AIA President on the future of Architecture in Australia and Beyond - Adam Haddow

Download the 2026 Salary Guide: https://www.bespokecareers.com/salary-guide/Adam Haddow is an Australian architect, partner at SJB and the current National President of the Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA).In this conversation, Adam makes the case that architects have spent decades drifting toward irrelevance, avoiding the hard conversations about cities and housing while celebrating beautiful houses and hoping politicians notice. He believes that needs to stop.We cover what meaningful influence looks like for the profession, why AI is the biggest democratisation architecture has ever seen, how his own 67sqm terrace house is a direct argument against suburban sprawl, and what the RAIA needs to become to stay worth belonging to.SOCIAL LINKS:https://www.instagram.com/bespokecareers/https://www.linkedin.com/company/bespoke-career-management/https://www.tiktok.com/@bespokecareersHiring or looking for a job? Head here: https://www.bespokecareers.com/00:00 Intro00:53 Growing up in rural Victoria02:03 Early interest in architecture03:24 University experience05:45 The walk-in catchment philosophy07:12 Joining SJB10:08 Transitioning practice ownership13:22 Bringing in multidisciplinary voices17:13 The tiny terrace house project20:32 Housing density and apartment standards26:31 Becoming RAIA National President27:46 Architects and political relevance30:28 Rethinking the architecture profession43:02 How the architect identity has shifted45:44 Advice for the next generation