Episode 279: 2025 Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Business Awards Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Rayner on urban design & his 'what else' philosophy

Episode 279: 2025 Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Business Awards Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Rayner on urban design & his 'what else' philosophy

Author: Architecture & Design January 19, 2026 Duration: 41:51

Michael Rayner is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects, co-founder of Blight Rayner Architecture and the 2025 recipient of the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Business Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.

This prestigious honour — presented only six times in the Awards’ two-decade history — recognises Michael’s remarkable four decades of design leadership, a career that has shaped Brisbane’s skyline, enriched Australia’s civic identity, and taken Australian design to international audiences.

From the  Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney Exhibition Centre, Sydney Football Stadium, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, QPAC’s new Glasshouse Theatre to Sydney’s Barker College and a veritable smorgasbord of global high profile projects such as the National Maritime Museum of China, — Michael’s work has continually asked the same question: “What else?”

In this episode, we’ll explore his philosophy, the evolution of Brisbane’s architectural identity, and what true city-shaping leadership looks like in an era of rapid growth and change.  


For nearly a decade, Talking Architecture & Design has served as a direct line to the conversations shaping Australia's built environment. Born from the country's most popular architecture magazine, this isn't a theoretical discussion held at a distance; it's a practical, industry-focused dialogue. Each episode digs into the real issues-from material innovations and regulatory shifts to the evolving challenges of sustainability and wellbeing-that architects, building designers, and related professionals navigate daily. The strength of this podcast lies in its consistent, digestible format, offering a regular audio briefing on the matters that truly impact practice and projects. By focusing on the business and professional landscape, it provides a unique resource for those who design and construct our surroundings. Tune in for candid insights and straightforward analysis that connects directly to the work happening on the ground.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Talking Architecture & Design
Podcast Episodes
Episode 286: Reviewing 40 Years of Architecture with Ed Lippmann [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:21
Known for his thoughtful, context-driven approach to design, acclaimed Australian architect Ed Lippmann, owner and founder of architectural practice, Lippmann Partnership, has a design portfolio that spans decades of civ…