Harry Sprintz LFDIA
Harry Sprintz FRAIA AACA LFDIA M.ACAA, MA Design/Research for Disability (LGU) from Sydney is an architect, interior designer, educator and writer.
As the plethora of post-nominal letters after Harry Sprintz’’s name suggests, he has packed a lot into his 45 years of continuous private practice and 58 year involvement with the architecture and interior design professions. Sprintz is a Registered and Nominated architect of the NSW, ACT and Queensland Architects Registration Board’’s, a Fellow of the AIA and of the Chartered Society of Designers in the UK. Also a DIA Accredited Interior Designer and ACAA Accredited Disability Access Architect/Consultant, Spritz is best known for his accessibility design within the built environment surrounding disability, safety and ageing issues. The author or some 30 papers and articles on these topics in addition to two books, Workplace Accessibility and House Adaptations, Sprintz is a sought after presenter internationally and domestically and respected lecturer in Australia and London.
Commencing private practice initially in Melbourne (1965) then Bowral, Canberra, followed by Sydney (from 1990), Sprintz was principal/founding partner (1966) of McAndrew, Burgess & Sprintz, Architects & Interior Designers P/L, which in 1993 transitioned to Harry Sprintz, Architect & Disability Access Planner. He is the principal architect and consultant architect to design studio 22 in Coffs Harbour, Grafton and Kiama. Private housing both new and renovations/adaptations, is a major focus of his practice in conjunction with the provision of expert opinions and expert witness work. Sprintz’’s commercial footprint has encompassed health care/disability access design, laboratories, office fit outs, retail fit outs (designing 151 during 78-92), exhibitions, clubs, tourism, restaurants, cinemas recreational and industrial projects. Personally committed to Universal Design Principles Sprintz said he hopes from his work that "many people feel that access in the built environment is a basic right and a responsibility for all connected with the building industry and particularly architects and designers."
Awarded the Byera Hadley Post Graduate (travelling) Scholarship in 1996 by the Board of Architects of NSW for architecturally related research, Sprintz completed his Research Masters Degree in Design Research for Disability from London Guildhall University in 1998. In addition to Sprintz’’s five years of architectural education and architectural pupillage in the UK, he studied at RMIT University, Melbourne University, NSWIT and the University of NSW.
The induction of Harry Sprintz into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame for 2011 recognises a significant contribution to Australian Design and caps the Gold Citation in 2002 and Life Fellowship in 1997 for the Foundation member of 1957 and former Chapter President and National Councillor.
