As part of our series on graduate life at Woods Bagot, Brisbane grad Paris Leung talks about learning inside a large project team, experimenting with new tools and finding the confidence to bring her own ideas to the table.
The tools of architecture are changing quickly. At Woods Bagot, grads are encouraged to explore new ways of working, test where they genuinely add value and bring their own ideas to the project, with the support of the designers around them.
Paris joined the Brisbane studio in early 2025, after completing her Master of Architecture at the University of Queensland. Her interest in architecture has always started with people.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the role architecture plays in our everyday lives, particularly at a human scale,” she says. “I’m particularly interested in how thoughtful design can influence the way we live, interact and connect with each other.”
That interest has led Paris to residential work, including 47 Skyring Terrace, a multi-residential project in Brisbane. Along the way, she has worked across different project scales and phases, and that has changed how she sees the profession.
“Working across different project scales and phases has broadened my understanding of the profession and has given me a greater appreciation of how projects evolve from design through to delivery,” she says.
It’s also where her confidence has come from.
“These experiences have given me greater confidence to take on new challenges and contribute my own ideas.”
Working in a large team has taught her lessons of its own, particularly about bringing different disciplines and perspectives together.
“Being part of a large project delivery team has also taught me a lot about working collaboratively, particularly how to communicate across different disciplines, bring together different perspectives and work towards a shared outcome,” Paris says.
She credits the people leading those teams with making it a good place to learn.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with project leaders such as David Lee, Peter Lee and Chris Field. They have been very supportive and generous in sharing their knowledge, experience and passion for design and the built environment.”
More broadly, she describes the studio as a place to build skills without being left to figure it all out alone.
“I have really valued the opportunity to develop my skills in a supportive environment and learn from the many talented designers around me.”
Day to day, the residential work has sharpened her technical skills, particularly in Revit and visualisation. She has also been exploring newer tools, and thinking carefully about how she uses them.
“I’ve enjoyed using tools like RunDiffusion to quickly explore ideas and communicate design outcomes,” she says. “As technology continues to evolve, it has also taught me to be open to change and new ways of working, while thinking critically about where these tools can add value and improve efficiency within the design process.”
Paris’s graduate project shows the same curiosity about how architecture can adapt.
The conceptual design project is an urban and ecological reimagining for climate change. It explores the story of Le Corbusier’s Assembly Building in Chandigarh and alters the building through the addition of an underground aquifer and museum, drawn in red.
“By mirroring the building’s strong form underground, large grottos are created to collect water,” she says. “This intervention preserves Chandigarh’s architectural legacy while promoting awareness of water conservation, sustainable practices and urban reimagining.”
That interest in how buildings, cities and people change over time still runs through how she talks about her work today: open to new ideas, and increasingly confident about offering her own.
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