BLP is delighted to announce five senior appointments from within our practice – Associate Director Ariel Lopez, and Associates Alana Croker, Natalie Yong, Simon David and Smitha Suraj.
Our people are the key to BLP’s continued success and renewal. We recognise these leaders in architecture and interior design from within our team for their commitment and contribution to design excellence, client focus and our company values.
BLP service clients in Education, Seniors Living, Science+Technology, Health and Workplace to create nurturing spaces to live, learn, work and heal. Our expanded Senior Leadership Team bring the depth of experience in client engagement, strategic planning, design and delivery that will drive further innovation in everything we do.
Director Tara Veldman said,
BLP are enjoying an exciting period of growth, as our sector leaders break new ground with our clients. We’re excited about the future at BLP, building on a strong 24 years of practice and the evolving design and technical expertise of our team.
Please join Directors Ron Billard, David Leece, Mark Mitchell and Tara Veldman, and our Senior Leadership in congratulating our newly promoted team members.
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Ariel Lopez, Associate Director
As BLP’s Education Sector Leader in Victoria, Ariel has a passion for collaboration, both in the design process and for all students, staff and users of built environments. With over 20 years of experience in urban design and architecture across Australia, South America and Asia, Ariel has a design-led methodology with which he mentors architects and project teams across the practice. He is currently leading the Fisherman’s Bend Secondary School project, one of the first vertical schools in Victoria.
Alana Croker, Associate
Alana brings a passion for community-based projects across the education, seniors living, healthcare and multi-residential sectors. With an integrated approach to design, her creativity is complemented by strengths in client engagement, project and team coordination and project delivery. Alana is currently playing a key coordination leadership role in the Picton High School Redevelopment.
Natalie Yong, Associate
Natalie is a results-oriented architect with an impressive portfolio of highly technical projects. Her involvement in major complex multimillion dollar facilities includes the planning, design and delivery of over 25,000sqm of specialised research space at the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, as well as the new Base Fractionation Facility for CSL Behring in Broadmeadows. Natalie works closely with clients, authorities and design teams to plan and implement strategies that preempt and resolve site and technical issues.
Simon David, Associate
Simon brings over 20 years’ experience in the design and documentation of large-scale projects in Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States. A seasoned BIM professional, he uses his expertise to support our wider team of architects, planners and designers, overseeing BIM, modelling techniques, systems and overall efficiency to document designs that are robust and buildable. He is currently leading this component on the Campbelltown Hospital Redevelopment.
Smitha Suraj, Associate
Smitha is a talented and experienced Interior Designer with large scale project experience across a range of typologies, sectors and sizes, which informs her versatile design thinking and innovative approach to spatial design. Throughout her career, Smitha is focussed on the workplace, commercial and higher education sectors, designing for industry leading clients such as Fujitsu, Dexus, University of Sydney and Macquarie University.
