio doesn't have a house style, but instead a few key areas of interest that tie their projects together, and her thoughts on why some projects that embody these values tend to resonate more with potential clients than others.
• How Hannah has approached public speaking in front of audiences of non-architects, and how speaking has been a valuable opportunity for her to clarify her thinking, engage with peers, and get the general public excited by design and creativity.
• The difficulties small but experienced practices like Tribe face in winning government and public projects, despite their track records in other sectors, but how this is becoming easier as councils like the City of Sydney push for small practices to be included in public procurement processes.

If you'd like to learn more about Tribe Studio, you can visit tribestudio.com.au. You can also follow the studio on Instagram @tribestudio_.

Office Talk is hosted by Dave Sharp, M.Arch—an architectural marketing expert and the director of Office D.SHARP, a practice providing specialised consultancy, marketing and PR services tailored to meet the particular needs of architects. Working as a sole practitioner, Dave employs a collaborative, conversational approach to his work, fostering long-standing relationships that yield tangible results for clients.

Visit officedavesharp.com to learn more, or email [email protected] if you would like to get in touch.

This episode was supported by our legendary sponsors. 

• ArchiPro showcases the best and latest in the architecture and building industry, and connects people with trusted trade professionals and products to suit their needs. Visit ArchiPro.com.au to learn more.
• Mast Furniture is an established furniture design and manufacturing company based in Brisbane. In operation for 10+ years, Mast has built a national and international reputation for producing high quality, technically challenging furniture. Visit mastfurniture.com.au to learn more.