Keith Hornshaw

2016

I went through 5 years of secondary education always in the A Class and always played basketball as my main sport. I completed the Leaving Certificate in 1964. I recall a bit of a rough muck up day to end our schooling and then farewelled my fiends to start a new adventure.

In 1965 I started my architectural career as a Cadet in the Government Architects Branch of Public Works Department. I enrolled in the Architecture Faculty at the University of NSW at Kensington to begin an 8 year part-time course to become an architect.

I was living at Hornsby, working full time in the city and attending 15 hours per week at University. Classes finished at 9pm 3 days per week and I had to travel home by public transport from Kensington juggling a brief case, an artists folder under arm, a tube for rolled drawings and sometimes an umbrella, arriving at Hornsby about 11.00pm. It was a challenging period of my life but conditions improved progressively until I graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1974.

In the meantime I married Anne in 1969 and we lived in a flat at Mosman, from where we commuted to the city by ferry, which was very enjoyable.

I purchased a block of land at Hornsby and whilst I was still a student at Uni I designed my first house which built by a local builder in 1971. This house won the Sun Herald House of the Year Award for its category in 1973. This was my first family home which I continually improved and extended to accomodate my family which grew to 3 wonderful children, Nerida, Megan and Edwin.

As a fresh graduate in 1974, I joined the team to design the new Westmead Hospital Project and performed a key role in the overall design and held the position of Team Leader for Ward Block 2, which I designed and documented with a team of 7 under a fast track procurement system. This was a huge and successful project completed in 1979.

In 1979, I took 6 months long service leave and did a Grand European Tour in a kombi van with my wife and 2 children, the youngest had not yet been born.

I then returned to the State Office Block in Phillip St Sydney where I continued my career in design of public buildings. This covered all types of buildings from schools, police stations, offices, ministerial suites, ambulance stations, bicentennial projects, court houses and even stables for police horses. My greatest success was the conversion of the 1920’s Mark Foy’s Retail Store on Elizabeth and Liverpool Streets into a major court house complex now called the Downing Centre. This was my big idea and solved the Justice Dept’s crisis of an under supply of court rooms and staff accomodation.

In 1983, I was transferred to Tamworth to the position of District Architect with Public Works. I had a staff of 10 and was responsible for all Govt buildings in the region which extended from Willow Tree in the south up to the Queensland border in the north and west to Moree and beyond. My office was located in the former Convent Building shared with the Musical Society. I project managed the restoration and completion of this significant heritage building.

I enjoyed a great professional and family life with my wife and 3 children in the Country Music Capital. I became involved in local affairs and became Chairman of 3 committees, being the National Trust, The Heritage Committee and the Council Re-election Committee. I received a lot of local media exposure and became embroiled in some very sensitive planning controversies and fights for the protection of heritage buildings. I successfully saved the Mechanics Institute but lost the Capitol Theatre.

In 1989, I was transferred to Newcastle to take up the position of Regional Architect, Hunter and New England districts. I then had a staff of 40 and a huge geographical area to cover from Newcastle to the Queensland border. This was an unhappy period in my life as I had enormous responsibility at work combined with my marriage breakdown and 3 distraught children.

In 1990, I joined the Project Management Team responsible for design, documentation and construction of the New Children’s Hospital at Westmead. I held the position of Assistant Project Manager and was responsible for coordination of consultants, quality control of all design, documentation and cost control of many trade packages under a construction management procurement method. This was another successful major project with a budget of $330 million from which we returned savings of $30 million to the client by my teams hard work and diligent financial management.

Upon completion of the New Children’s Hospital in 1994, I joined the team responsible for design, documentation and construction of the Corrective Services Detention Centre at Silverwater as Documentation Manager.

In 1996, I was appointed as Project Manager for the New Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospitals, which I relinquished for a change of career after 32 years.

In 1997, I resigned from PWD to take up the position of Director of Physical Resources at the South West Sydney Area Health Service at Liverpool. I had a staff of 5 and was responsible for the procurement of new health facilities within the region as well as maintenance of existing stock. This was a high stress position working with the NSW Department of Health and including long working hours and long commuting drives from Hornsby to Liverpool.

In this role many projects were completed including the Campbelltown and Camden Hospitals and many other health facilities and always restrained by tight budgets and brief timelines. I designed projects, engaged and supervised consultants and managed all expenditure.

My greatest achievement was the design of the new Emergency Department at Liverpool Hospital which was an outstanding success.

I performed in this position for 8 years and took voluntary early retirement in 2005 to end a 40 year public service career at the age of 57. During my 40 year career, I really only had two employers. I am very proud of my personal and significant contribution to public architecture and can proudly boast that my creative initiatives during my career saved the Government many millions of dollars.

Following my official retirement, I started a new architectural career in residential design as Director Heronswood Homes. I enjoy this role immensely as it is a very relaxing change from undertaking major public infrastructure under high stress, tight budgets and compressed timelines.

In 2010 I became a member of Building Designers Australia and undertook various private design commissions for new houses as well as alterations and additions. I am a Chartered and Accredited Practising BDA Member.

In 2011, I demolished my first home at Hornsby and subdivided the lot into 2 and designed and built a grand new house. This is an adaptable, accessible and energy efficient family home which won 2 awards from the BDA Sydney Branch in 2012, for Best House and Best Sustainable House.

I am currently the Chairman of the Sydney Chapter of the Building Designers Association of Australia, organising monthly meetings and special events and giving the occasional presentation on an architectural theme.

As I write this in 2016, I enjoy a rich and comfortable life with my partner Deirdre of 22 years, living in a nice home and cherishing 4 beautiful granddaughters.

I have retained several life time friends from my school days and have recently socialised with some old school acquaintances and I continue to GROW IN WISDOM as a graduate of Asquith Boys High School.

Keith Hornshaw B’Arch

58 Rosamond St Hornsby NSW 2077

0408 461680 keith.ho@bigpond.net.au