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Steensen Varming is proud to share that for the third year in a row, one of the talented women on our team has been accepted into the Property Council’s ‘500 Women in Property’ program. This program aims to promote and support women in the property and construction industry, creating networking opportunities and encouraging more women to advance in the field.

Tamara Hanna, a Senior Lighting Designer based in our Canberra Studio, has been with Steensen Varming for five years and is joining the program sponsored by Dr. Emrah Baki Ulas who is looking forward to attending the launch with Tamara next week. During her time with the company, Tamara has grown into a senior position, carving out her own path. She describes her journey at Steensen Varming as being filled with new challenges and opportunities.

When asked about the opportunities the 500 Women in Property program might bring, Tamara discussed her recent relocation to Canberra and the challenges it presents. Her goal is to expand her professional network in a new state. She believes the program will help her develop her communication and networking skills, which she plans to apply to daily work interactions. She is actively building the confidence to represent both herself and Steensen Varming in various settings, aiming to leverage her profile within the ACT and beyond.

Tamara’s interest in the program stems from her desire to learn and enhance her professional development. Additionally, she hopes to apply the new skills she acquires to a mentorship role, helping her colleagues grow and develop as well. She is passionate about meeting and supporting like-minded women and assisting in further diversifying and advancing women within the industry.

Her future goals are vast and varied, but she hopes to achieve a formally recognized leadership position with the help of the 500 Women in Property program and Steensen Varming. She believes that on her way to such a position she will be able to empower young women, and even more so once her goal is reached.

“I hope to empower young females,” she says, “providing them with confidence, knowledge, practical skills, and inspiring, driven role models.”

Steensen Varming is proud to have Tamara on our team and wishes her all the best on her journey.

Click here to read more about the 500 Women in Property program.

NAIDOC Week is a time of celebration and recognition, dedicated to honouring the rich history, vibrant cultures, and significant achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The theme for this year’s NAIDOC Week is ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’, echoing the enduring flame of the First Nations and the richness of their cultures and heritage.

In celebrating NAIDOC Week we will share two current significant projects Steensen Varming has the pleasure of being a part of and which provide us an opportunity to reflect and learn from.

The Wiradjuri Tourism Centre, designed by Peter Stutchbury Architecture will be a display and interpretation facility for sacred Aboriginal carved trees and deliver a truly unique Aboriginal cultural experience.

The Indigenous Centre of Excellence at Western Sydney University, designed by Sarah Lynn Rees, Jackson Clements Burrows Architects (JCB), Peter Stutchbury Architecture and Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture, with Uncle Dean Kelly, Hill Thalis Architecture and Flux Consult, and located on Darug land, will be a dynamic space where culture, knowledge, and community come together. It will serve as a hub for celebrating Indigenous heritage and fostering understanding and provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to explore and learn about indigenous culture.

Steensen Varming congratulates the Northern Beaches Council on achieving the designation of Palm Beach Headland as Australia’s first Urban Night Sky Place (UNSP), and notably the first in the Southern Hemisphere. This recognition by Dark Sky International is a testament to the council’s commitment to reducing artificial light pollution and preserving the natural night sky.

Steensen Varming, as the lighting consultant in this project, conducted an exhaustive lighting audit and crafted the Lighting Management Plan, a document that ensures the continued preservation of the headland’s dark skies. This comprehensive plan will safeguard the nocturnal environment of the 62-hectare site for future generations.

This initiative is a remarkable example of effective collaboration between the Northern Beaches Council, local community groups, and Ausgrid, showcasing the importance of integrating sustainable and environmentally friendly lighting practices within urban areas. By setting this benchmark, the project enhances the local environment and serves as an inspiring model for similar efforts worldwide.

For more details, please visit the Northern Beaches Council website.

Photo Credit: Ed Hurst (borrowed from darksky.org)

We are happy to share that Steensen Varming has been shortlisted as a finalist for the

We are happy to share that Steensen Varming has been shortlisted as a finalist for the 2024 Sydney Business Awards for Excellence in Sustainability!

For 90 years, Steensen Varming has been committed to practices and projects that are sustainable and promote social good.

Our commitment is reflected in our B Corporation certification and our responsibility in meeting B Corp’s high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

We are thrilled to see our efforts recognised as we remain dedicated to continuous improvement in our global practices, to ensure our project work and internal practices support our clients, the profession, our communities and the environment.

for Excellence in Sustainability!

For 90 years, Steensen Varming has been committed to practices and projects that are sustainable and promote social good.

Our commitment is reflected in our B Corporation certification and our responsibility in meeting B Corp’s high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

We are thrilled to see our efforts recognised as we remain dedicated to continuous improvement in our global practices, to ensure our project work and internal practices support our clients, the profession, our communities and the environment.

We are thrilled to announce that our project for the Taronga Zoo’s Nocturnal House has been shortlisted for the prestigious (d)arc lighting design awards this year!

Taronga Zoo’s Nocturnal House offers a unique chance to encounter some of Australia’s most elusive nocturnal creatures. Lighting plays an important role in the overall function of the area as the lighting is not only required to preserve animal welfare, but it also contributes to an engaging experience to guests, enhancing the aboriginal storytelling.

By simulating reverse day and night cycles, seasons and photoperiods that are thought to impact animal biocycles, our lighting design team has created an immersive experience and dramatic nighttime environment.

Significant time was spent one-to-one with the zookeepers, fine-tuning the aiming, lensing, and intensity of the spotlights, considering the visual field of the animals to minimise the impact on foraging, nesting, and breeding activities. As a result, a world-first tailored reverse circadian function was created in the Bluetooth control programming, to support animal welfare and cater for operational needs of the facility. The daylight simulation is programmed to finish for a consistent ‘wake-up’ time for the animals each day, allowing zookeepers to operate safely in the morning before guests arrive.

The Nocturnal House at Taronga Zoo is where the unique night-time fauna meets aboriginal story telling – As guests transition into the leafy forests and dappled light of dawn, leaf projections on the floor continue the narrative. The journey is completed by the flowing water and dawning light of the platypus pools and riverbanks.

All lighting designers are invited to vote, more information on this project and the (d)arc awards can be found here.

By the 1970s Steensen Varming had expanded beyond European borders as the Sydney Opera House brought the company to Australia, where we left a lasting impact on this iconic landmark. Collaborating closely with Danish architect Jørn Utzon, Steensen Varming pushed boundaries of engineering excellence and sustainability while staying committed to aesthetic integrity.

By utilizing Sydney harbour’s plentiful water to provide cool air, we enabled the iconic silhouette to remain unit–free – a ground-breaking initiative on a world scale and at the largest system of its kind, making the Opera House a shining example of sustainable design.

Steensen Varming has since kept a close relationship with the Sydney Opera House and over the years been involved in various refurbishments and design projects, including the Lighting Masterplan which was endorsed by Utzon before his death, and most recently the Concert Hall refurbishment.

This year we celebrate Steensen Varming’s 90^th anniversary and 50 years of practice in Australia. Aligning with the 50^th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House, this serves as a remarkable milestone that highlights our shared history of innovation and collaboration, cementing our dedication to the Opera House’s continued success and preservation.