James is JDA Co's founder and is widely recognised as Australia’s leading climate-resilience architect.

Over the last 15 years, he has led JDA Co to become a national leader in climate-adaptive design. The practice is currently the lead advisor for both the Queensland and New South Wales' State Governments’ Resilient Homes Programs, as well as the Queensland Department of Education’s Flood Resilient Schools initiative.

James is also known for his expertise in heritage and for delivering architecture in remote and complex contexts. He has long-standing collaborations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

James’ architectural philosophy is grounded in the idea that architecture is an empirical anthropology — where the design of the built environment is inseparable from its social processes and material context. A previous Director of Emergency Architects Australia and a Winston Churchill Fellow, James holds a Doctorate in Architecture from the University of Queensland.

Architect Registration Number
QLD 3767 | NSW 12239 | VIC 801241

David Gole is an internationally recognised heritage architect with over 30 years of global experience in Australia, Europe, Africa, the United States and Myanmar. At JDA Co, he leads one of Australia’s largest heritage architecture teams.

David's career has been dedicated to preserving and reimagining cultural heritage, ensuring historic places of all eras remain meaningful and accessible for future generations. With a passion for interpretation and storytelling through architecture, he has a focus on connecting people with their cultural landmarks.

His diverse portfolio includes the restoration of the Queen Anne-style HOME (former Lamb House) in Brisbane, alongside its upcoming contemporary addition. At precinct scale, projects include the Norfolk Island masterplan and the QPAC Cultural Precinct Conservation Management Plan.

David led the revitalisation of the United Nations’ Africa Hall, a 1961 modernist masterpiece in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In Myanmar, he spent a year with the Yangon Heritage Trust providing expert advice on over 60 significant heritage buildings as part of the heritage-led development of downtown Yangon.

David has received UNESCO training on Heritage Impact Assessments and served as a Getty Guest Scholar at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles. As a Churchill Fellow, he studied heritage conservation in Italy and the UK. He teaches as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland.

Ben is a highly experienced and versatile architect with extensive expertise, capable of delivering a full spectrum of architectural services, from project inception to contract administration. Over the past 25 years he has worked on projects of various scales, in a range of sectors including heritage, health, infrastructure, defence, industrial, residential and multi residential and is committed to the delivery of successful projects through good design, effective communication and attention to detail.

His broad experience across sectors has been of particular benefit in projects that include adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, where he enjoys the challenges associated with understanding a building’s story and finding a new compatible use.

Will is a Resilience and Sustainability Advisor who guides organisations toward leadership in social and environmental resilience. With deep technical expertise and experience advising executives, Boards, and policymakers, he delivers pioneering sustainability initiatives, effective public policy, and innovative resilience solutions.

As Principal Environmental Engineer at JDA Co, Will advises the NSW Reconstruction Authority on the $920 million Resilient Homes Program, improving governance, program delivery, and community outcomes. He also provides technical and policy advice to the NSW Department of Education’s flood resilience program and serves as a reviewer for the Flood Resilient Design Guide.

Previously, as Director of Technical and Strategic Policy and Program Management with the Queensland Government, he led the $740 million Resilient Homes Fund, overseeing flood resilience policy, technical guidance, and stakeholder engagement. Will is an accomplished leader known for translating complex technical issues into actionable strategies that deliver lasting resilience and sustainability outcomes.

Tamarind is a Senior Associate and Project Architect at JDA Co., specialising in heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, and a broad range of sectors including culture, public infrastructure, commercial, education, and residential projects. She is recognised for her ability to cultivate strong client relationships and deliver projects that combine design excellence with practical solutions.

A committed advocate for heritage architecture, Tamarind contributes to the field through both her professional practice and academic research. Her integration of sustainable design strategies and advanced technologies enhance the project environmental performance while respecting historical significance.

Tamarind’s work combines a deep understanding of heritage with a practical, innovative approach to design, establishing her as a respected Architect in the field.

Simon has over 20 years of experience in heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, resilience upgrades and compliance work across the public, institutional, education and residential sectors.

Simon advocates for and leads in the application of cutting-edge technology in heritage practice. With a foundation in conservation and modernism, he is adept at upgrades for: fire and life safety; sesimic, structural and climate change resilience; universal (equitable) access; security and technology for modern use; and the complete overhaul of building services for greater energy efficiency and lower maintenance.

His professionalism and passion for heritage have seen his projects recognised with several State and National awards, and published in international publications such as Wallpaper and Monocle.

Libby is an architect and associate at JDA Co. She provides a diverse and valuable range of skills and knowledge across all project phases. Libby is heavily involved in the practice’s climate change adaptation work.

She has worked extensively with local councils and government agencies in the field of flood resilient building design. She has been instrumental in managing the roll out of the Flood Resilient Homes Program for Brisbane City Council. This initiative was the largest residential flood resilience program in Australia at the time. Under Libby’s leadership, the JDA Co. team produced over 150 built examples of flood-resilient design in Brisbane.

Clive joined JDA Co. due to his strong interest in progressive, climate-responsive architecture and his passion for remote and challenging design. Having previously worked in graphic design and illustration, Clive is always looking for ways to improve a situation through design and visual communication. Through this passion, he has been heavily involved in the design and development of multiple publications including State government's Bushfire Resilient Building Guidance for Queensland Homes & the Water Futures book.

Being of Burmese heritage, Clive is particularly interested in architecture’s role in Asia, having undertaken post-tsunami housing research in Tohoku, Japan. He hopes to one day work on meaningful projects in Myanmar. Clive is also the 3D visual artist at JDA Co and a laser scanning technician at SpatialOps.

Luke is highly proficient in Revit Architecture, assisting in the implementation and training of Building Information Modelling (BIM) software. He is passionate about learning and implementing technology to improve workflow and enable better coordination throughout a project.

Luke is also involved in all stages of the project process from the drafting and BIM management of major projects to construction support and is experienced in point cloud scanning of existing buildings to assist in the speed and accuracy of documentation. He has gained experience in a wide range of projects from small house additions to large scale sustainable developments and Conservation Management Plans.

Paola Incer is a registered architect in the UK and is currently progressing her registration in Australia, where she has developed the majority of her career. With over 15 years’ of experience delivering successful projects across three continents, Paola excels at interpreting client briefs, building strong relationships, and navigating challenges with exceptional composure and strategic foresight—ensuring smooth project progression even amidst uncertainty or change.

Known for her creative problem-solving and collaborative approach, she is committed to achieving the best outcomes for clients through effective communication and decisive action. Her leadership, attention to detail, and innovative thinking have been instrumental in securing large-scale education projects. A dedicated advocate for gender equity, diversity, and inclusion in architecture, Paola contributes to industry progress through committee work and by inspiring future architects as a sessional tutor at QUT. Her published articles in architectural and urban design journals reflect a broad expertise and a deep passion for the evolution of the industry.

Salman has over 25 years’ experience in heritage conservation in United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Pakistan and Tajikistan. In Australia, he has spent the last decade coordinating architectural teams and heritage officers at Commonwealth, state and local levels.

Salman's depth of expertise includes; preparing conservation schedules and manuals, cultural heritage management plans and heritage impact reports; archival recording; condition and fabric assessment; and conservation and refurbishment repair works. 

Salman is a regular presenter in ICOMOS symposiums and has coauthored papers on the conservation and documentation of cultural heritage.

Kane brings 25+ years’ drafting experience to JDA Co. He has worked extensively across North Queensland and remote island locations. Understanding the nuances of regional sites makes Kane an ideal fit for JDA Co. — a studio at ease working on geographically remote and often challenging sites.

Integral in enabling a design to be effectively and efficiently executed, Kane collaborates widely. He is responsible for coordinating a range of disciplines, including building, engineering, mechanical, hydraulic and electrical contractors. All who work with him, know Kane as an exceptional problem solver — able to identify innovative ways to realise an architect’s vision.

Kane spent five years living and working in the UK, in roles that saw him contribute to the success of large-scale, complex projects. His international career highlights include senior drafting roles on a mixed-use project linking to the 2012 Olympic Games stadium, and a significant Shepherd’s Bush retail hub, combining transport links and hospitality outlets. 

Dinusha is an Environmental Engineer with over six years of experience, specialising in Flood Management and Disaster Resilience. She has worked across both local and state government, applying her expertise to projects that enhance community safety and resilience.

Dinusha has contributed to disaster response during severe weather events and has supported Council-wide resilience projects.

She worked on the Flood Resilient Homes Fund Program, where she played a key role in managing flood information, improving internal processes, and supporting policy decisions.

Dinusha is passionate about applying her technical expertise to projects that hance public safety and deliver meaningful outcomes for the community.

Nerida is a registered Architect with extensive experience across a range of complex, significant heritage buildings and cultural heritage sites. As project lead for a variety of small to medium scale projects, she gains an understanding of each sites’ history, constraints, and opportunities to guide and inform the project. Her work has included conservation repair assessments and interpretation strategies, alongside adaptive reuse documentation.

Nerida has extensive experience across a variety of sectors including education, infrastructure, cultural, civic, commercial and residential projects.

Through her work, she has gained experience with large stakeholder and community groups, and led consultations and workshops. Nerida is passionate about continually expanding and growing her skills and knowledge.

Matt is an architect who brings a dedicated, considered and forward thinking approach to his work. Matt believes in a holistic approach to design, from crafting the right project to empowering those involved to create a fantastic outcome. With this philosophy in mind, he continuously seeks moments of delight in designs while leveraging a process-focused mindset to help ensure quality, no matter the project challenges.

Matt joined the JDA Co. team to explore and develop his passion for sustainable climate adaptive design construction. After completing his Masters at QUT, Matt has worked on a wide portfolio of work including retail, residential, defence and
commercial. His scope has ranged from hands-on industrial design and woodworking, to masterplanning design of retail
and cultural precincts.

Complimenting his architectural skills, Matt has a diploma of project management, has worked client-side with residential developers, and has a range of experience with public presentations and performance.

Yasmine has experience working across heritage, adaptive reuse, and community-oriented civic projects. Her work focuses on the conservation and revitalisation of culturally significant places, with an emphasis on place-based design that supports local identity and cultural continuity.

She is particularly interested in how traditional building methods can inform contemporary practice, and is an advocate for traditional crafts as a way of sustaining cultural knowledge through the built environment. Her approach is grounded in cultural awareness, contextual thinking, and meaningful community engagement.

Yasmine’s experience includes the Conservation of Newstead House and Tramway Substation, as well as heritage and masterplanning projects across Queensland, New South Wales, and the ACT. Yasmine uses both traditional and advanced documentation methods - such as measured drawings and laser scanning - to assess existing conditions and inform design responses. Much of her work involves adapting historic buildings for contemporary use while respecting their original character and significance.

Dylan studied architecture at the Queensland University of Technology. He has seven years’ experience working on residential and education projects, developing a far-reaching skillset — from documentation and drawing through to project delivery. During this time, Dylan contributed to several significant education projects including early learning centres and secondary colleges. His residential experience extends to new builds and refurbishments for single dwellings and townhouses.

A long-time admirer of JDA Co.’s climate adaptation work, Dylan relishes the studio’s commitment to helping clients leverage good design to fortify the futures of where and how they live. After all, Dylan believes architecture has the power to make long-term, positive change in our communities.

Georgina Sale is an architect at JDA Co. with a strong passion for local heritage, adaptive reuse, and the cultural stories embedded in place. Her experience spans commercial, hospitality, hotel, aeromedical, and heritage policy projects across Queensland. This includes contributing to the rebuilding of Binna Burra Lodge following the 2019 bushfires, where she supported design and documentation for a sensitive heritage and landscape setting. Georgina has also worked on significant regional projects such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service facilities in Bundaberg and Mount Isa, gaining valuable experience in delivering purposeful, community-focused architecture in diverse contexts.

Georgina’s interest in heritage has shaped her approach to practice, leading her to explore how adaptive reuse and contextually sensitive design can both preserve and reactivate culturally significant places. She is particularly motivated by work that celebrates heritage, promotes ongoing use of existing buildings, and strengthens cultural identity.

Sophia is a Graduate of Design of the Built Environment have found her passion for architecture as a solution to many social issues we face today. Her key areas of focus are humanitarian architecture, urbanism, community, and sustainability.

Sophia has found great enjoyment in architectural visualisation and explored further mediums such as virtual reality, augmented
reality, and 360 imagery. Her educational background in architecture, art and digital technology has coalesced into an expression of architecture that translates complex ideas into simple forms, bridging the gap between architects and the community.

Sophia has worked on a broad range of projects from climate adaption, historical restoration and sustainably focused residential & commercial.

Julia is a 2022 Graduate of a Bachelor of Architectural Design from the University of Queensland. With experience in commercial interiors for shop fitout, residential and hotel accommodation projects, as well as heritage adaptive reuse.

Julia has a background in CAD documentation and visualisations, and a clear understanding precendents in South East Queensland architecture, with a keen eye for how heritage buildings can lend to the future use and new buildings of the region.

Julia is most interested in architecture’s potential as a social service to the wider community, and how to best impact Brisbane’s fabric through considered design. She is currently in her final year of her the Masters of Architecture at the University of Queensland.

Eloise is a dedicated student of architecture with a passion for the conservation and preservation of Australian architecture. With experience in heritage conservation, adaptive reuse and design, she champions the importance of collaborating with a crew of skilled heritage specialists, craftsman and artisans to deliver the most thorough and thoughtful approach to every project.

Alongside her studies, Eloise has developed expertise in the documentation and 3D visualization of heritage architecture, combining advanced laser scanning techniques with in-depth investigations of archival drawings and historical research.

Eloise has actively contributed to initiatives that support and engage the broader architectural community. As part of a team of students, Eloise helped organise the 2022 Australasian Student Architecture Congress, entitled Occupy: an independent, student-led initiative that brought together students to explore themes of ‘Work Practices and Wellbeing,’ ‘City as a Project,’ and ‘From Climate Literacy to Climate Action’.

Katherine Lee is an Architectural Graduate driven by a deep passion for built heritage, design, and sustainability. Her interest in heritage was sparked during her thesis on maternal health clinics in Queensland, which inspired her to explore the intersection of architecture, social history, and community wellbeing.

Katherine has since gained two years of experience as a heritage consultant at Urbis, contributing to a wide range of state and local heritage projects, as well as two years of experience in residential and retirement living architecture at O’Neill Architecture. She strongly believes that built heritage forms a vital part of the fabric of our cities and advocates for adaptive reuse as a key sustainable practice within contemporary architectural design.

Katherine has assisted in developing heritage impact statements, condition assessments, archival recodings and schedules of conservation works for sites with both state and local heritage significance.