A property industry professional is set to lead nation architecture firm RotheLowman in a move which reflect the firm’s ongoing transition away form a traditional mode of architecture practice.

According to the latest report in Architecture and Design, the firm has appointed Melbourne based Nigel Hobart will be promoted as its managing partner in a move which reflects a transition undertaken by the firm over the best part of a decade away from some of its more traditional mode of practice toward a more integrated professional approach.

Originally from the University of Queensland with a Batchelor of Economics and a Master of Business Administration, Hobart has a background of sales and marketing and headed the sales and marketing department of Becton Property Group where he oversaw the sales and settlement of more than one thousand properties over a period of nearly four years prior to joining RotheLowman in 2007.

During his time at RotheLowman thus far, Hobart has seen the firm grow from 32 staff operating within a traditional architecture setup to one with a headcount of 120 across offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with a project profile which includes a 55 storey apartment tower at 88 Queensbridge Street in Melbourne, the 34 storey Habitat residential tower in Melbourne’s Southbank and the 38 storey Thistlethwaite residential development at Melbourne’s Fisherman’s Bend.

During this time, the firm has also sought to incorporate management consulting principles into its approach. It was during this time that Hobart’s client side perspective which originated out of being a client of RotheLowman during his time at Bechton came to the fore as he led the business side of the practice to ensure seamless delivery from all practices.

That transition largely reflects a broader phenomenon within the profession, whereby having non-architects in senior management roles has progressively become more common.

Hobart’s promotion will allow founding principals Shane Loath and Kim Lowman to refocus their energies on design and client relations.