As part of our series on graduate life at Woods Bagot, Sydney grads Hailey Zhang and Noah Sunderland talk about what it’s like to try new kinds of work, learn from leaders who each approach design differently, and find out what kind of designer they want to be.
The early years in practice are when a lot gets decided. You find out which projects energise you, which skills come easily and which take patience, and whose way of working you want to borrow. For graduates in Woods Bagot’s Sydney studio, much of that comes from variety: in projects, in teams and in the people leading them.
Hailey and Noah have taken quite different routes through it. Hailey has moved across sectors and disciplines. Noah has continued in education and worked under a range of leaders. Both say the variety has shaped them more than anything else.
Hailey joined Woods Bagot as a student and has worked across “different sectors, project stages and even different parts of the world”. Her current project, a residential development in Potts Point, has taken her into more of an interior design role.
“Coming from an architecture background, it has felt like learning a whole new language,” she says. “I’ve loved getting hands-on with materials, selecting samples, putting together sample boards, creating visual hooks to get clients excited, documenting joinery down to the smallest detail and occasionally pulling my hair out trying to figure out how Revit families work!”
The switch has turned out to suit her. She describes one of her biggest passions as “having fun at the intersection of architecture and interiors”, and she’s most interested in how design shapes experience “from the urban scale through to the finer details of a space”.
“More than anything, it has strengthened my appreciation for holistic design and for the blurred boundary between design worlds.”
Noah found his focus earlier. “Education has always held a strong personal appeal, particularly its unique ability to combine social impact with design excellence,” he says.
Working with the Sydney education team, he has contributed to schools in South West Sydney’s growth areas and in Cronulla. In new suburbs, he sees schools as part of how a community forms.
“These schools often become some of the first and most enduring pieces of community infrastructure for these places,” he says. “In this way, they become markers of local identity and important custodians in generating care for community and Country.”
Staying in one sector hasn’t meant doing the same thing every day. Each project has needed something different from him.
“My current projects, as well as my experience across the sector, have honed my ability to remain flexible and embrace jumping across software and programs,” he says. “This has been a real help in feeling as though I can be valuable within the team.”
Where their paths come together is in the people around them. For Noah, working under different leaders has taught him as much as the projects themselves.
“One of the aspects I have enjoyed most is the opportunity to work across a variety of teams and under a diverse range of leaders within the education sector,” he says. “Exposure to different leadership styles, projects and ways of thinking has allowed me to continuously develop both new and existing skills. This has driven a more versatile approach to design, collaboration and problem-solving.”
Two of those leaders stand out to him: Sam De Jongh, a Senior Associate who also came through the Woods Bagot Graduate Program, and Chris Savva, Associate Principal and studio leader for Education & Science.
“Working alongside Chris and Sam has been a real highlight. Their difference in approaches has been a real lever in my development. Sam’s commitment to design excellence and Chris’s strength in client engagement continue to provide me with a balanced foundation that informs my day-to-day practice.”
Hailey has had a similar experience, and her circle has reached beyond Sydney.
“I’ve been very lucky to work with so many talented project leaders and mentors throughout the graduate program. They’ve all encouraged creativity, critical thinking and taking ownership of my work, while also being incredibly supportive and generous with their knowledge,” she says.
“Working in a global firm has given me the opportunity to connect with people from different studios, disciplines and backgrounds who share the same passion for design. It’s been inspiring to learn from such a diverse range of perspectives and experiences.”
Their graduate projects show that the interests behind their work today started well before they joined.
Hailey’s thesis, Alchemy of Fermentation, reimagines Sydney’s Argyle Cut through the indigo dyeing traditions of her hometown, Yunnan. She describes it as architecture as “a process of transformation that turns exile, memory and material into belonging”.
Noah’s thesis, Covering Ground, which earned him the Graduate Medal at the 2026 NSW Architecture Awards, proposes a network of sites through the Royal National Park connecting the Dharawal community and the park’s shack communities. The aim was for relationships with that part of Country to be “inherently reciprocal rather than extractive”.
Culture, community and belonging still come up in how both of them talk about their work. Being a grad at woods Bagot has given them room to keep exploring those ideas, and to keep finding out where they fit.
“It’s been a great opportunity to explore different types of work, discover what interests me the most and develop a broader understanding of design,” Haley says.
At Woods Bagot, we are committed to creating an environment where difference is celebrated, valued and respected, practices are equitable, and our people feel like they belong. We accept that none of us is smarter than all of us. We believe building a diverse workforce is the foundation to creativity and innovative design – it is only by working together that we can realise the potential of our people, clients and communities around us.
Through our inclusive leadership and our truly global studio network, you will find your voice and have the support and flexibility required to bring your whole self to work and build an exceptional career.
Learn more about the Graduate Program.
12 Oct 26