Meet the Team.

Toby Wetherill

Director

Nominated Architect

Qualifications / Professional Associations

• B.Arch (Hons)
• Dip.Arch AIA (Thesis Distinction)
• Australian Institute of Architects member
• Green Star Accredited Professional
• Principal Design Practitioner (PDP0001104)
• Examiner – NSW Board of Architects – Architectural Practice Examinations (2019 – Current)
• Registered Architect: NSW 8466, VIC 20239, QLD 5534, ACT 2859; TAS 1553

Toby’s role in the practice

 “For me, being an architect presents a unique opportunity to work with our Clients to explore and make places that evoke a sense of connectivity and well-being.”

Toby is a Founding Director of GW. Whilst he has a diverse and varied role within the business, Toby has a strong focus on the creative process and the journey of collaboration with Clients to understand their aspirations that, in turn, shape the projects we grow on their behalf.

Bringing excellent design skills from the initial ‘big picture ideas’ right through to the finer detail, Toby is also cognisant of being commercially astute and developing structures that have longevity and sustainability within their context.

Committed to delivering projects with a strong sense of place with a clear narrative which remain true to the core ideas embedded in their foundation, he thoughtfully uses proportion, materiality, colour and light in a space together with embracing other multi-sensory opportunities to produce outstanding results.  Toby takes particular pleasure in working on projects with a community benefit and has taken a leading role in developing our sacred architecture portfolio and evolving the education sector.

Examples of Toby’s architectural (and artwork) have since our inception (2003) been focused in Australia, but he also brings international experience.

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My ‘timeout’ is predominantly spent actively enjoying family albeit at basketball, ballet or at the gym. My retreat is to be immersed in a seascape or/and making artworks.

Michael Lau

Associate

Registered Architect: NSW 7976

Architectural values

Nature, organic and sustainability design value

Key professional strengths

Adaptability, Critical thinking, goal orientated, honesty and integrity

What I enjoy about architecture

Being able to see a building come to life from a blank sheet of paper

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Spending time with the family. Exploring the urban jungle to discover a new eatery.

Carolyn Meddick

Associate

Registered Architect: NSW 8099

Architectural values

• All-rounder with a diverse range of experience from low density residential to multi-storey school buildings;
• Creating places of learning including implementing future focussed learning pedagogies;
• Developing ideas of ‘community’ within learning environments, most notably in ‘vertical schools’ often in high density built environments;
• Collaborative;
• Commitment to high quality built outcomes.

Key professional strengths

• Coordination of teams with complex stakeholder and procurement methods through all stages from masterplanning to project handover;
• Close relationships with Clients and project team;
• Commitment to projects;
• Enjoy challenges;
• Strong interest in contributing to healthy work culture.

What I enjoy about architecture

• Lifelong learning;
• Good balance of artistic and technical opportunities;
• Seeing people inhabiting the built outcome;

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• Listening to podcasts;
• Hiking and being in nature

Tiffany Woo

Design values

Honesty, integrity in design and challenging pre-conceptions.

Beautiful detailing, honesty in materials and tactility.

Connecting our internal lives with the green world outside – I love introducing a planting element to my projects.

Key professional strengths

Thorough, creative, rigorous thinking.

Problem solving.

Strong communicator, especially good at listening and understanding briefs; getting to the heart of the matter.

Experienced in a wide range of sectors and project scales.

What I enjoy about design

I enjoy the challenges of creating and delivering spaces whilst working with a variety of disciplines, people and contexts.

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Dining out

Crocheting (badly)

Binge watching sci-fi TV.

Janja Wetherill

Jay Horton

Design values

I value a consistent design intent, where every element supports a clear vision. I also value creative thinking, where solutions are both purposeful and responsive.

Key professional strengths

I have a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Western Australia and a Master of Architecture with Distinction from RMIT. My sharp eye for detail and strong communication skills help me work well with others and keep the design process clear and focused.

What I enjoy about design

I enjoy the collaborative process between consultants, recognising that the best project outcomes emerge through shared experiences and a coordinated effort.

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Saleh Emon

Design values

Sustainable design that fosters a sense of connection to the natural world and creates spaces that make one feel grounded and at peace is something I deeply value.

Key professional strengths

Explorative, Passionate, Curious

What I enjoy about design

I admire how design can shape emotions, both in tangible and intangible ways. It communicates through spatial design and the use of materials, influencing our senses on multiple levels. Its ability to impact human health, both physically and mentally, and its contribution to overall well-being, make it a truly meaningful profession. This fascinates me every day.

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Badminton

Laura Jones

Design values

I’m passionate about design that respects the history and culture of a place, works with the natural environment, and makes life better for the people who use it.

Key professional strengths

Collaborative, friendly, organised, driven, compassionate, conscientious, creative

What I enjoy about design

I love how design shapes the way we view and experience the world. When a building responds to its surroundings — whether that’s the environment, history, or culture — it can tell stories, start conversations, share ideas, and bring people together. That’s what inspires me: the chance to design places that feel meaningful and make a positive impact.

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I enjoy exploring new places, getting out in nature, hiking, snorkelling, and spending time with my family and friends.

Ifrina Jahan

Design values

I am passionate about working towards net zero carbon emission, sustainable material selection and an approach that preserves the Earth’s natural resources as much as possible.

Key professional strengths

Development of construction drawings from conceptual sketch to meet a quick turnover or tight schedules, as well as communicating with consultants and clients to ensure constructability and maintain smooth project delivery.

What I enjoy about design

I enjoy the way design provides a platform to tell a story, a vast one with intricate details – where we are storytellers and the building is the means of telling the story.

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I love going for long walks, exploring a new area and hitting the gym on a more weekly basis. A version of an adult timeout (quite dreamy and fortunate) in my opinion is having a vacation in the cities your friends live in, which is a broad list for me!

Alexey Ermolenko

Design values

Designed for purpose – where comfort, safety, and usability shape the space.

Key professional strengths

Collaborative creativity. Attention to detail. Problem-solving mindset.

What I enjoy about design

I enjoy the challenge of turning ideas into reality and blending imagination with purpose. I love creating spaces that are not only aesthetic but also improve the way people live, work, and connect. Each project is a chance to solve unique challenges, focusing on every detail while ensuring the whole design is both functional and inspiring. It is about crafting experiences that last.

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Jordan Murray

Registered Architect: NSW 12619

Architectural values

I value design which is responsive to context, elevates user experience through clarity of architectural expression, careful attention to socially responsible material use, and utilises considered interventions to harvest daylight and promote wellness, comfort and calm.

Key professional strengths

I am a driven, empathetic and creative architect who considers the life cycle of the project beyond design and construction through to its social and spiritual impact.

What they enjoy about architecture

Architecture is the backdrop, stage and underlying score against which life plays out. At its most powerfully arresting, the base elements of architecture can be arranged and remixed to create a physical music. I most enjoy playing a part in curating this social performance and establishing a visual rhythm to inspire engagement with form, material and light instilling calm and peace through design.

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Wojciech Grencer

Design values

Simplicity, boldness, clarity, purpose

Key professional strengths

Understand the importance of information flow beyond drawings realm, BIM and construction expert

What I enjoy about design

The design of spaces interfaces with many different areas of human life, there is always something interesting about any project

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Photographer, mountaineer

Elly Daneshmandi

Design values

I value smart, technology-driven design that’s respectful to place, culture, and context — creating spaces that work well and feel right.

Key professional strengths

I’m detail-oriented and proactive, with strong skills in BIM and technology-driven workflows. I specialise in model coordination, smart documentation, and streamlining project delivery using Revit and BIM standards. I enjoy bringing clarity to complex projects and helping teams work more efficiently.

What I enjoy about design

I enjoy how every project is a unique journey. Good design reveals itself through the process, and I love being open to that—I enjoy using technology to make the process smarter and more efficient.

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