# Michael Rayner (architect)

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.
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.
As of 2020 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.
As of 2021 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

| 1988 | Sydney Exhibition Centre | AIA John Sulman Medal 1989 |
| 1988 | Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney | |
| 1995 | Brisbane CBD Planning Strategy | |
| 1996 | Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre | |
| 1998–2001 | Cairns Convention Centre | |
| 2001 | Goodwill Bridge, Brisbane | AIA National Civic Design Commendation 2002 |
| 2001 | Millennium Arts Queensland Cultural Centre Master Plan, Brisbane | Brisbane RAIA Planning and Research Award (QLD) |
| 2005 | Brisbane Magistrates Court | |
| 2006 | Thuringowa Riverway, Townsville | AIA National Award for Urban Design 2007 The Waterfront Center "Excellence on the Waterfront" Project Honour Award 2007 |
| 2006 | SW1 South Bank, Brisbane | PIA Australia Award for Urban Design 2011 |
| 2009 | Kurilpa Bridge, Brisbane – world's largest tensegrity bridge | World's Best Transport Project 2011 |
| 2009 | Ipswich Courthouse, Ipswich | AIA Queensland Regional F.D.G. Stanley Award for Public Architecture |
| 2010 | Helix Bridge, Singapore | Singapore Institute of Architects Architectural Design Award Honourable Mention World Architecture Festival 2010 Transport Category Winner |
| 2011 | Hill End House, Brisbane | (Personal commission) |
| 2011 | Flinders Street Revitalisation, Townsville | AIA National Award for Urban Design 2013 |
| 2012 | BCEC on Grey Street, Brisbane | AIA Queensland State Commendation for Art & Architecture |
| 2013 | Sir Samuel Griffith Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane | AIQS Infinite Value Project of the Year Award 2014 AIA Queensland Sustainable Architecture Award 2015 BPN Sustainability Awards Commendation 2014 |
| 2013 | Griffith University Nathan Campus Master Plan, Brisbane | AIA Queensland Karl Langer Award for Urban Design 2014 |
| 2014 | University of Queensland Oral Health Centre, Brisbane | INSIDE Festival Health and Education Winner 2015 AIA National Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture 2016 AIA National Award for Interior Architecture 2016 AIA National Award for Sustainable Architecture 2016 |
| 2015 | Brisbane City Centre Ferry Terminals | World Architecture Festival Future Projects Infrastructure Winner 2013 |
| 2020 | National Maritime Museum of China, Tianjin | World Architecture Festival Competition Entries Winner 2013 World Architecture Festival Cultural Winner 2013 World Architecture Festival Future Project of the Year 2013 |
| 2021 | 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.
Rayner is an avid art collector and philanthropist. He donated 97 works from his collection to the University of Queensland Art Museum in 2015.