Rice Daubney


HDR|Rice Daubney, formerly Rice Daubney, is a Sydney based architectural practice with over 100 staff. It was established in 1976 by Kevin Rice and John Daubney, both formerly of Fombertaux Rice Hanly Pty. Ltd. Since 2003 the practice's head office has been located at 110 Walker St in, a building that was designed by Rice Daubney in the late 1980s. In 2013 the firm was acquired by HDR, Inc., a US-based architectural, engineering and consulting firm and rebranded as HDR|Rice Daubney.
Rice Daubney have a broad range of work which covers most sectors of the architectural design industry. The firm has a strong emphasis on the use of Building Information Modelling as a design tool and has also demonstrated a continuous desire to be at the forefront of implementing sustainable design practices in building. Rice Daubney pioneered the use of a new glazing system for multi-storey buildings and foresaw a shift away from high-rise office towers to lower-scale, more personalised buildings.

History

In 1976 Kevin Rice left the firm Fombertaux Rice Hanly Pty. Ltd. where he had been managing director and with another former employee of Fombertaux Rice Hanly, John Daubney jointly established Rice Daubney. Early projects that helped establish the firms reputation include the Queen Victoria Building renovation/restoration and the Zenith Centre in Chatswood. Additional offices were opened in Jakarta in late 1987 and then Brisbane in 2004. In 2013 the firm merged with US-based global architecture firm HDR.
When Kevin Rice retired in 1990 John Daubney took over as managing director. Rice Daubney employ over 100 staff, the majority of these in their head office in Sydney.

Notable projects

HDR|Rice Daubney has designed some of Australia's landmark buildings including the following major architectural projects:
CompletedProject nameLocationAwardNotes
1986Queen Victoria Building renovationSydney central business district
Orion Town Centre, Queensland
1987Zenith Centre, Sydney
1987Erina Fair
Sunshine Coast University HospitalSunshine Coast, Queensland
The Chris O'Brien Lifehouse at RPA, Sydney
Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre and
Australian Advanced Treatment Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital
, Sydney
Liverpool Hospital Clinical Services Block 2 , Sydney
2007Rouse Hill Town Centre, Sydney
2010Coca-Cola Place: The Ark
388 George StSydney central business district