Yvonne von Hartel

Yvonne von Hartel
Occupation	Architect
Website	pvh.com.au
Practice	peckvonhartel

Yvonne von Hartel AM is one of the founding members of the award-winning Melbourne-based architectural and urban planning firm peckvonhartel, which was established in 1980 and since has expanded its offices to Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane.^[1][2][3] Von Hartel was the first woman to graduate with an honours degree in architecture from the University of Melbourne^[4] and is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects (LFAIA).^[1]

Yvonne von Hartel has practised architecture for over 48 years,^[3] during her career she has worked on some of Australia's largest infrastructure projects ^[4] including: Australia’s largest desalination Plant, the Victorian Desalination Plant in collaboration with ARM Architecture and with landscape architects ASPECT Studios,^[5] the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, and the City Square Hotel development in Melbourne.^[3]

During her career von Hartel has been involved with universities she has taught both full-time and part-time at the School of Architecture at the University of Melbourne,^[6] she is a member of the University of Wollongong SMART Infrastructure Advisory Council and is a member of the La Trobe University Council.^[6][7] She was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in 2007 for her "services to architecture, design and building through involvement with a range of professional organisations, to the promotion of women in business, and to the community." Along with her degree in architecture she has also completed the Executive Management Program at the Melbourne Business School.^{[4][8][9][10]} Yvonne was profiled as one of the twelve women who "are doing leadership differently", for the book ‘Doing Leadership Differently’ by Amanda Sinclair.^[11]

Throughout her career Yvonne has also been a part of various government boards, trusts and industry advisory bodies.^[1] Roles include: Director of the publicly listed company ConnectEast, the concessionaire of the 40 km tollway, Eastlink (2003–2011);^[1] trustee of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (since 2011); and chair of the Capital Works Committee. In 2012 she was invited to become a member of the Victorian Premier’s Business Roundtable.^[9] Von Hartel has also been a Design Advisor for many projects including the Sydney International Convention (1), Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct. She has served as Chair of the Sustainability in Buildings Standards Coordination Group of Standards Australia, as inaugural chair of the Victorian Design Advisory Council, and as a Director of the national Tourism and Transport Forum.^[1] Von Hartel is also a board member of the Queen Victoria Market.^[12]

Early life and education

Yvonne von Hartel was born in Melbourne, August 1943, she was the only child of Austrian migrants who moved to Australia in 1938. Her father was a civil engineer and the owner of an aluminium fabricating business, which partly fostered her interest in architecture.^[13]

Von Hartel's interest for architecture was present at an early age – she comments, "I always knew I was going to be an architect, I can't remember ever wanting to be anything else."^[13]

von Hartel began studying architecture at the University of Melbourne in 1961, the first year the university offered an honours degree in architecture. She was one of only 15 women out of the 130 students in her course, she said " I can remember thinking it was pretty daunting. " However, she goes onto to say, "You knew that you were in the minority but, you weren't necessarily being discriminated against, it just was something that I grew up with."

She studied a wide range of other subjects required to obtain an honours degree – including included arts, fine arts and philosophy. This resulted 30 contact hours a week at some points during her time at university.

In 1961 von Hartel completed her degree, and received the Stephenson & Turner medal as the top architectural student.^[13]

Career

Von Hartel began her practice career while studying – working in various architectural practices during the holidays. On graduation she joined the Melbourne-based firm Yuncken Freeman, which she describes as "one of the biggest firm and the oldest firm in Melbourne".

During her time at Yuncken Freeman, Yvonne worked on numerous projects in Melbourne, including BHP House at 140 William Street

photograph of 140 william street

Designed in association with Chicago-based firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, BHP House had an unprotected steel structure spanning 40 storeys. It was revolutionary in terms of how it was built and constructed at the time, and is now recognised as a work of nationally significant twentieth-century architecture.^[14][15]

Von Hartel also tutored architecture part-time at the University of Melbourne and in 1971 she became a full-time tenured lecturer in architecture.^[13]

In 1974 Von Hartel returned to practice at Yuncken Freeman. Architect Robert Peck who had joined Yuncken Freeman in 1968 became the managing director of Yuncken Freeman. The two (Peck and Yvonne) then opened the Yuncken Freeman Hong Kong office (YFHK) in Hong Kong to counteract the effect of the credit crisis in Australia, relocating many architects as they could from Melbourne to Hong Kong, which was booming at the time. They then later opened offices for Yuncken Freeman in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.^[13]

When the Yuncken Freeman partnership was restructured in 1980, Yvonne along with Robert Peck eventually bought the international Yuncken Freeman practice. They came back to Australia permanently in 1980 and joined with Denton Corker Marshall. Peck Denton Corker Marshall (PDCM) operated for five years before von Hartel and Peck sold the international practice to Denton Corker Marshall.^[13]

Timeline of Yvonne's career:

• 1967-70: Yunken Freeman Pty Ltd.^[16]
• 1970-73: University of Melbourne School of Architecture.^[16]
• 1973-80: Yunken Freeman Hong Kong Pty Ltd.^[16]
• 1980-85: PDCM.^[16]
• 1985-88: Robert Peck & Company.^[16]
• 1988-01: Robert Peck von Hartel Trethowan.^[16]
• 2001 – (current): peckvonhartel.^[16]

Projects

A selection of projects which Yvonne has been involved with during her career:

• Victorian Desalination Plant 2013^[17]
• The Philadelphia Building Spring Street Melbourne 2011 ^[17]
• 25 Bligh Street Sydney Forecourt 2010 ^[17]
• I National Circuit Canberra 2007 ^[17]
• Deloitte Consulting Melbourne 2002 ^[17]
• Westin Hotel on Regent Place Melbourne 2000 ^[17]
• 333 Collins Street Melbourne 1992^[18]
• The Olderfleet Buildings 447 Collins Street Melbourne 1990 ^[19]
• 1 Collins Street Melbourne 1983 ^[4]

Board positions

• Senior Principal, peckvonhartel, Architects, Urban Planners, Interior Designers ^[6]
• Member, LaTrobe University Council 2014 - current<
• Member, LaTrobe University Council Infrastructure and Estates Planning Committee 2014 - current ^[6]
• Member, Capital Metro Agency Design Advisory Panel 2014 - current ^[6]
• Commissioner, Victorian Building Authority 2014 - current ^[2][6]
• Director, Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd 2012 - current^[2][6]
• Member, Queen Victoria Market Renewal Project Advisory Committee 2013 - current ^[12]
• Member, Premier's Business Roundtable 2012 - 2014 ^[12]
• Member, TAFE Reform Panel 2012 - 2013^[6]
• Director, Linking Melbourne Authority 2012 - 2013 ^[6]
• Member, University of Wollongong, SMART Infrastructure Advisory Council 2011 - current ref>
• Chair, Southbank Arts Precinct Working Group 2011 - 2014 (28)
• Independent Specialist Advisor, Member Design Review Panel - Design, Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct 2011 - current
• Chair, Victorian Skills Commission 2010 - 2012
• Founding Director/Company Secretary, Melbourne Forum 2009 - 2015 ^[20]
• Member, Mornington Peninsula Design Advisory Panel 2007 - current^[20]
• Chair, Building Sustainability Group, Standards Australia, 2005 - 2010 ^[20]
• Member, Building Standards Sector Board, Standards Australia, 2005 - 2010^[20]
• Director, ConnectEast Management Limited, 2005 - 2011 ^[12][20]
• Design Advisor, The Laguna Quays Town Centre Architecture Competition, 2004^[12][20]
• Chair, Victorian Design Advisory Council, 2002 - 2004^[2]
• Director, Tourism and Transport Forum, 2001 - 2004 ^[2]
• Member, Building Advisory Council, Building Commission, 2001 - 2005 ^[20]
• Director, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2000 - current ^[20]
• National President, Women's Chiefs of Enterprises International, 2000 - 2001
• Member, University of Melbourne Engineering Foundation Board of Management, 1999 - 2002
• Member, Victorian Selection Committee, Rhodes Scholarship, 1999 - 2000
• Member, Land Registry Advisory Council, 1998 - 2001
• Member, Internal Audit Committee Building Control Commission, 1998 - 2000
• Member, Victorian Minister for Small Business, Round Table Advisory Group, 1997 - 1999
• Member, Construction, Utilities and Transport Sector Advisory Committee, CSIRO Division of Building Construction Engineering, 1998 - 2000
• Senior Counsellor, Royal Australian Institute of Architects, 1997 - current
• Director, Peninsula Health Care Network,1996 -2000
• Member, National Association of Women in Construction, 1996 - 2000
• President, Victorian Division Women Chiefs of Enterprises International, 1996 - 1998
• Director, Powercor, Australia, 1994 - 1995
• Member, Building Regulation Advisory Committee, Building Commission, 1991 - 1997

Notable awards

• Awarded a Member of the Order of Australia, 2007 ^[9][10]
• 2014 The Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award for Commercial Architecture: Victorian Desalination Project^[21]
• 1986 William Wilkinson Wardell Medal: No. 1 Collins St ^[21]
• 1986 Merit Award for Commercial Buildings No. 1 Collins St ^[21]

References