Designing with Nature: Lisa-Maree Carrigan, Director at GroupGSA, Creates Harmonious Spaces Inspired by the Surrounding Landscape and Natural Bushland

Lisa-Maree Carrigan, Director at Group GSA is celebrated for her award-winning work as an architect and her influential role as a design and thought leader. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Carrigan has built a stellar reputation grounded in her deep-seated passion for architecture. Her journey into the field began early, shaped by her upbringing in a family immersed in design and engineering.  This blend of experiences formed Carrigan’s unique approach to architecture, making her a respected figure in her field.

Before stepping into her role as Director, Carrigan served as a board member at GroupGSA for 15 years. Her external perspective was crucial in guiding the company through various challenges, including industry fluctuations, the Global Financial Crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This extensive experience provided her with valuable real-world management skills and underscored her commitment to safeguarding not only the firm but also the livelihoods of all its stakeholders.

GroupGSA now stands as an award-winning multidisciplinary architecture firm renowned for its innovative and impactful designs. With a portfolio that spans various sectors and scales, the firm has earned numerous awards for its excellence in architecture and urban design. The firm won the Commercial category at the Polytec Design Awards in New South Wales for their Financial Management Firm project.

Out of more than 800 submissions, they were also awarded the inaugural 2023 National Polytec ByDesign Award. This achievement earned them national acclaim and a featured segment in Series 6 of Australia ByDesign Architecture, which aired on Channel 10. The firm’s design for the Sydney Skate Park earned a Gold award at the DRIVENxDESIGN GOV Design Awards 2021. Additionally, they won the design excellence competition initiated by Linkcity to develop a new 560-bed student housing project in Newcastle’s West End. Their success continued with the Moxy Sydney Airport project, which was a winner at the 2024 Australasia-Pacific Hotel Design Awards.

Carrigan came onto The Residences at Wahroonga Estate as the lead architect in 2015, and having lived in Wahroonga for over 20 years, her deep connection to the area significantly influenced her design work, “I’ve been a resident in the area for over 20 years, so I’m very passionate about the area,” and emphasizes its unique qualities.

She claims that Wahroonga’s vibrant and natural setting profoundly impacted her design approach, highlighting, “Wahroonga Village and the surrounding areas have a wonderful sense of community and connection to the landscape”. Her design approach aimed to reflect this intrinsic link between the outdoor lifestyle and the community’s strong connection to the natural environment, creating spaces that resonate with Wahroonga’s unique charm.

Carrigan brings a distinctive vision to the forefront, setting it apart with a deep connection to its natural surroundings and symbolic character, describing the development as a “unique and premium boutique residential offering in the upper north shore”. Her design approach is notably cohesive, seamlessly integrating all design aspects to harmonize with the surrounding environment, “what’s unique about The Residences is the way the architecture, interior design, and landscape are designed cohesively to showcase and focus on the surrounding landscapes,” she explains.

The Residences reflects the characteristic features of the upper North Shore, including its “strong sense of community, uniqueness of the surrounding built environment, and leafy tree canopies being some of the hallmarks of the area” Carrigan claims. Through this thoughtful design, she curated a living experience that immerses its residents in Wahroonga’s natural beauty while enhancing the suburbs overall sense of place.

The design of the project is deeply inspired by the historical character of Wahroonga, reflecting its rich architectural heritage. Carrigan explains that her approach “was really strongly connected and came out of the character of the area.” This connection stems from a detailed survey of the neighbourhood’s grand estates and private schools, which revealed a consistent use of robust brick and masonry with intricate detailing. “The character of Wahroonga developed in the early 20th century and late 19th century with beautiful estately homes sat on really lush and generous landscape,” she notes.

This historical context shaped her contemporary design, which features “a strong masonry and detailed brickwork base” while incorporating modern elements like generous eaves, expansive glass, and spacious balconies. The result is a design that honours Wahroonga’s traditional aesthetics with a modern twist, using resilient, self-finished materials to ensure the project remains timeless and true to the “upper north shore” character.