Michael Anthony Rayner is an Australian architect and urban designer. He was a director of Cox Rayner Architects (now Cox Architecture) for 33 years before commencing a new practice, Blight Rayner Architecture, in 2016. He has led the designs of many major Australian public buildings. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland and a Life Fellow and Past President of the Australian Institute of Architects in Queensland. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2011.
Early life and education Michael Anthony Rayner was born in Sydney. He grew up in a street adjoining the houses of such noted architects as Bryce Mortlock, Peter Keys, and John Fisher. From observing their work as a child, Rayner determined early on to become an architect.
Rayner attended North Sydney Boys High School and undertook his architecture studies at the University of New South Wales, graduating with first class honours in 1980 and winning the 1980 Thesis Medal in Architecture. date?
He was awarded the NSW Architects Registration Board's Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship in 1989, studying urban waterfront renewal. Career
Sydney After graduating, Rayner joined Philip Cox and Partners, working closely with Cox for the next ten years and designing such noted public buildings as the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Sydney Exhibition Centre (now demolished) in Darling Harbour.
Brisbane Rayner moved to Brisbane in 1990 and established Cox Rayner Architects. He designs using the overarching ethos of structure, craft, art and nature as guidelines for all projects, large or small.
Rayner left the Cox practice in 2016 to establish Blight Rayner Architecture, as a smaller firm where he could devote more time to thinking about the future of architecture and of cities, and to hands-on designing of buildings. In 2019, the firm won the international competition to design the New Performing Arts Venue at Brisbane's South Bank and subsequently the National Rugby Training Centre at Ballymore.
Planning and urban design Although primarily an architect, Rayner worked on the Brisbane CBD Planning Strategy in 1995, and subsequently prepared the master plan for Newstead-Teneriffe (1996), Brisbane's largest urban waterfront redevelopment.
His "Smart Cities: Rethinking the City Centre" was a 2006 study proposing a series of pedestrian bridges constructed and forthcoming. In that year, he was involved in a workshop entitled Tabula Rasa which was held to reflect in the city's possible futures.
He has also produced the master plans for Griffith University's Nathan and Logan campuses, and for Singapore's Marina Bay.
Other activities Rayner is a past Queensland President of the Australian Institute of Architects (2000–2002) and was a Creative Director of the institute's National Convention in 2012.
He was a member of the Queensland Premier's Smart State Council (2006–2012) and Queensland Design Council (2009–2012).
Rayner was a juror for the World Architecture Festival Awards in Singapore in 2014 and 2015.
He was a speaker at the Affirmative Architecture Brisbane 2014 symposium.
is on the Queensland State Board of Advisors of the Property Industry Foundation.
Recognition and honours Rayner was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011.
Rayner is an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland (2009-) and he chairs Griffith University’s Architecture Industry Advisory Board. He is a long-term member of the Queensland Government's Urban Design and Places Panel.
Rayner is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) and a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects.
Notable projects
1988Sydney Exhibition CentreAIA John Sulman Medal 19891988Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney1995Brisbane CBD Planning Strategy1996Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre1998–2001Cairns Convention Centre2001Goodwill Bridge, BrisbaneAIA National Civic Design Commendation 20022001Millennium Arts Queensland Cultural Centre Master Plan, BrisbaneBrisbane RAIA Planning and Research Award (QLD)2005Brisbane Magistrates Court2006Thuringowa Riverway, TownsvilleAIA National Award for Urban Design 2007The Waterfront Center "Excellence on the Waterfront" Project Honour Award 20072006SW1 South Bank, BrisbanePIA Australia Award for Urban Design 20112009Kurilpa Bridge, Brisbane – world's largest tensegrity bridgeWorld's Best Transport Project 20112009Ipswich Courthouse, IpswichAIA Queensland Regional F.D.G. Stanley Award for Public Architecture2010Helix Bridge, Singapore Singapore Institute of Architects Architectural Design Award Honourable MentionWorld Architecture Festival 2010 Transport Category Winner2011 Hill End House, Brisbane(Personal commission)2011Flinders Street Revitalisation, TownsvilleAIA National Award for Urban Design 20132012BCEC on Grey Street, BrisbaneAIA Queensland State Commendation for Art & Architecture2013Sir Samuel Griffith Centre, Griffith University, BrisbaneAIQS Infinite Value Project of the Year Award 2014AIA Queensland Sustainable Architecture Award 2015BPN Sustainability Awards Commendation 20142013Griffith University Nathan Campus Master Plan, BrisbaneAIA Queensland Karl Langer Award for Urban Design 20142014University of Queensland Oral Health Centre, BrisbaneINSIDE Festival Health and Education Winner 2015AIA National Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture 2016AIA National Award for Interior Architecture 2016AIA National Award for Sustainable Architecture 20162015Brisbane City Centre Ferry TerminalsWorld Architecture Festival Future Projects Infrastructure Winner 20132020National Maritime Museum of China, TianjinWorld Architecture Festival Competition Entries Winner 2013World Architecture Festival Cultural Winner 2013World Architecture Festival Future Project of the Year 20132021 New Performing Arts Venue, South Bank, Brisbane(while at Blight Rayner Architects)2021 National Rugby Training Centre, Ballymore, Brisbane(while at Blight Rayner Architects)2021 The Lanes Town Centre, Gold Coast
Personal life Rayner married Kylie Broad in 1996. They have two sons, Hugh and Lachie. Hugh lives in Texas.
Rayner is an avid art collector and philanthropist. He donated 97 works from his collection to the University of Queensland Art Museum in 2015.
References
Further reading AAP Directories, 2019. Who's who in Australia 2020. Sydney: AAP Directories, a division of Australian Associated Press. Dewhirst, D. and Ward, M., 2014. From the ground up: 20 stories of a life in architecture. Melbourne: Uro Publications. Rayner, Michael, 2018. "Double vision for city" The Courier Mail. 18 October. Thompson, Shane, Skinner, Peter, and Rayner, Michael, 2012. Experience. Experience: 2012 National Architecture Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 10–12 May 2012.
External links
Queensland State Archives, 2021. "The Queensland Cultural Centre: then, now and new" Livestream. 13 March.