Robert Backhouse FDIA

Rob Backhouse is Chairman, Principal and Head of Design at international design and architecture practice Hassell, and is instrumental in shaping the company’s ambitious design culture. An interior designer, Rob is widely known for his work on collaborative, integrated projects drawing on diverse disciplines and perspectives.

Rob commenced studies in Urban Design and Landscape Architecture at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) then switched to a degree in Interior Design. He commenced his career at Bligh Voller Neild in Brisbane, then moved to Melbourne where he spent a further five years at Carr Design before joining Hassell.

He has built a reputation for design leadership through major projects in Australia and Asia. Robert’s broad portfolio of built work, including international and award-winning projects, range from some of the world’s largest and most complex workplaces to residential developments and one-off luxury residences. He is regularly invited to contribute to academic programs, industry publications and international design events.

Rob has participated on and chaired juries for Australian Interior Design Awards (AIDA), received a Gold Medal in the 2017 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) for his enduring contributions to Australia’s design culture and is a Fellow of International Federation of Interior Architects / Designers (IFI). He is an instinctive leader who inspires by example, is an eloquent advocate for the value of design and a long standing and engaged member of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA). Rob received a Fellowship of the DIA in 2011.

Now working on his PhD at RMIT University, Rob loves the visceral, tangible impact that great design has on people every day, and the potential it has to transform a business or change an entire city.