ARCHITECTURE DID YOU KNOW?

There are around 13,550 architectural businesses in Australia

24,991 people were in the labour force who held architectural qualifications in
2011 (Bachelor degree or higher) (16,595 are male and 8396 female)

The proportion of women holding architectural qualifications in the labour force

is 33.6%

12,837 people were employed as architects or landscape architects in 2011 (9084

male and 3753 female)

Architectural services in Australia in 2014-15 had revenue of $6.4 billion, and

generated $602.7 million of profit.

Of Australias 13,555 architectural businesses, 98 per cent are small enterprises

with less than 10 employees.

Almost all Australians (97 per cent) believe that cities and towns are better to live
in when public buildings and public spaces are well designed.

Almost all Australians (96 per cent) believe that homes and apartments provide a
better living experience when they are well designed.

The architectural sector in Australia is structurally under-valued by around 15%

or $1 billion annually.

Architectural tourism in Australia is valued at around $827 million.

o The Sydney Opera House, designed by architect Jrn Utzon, is estimated to
contribute $640 million in yearly expenditure by visitors to Sydney.
o Data from the 2014 Tasmanian Tourism Survey shows that 16 per cent of
visitors to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) (designed by Nonda
Katsalidis of Fender Katsalidis Architects) stated that visiting MONA was their

primary reason for travelling to Tasmania.

The Royal Australian Institute of Architects

trading as Australian Institute of Architects
ABN 72 000 023 012

The Dr Chau Chak Wing building at the University of Technology in Sydney

generates around $46 million each year in value thanks to local spend
from tourists coming to see this innovative building. This is the first
Australian building designed by Frank Gehry, one of the worlds most celebrated
architects

Architecture is now considered a creative industry, alongside designers from a

range of backgrounds including industrial design; product design, landscape and
graphic design.
o Within the creative Industries framework, in 2011 architecture accounted
for 10 per cent of IGP (Industry Gross Product) and 9 per cent of total
employment in the creative industries (47,382).
o The creative industries report identifies flow-on effects of the creative
industries in terms of multiplier effect. Architecture (with advertising) had
the highest total multiplier effect of 4.02 meaning every dollar in
turnover generated by architecture (i.e. initial revenue stimulus) results in
4.02 times total revenue for all other industries in the Australian economy.

Current domestic and international architecture students contribute $125,977,789

per annum to the education sector in fees alone.

Students commencing university architecture and building courses (2014)

10,722 (Domestic 8312, Overseas 2410)

Students completing university architecture and building courses (2014) 6892

(Domestic 5121, Overseas 1771)

Contact Us:

T +612 6121 2000

policy@architecture.com.au
architecture.com.au
Sources:

Measuring Up, Innovation and the Value Add of Architecture, NSW Architects Registration Board with University of Technology
Sydney, April 2016

The Benefit of Design, prepared for Architects Accreditation Council of Australia, Galaxy Research, June 2015
Deloitte, 2013, How do you value an Icon; The Sydney Opera House Economic, Cultural and Digital Value

Creative Industries, A strategy for 21st Century Australia, Report released 2011, Office of the minister for the Arts

2011 Census of Population and Housing, Australian Bureau of Statistics