People
Patrick Nicholas
Director, B. Arch, AIA, AAA, DEP0001385, ARB NSW 6672
Patrick’s architectural career includes working with a variety of prominent architects in Sydney and Darwin before founding Patrick Nicholas Architects in 1995 and AN+A in 2012.
Involved comprehensively in the design, project management and delivery of AN+A projects, Pat calls on 30 years of local experience. This encompasses extensive client, council and builder understanding overlaid with ten years of experience in the hospitality industry and the experience gained building two houses for his family.
Pat is a creative and logical designer with a collaborative style. Working directly with clients he explores every opportunity within the brief to its fullest potential, achieving memorable outcomes each time.
Pat has a reputation for the architecture and interior design of residential, heritage, coastal and hospitality projects. His passion for art, landscape, detailing, construction and the environment drives his creative and practical approach.
Vanessa Edema
Associate Director B.Arch. Hons
Vanessa co-founded AN+A in 2012 with Pat Nicholas after 25 years of creative partnership together at AN+A and Patrick Nicholas Architects. Vanessa’s expertise in delivering residential, hospitality and interior detailing projects is a testament to her close working relationships with clients and attention to detail.
A keen observer of landscape, places and spaces, Vanessa is creative, thoughtful and environmentally mindful in her work.
Vanessa applies her fine grained and incisive approach to the design, authority consent, documentation, project management and construction of AN+A projects.
Vaishnavi Bopiah
Associate
B.Arch, M.Arch UNSW
Vaish is an architectural graduate from India and has been with AN+A since 2018 working on highend residential and commercial projects from design through to construction participation.
Developing her conceptual and 3D visualisation skillset at the front end of the design process has been bookended with her architectural photography of completed AN+A projects.
Vaish is an avid traveller, and has participated in design workshops in Auroville, India and at the Architectural Association, London.
With a keen interest in photography, she has been exploring residential architecture in Australia for an ongoing personal research project.
Wenda Xu
Associate
B.Arch, M.Arch UNSW, ARB NSW 11374
Wenda Xu is a highly skilled architect with over six years of experience in the industry. She received her Master of Architecture from UNSW in 2016, where she was nominated for both the Urban Design Award and the Master of Architecture Prize in Sustainable Highrise Architecture.
Wenda has worked on a diverse range of projects from concept to construction, including single and multi-residential, education, health care and hospitality. She has demonstrated her ability to work collaboratively with clients and team members to achieve high-quality results.
Wenda’s proficiency in Revit, Adobe Creative Suite, and 3D rendering, combined with her strong coordination skills, make her a valuable team member. Her thorough understanding of sustainable design principles further enhances her ability to create innovative and environmentally responsible designs.
Belinda Gibson
Project Architect
Dip FA, B.Arch M.Arch UoA, ARB NSW 11732
Belinda is a registered architect, originally from Auckland where she studied Fine Arts at Whitecliffe College of Fine Arts before completing her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Auckland. During her studies, Belinda gained invaluable experiences and perspectives in the Scandinavian and European landscape on exchange at Lund University, Sweden.
Belinda has experience working with an international firm on projects of all typologies and scales in New Zealand and Australia, from concept design for single dwellings to large-scale masterplans and planning applications for mixed-use precincts.
Belinda is both a practical minded and creative Architect, she enjoys creating sculptural spatial moments while maintaining an appreciation for efficient planning and contextual awareness.
Katie Taylor
Graduate Architect
B.Arch USyd
Graduating from the University of Sydney, Katie has three years of experience working on residential and commercial projects, with a strong focus on sustainable, detail-oriented architecture and joinery. She possesses a versatile skillset that includes CAD and BIM-based software, architectural visualization, robotics, and digital fabrication. Katie’s robust foundation in design and people-oriented mindset equip her with the adaptability and insight to navigate complex architectural challenges.
Having studied abroad in Aarhus, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden, Katie has an enriched perspective of the global design landscape. Her designs, research and written work have been published by the University of Sydney and The Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. In 2023, her research work led by Pritzker Prize laureates Lacaton + Vassal was exhibited as part of the Rothwell Chair in Architectural Design Leadership. She was also founding member of CIRCA – the University of Sydney’s Journal of Architecture and Design.
Her spare time is often spent experimenting with analogue art mediums such as painting, printmaking and film photography.
The Studio
AN+A is a Sydney based design firm established in 2012 by Patrick Nicholas and Vanessa Edema. Our team of six architects and designers operate from our Marys Place, Surry Hills Studio.
We employ all methods of creative communication, from hand drawn sketches, CAD and plywood models to 3D modelling.
AN+A is an A+ Practice Member of the Australian Institute of Architects and is a registered Architectural Practice with the NSW Board of Architects. Patrick Nicholas is an NSW Registered Design and Building Practitioner (DBP Act).
Our Approach
As principals we lead a team of architects and designers driven to deliver creative spatial experiences and places that belong.
We work with our clients to deliver buildings that satisfy their key objectives and exceed their expectations. We offer innovative thinking, versatile solutions, value for money, agile problem solving, environmental realism and an inclusive collaborative experience.
Clients
We value the notion that robust working relationships with our clients are the key to successful project delivery. We call this benefit the ‘creative dividend’ and are proud of our referral and repeat business rates.
Sustainability
Our aim is to meet present needs without compromising the stock of natural resources remaining for future generations by being resource efficient, minimising energy usage, designing flexible spaces with utility, and designing for long life.
We look forward to forging a creative relationship with you.