For anyone that has been a part of Peddle Thorp history in Queensland, particularly in the period from 1978-2008, the name of Paolo (Paul) Tavuzzi would be familiar.
Paolo and his twin brother Michael were born on the border of Slovenia, in the northern Italian city of Trieste. Due to the volatile political situation after the city’s return to Italian jurisdiction, like so many others from Trieste, Paul immigrated with his family to Australia in 1955. After disembarkation, they were immediately transferred by bus to Greta, in the Hunter Valley, where the exhausted migrants were transferred to old disused Army huts, taught basic English, fed (unpalatable food), and encouraged to assimilate as quickly as possible into the Australian lifestyle.
After leaving school, Paolo’s prodigious artistic talent took him first of all into studying drafting. He joined the Architectural practice of Peddle, Thorp and Walker, in 1967 and with an instinctive eye for design, he was regarded as one of the most up and coming creative designers in the office. For over 20 years, Paolo (Paul) designed buildings in Brisbane, New Zealand and across South-East Asia, building deep friendships with his colleagues in Jakarta, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore, spending half of his life traveling and working.
In 1977 Paul moved from Sydney to Brisbane, to assist Peter Harvey ‘s rapidly expanding practice. He became a director in 1989 until he retired in 2009. Paul was for many years Peddle Thorp and Harvey’s principal designer, designing projects such as the Holiday Inn Surfers Paradise, and ASB in Auckland, with many collaborative credits on projects such as AMP Place, Comalco Place, and Central Plaza. As an extension of his design work, Paul has an enormous artwork displayed in the lobby of the Holiday Inn (now Mantra Hotel) in Surfers Paradise. Paul’s masterclass in resort design, the award-winning Banyan Tree in Bali, was completed the year he retired.
Paul was instrumental in establishing Peddle Thorp offices in Jakarta and Shanghai with local partners, and he spent many years working on projects in both offices, where his talent for large scale projects was most valuable. Having started with projects in Hong Kong in the 1970’s, Paul completed many hotel, commercial, and retail designs, as major works for Peddle Thorp offices in Jakarta, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Auckland.
Following his retirement and the death of his beloved wife Trisha, he continued working directly for the Shanghai and Jakarta offices for a further two years, retiring fully in 2013. Paul then moved back to Sydney and dedicated himself to a second career as an artist and writer, receiving several literary awards, producing a prodigious body of artwork, and selling numerous paintings. His passion for his art sustained him in his latter years. It was, he said, his true calling. He loved the Picasso quote: “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
His friend and mentor, Peter Harvey, once said: “Tavuzzi is not an architect, he is a brand”. Paul had a unique ability to hold the room. Some saw this as arrogance, but those who knew him understood this as evidence of his confidence in both what he had to say and what he could demonstrate. Paul’s sketching illustrated an innate aesthetic sensibility and style, combined with an inherent understanding of building infrastructure and servicing, developed over many years of practice.
Paul has left a legacy in our Built Environment. From the smallest detail to the grandest design, he brought ideas to life. For those at Peddle Thorp, Paul was a designer, an artist, an innovator, a problem solver and a creator. His creativity and immense dedication is both appreciated and admired by those who knew him, and the work.
Paul had no children of his own. He leaves his second wife Catherine and his adopted family in Sydney, whom he loved dearly.
Paul Tavuzzi
Career
Peddle Thorp and Walker 1967-1978. Peddle Thorp and Harvey 1978-2009. Associate 1980-1990, Director 1990-2009, Chairman 2008-2009. Peddle Thorp Shanghai 2010-2012.
Architecture and Property Awards
1989 RAIA (Qld Chapter) Commercial Award- Central Plaza Peddle Thorp Architects (PTW and PTH) and Kisho Kurokawa Architect
1989 BOMA Award- Central Plaza Peddle Thorp Architects (PTW and PTH) and Kisho Kurokawa Architect
1981- BOMA Award- AMP Place
1995 BOMA – Telecom (NZ), Excellence in Property Investment & Development – CBD Office Building ASB Bank Centre, Auckland
1995 ASB Bank Centre, Auckland. BOMA – NBR (NZ) Supreme Award for Most Outstanding Property
2000 City Watch House and Arrest Courts. QMBA Construction Award Community Services – Buildings in Excess of $3M
2010 Banyan Tree – Ungasan, Bali. Asia Pacific Commercial Property Awards – The Architecture Award (Leisure & Hospitality) Indonesia (in association PTI Architects; Wilson & Associates Interiors)
Art and Literature Awards
2021, 2022, 2024 NSW Government “Senior Stories” Publication (100 Selected Works) ‘A Timeless Journey” Vol 6: “ Special Day” Vol 8: Becoming Paolo” Vol 10. (latter in English and Italian.)
2020- Art Gallery of NSW Members- Paul Tavuzzi’s artwork won the Blue: Colour4Life Art Challenge at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW). He also had artwork showcased as a finalist in the Members Art Challenge. Featured in the Members’ Art Exhibition at the AGNSW
2022 Solo Art Exhibition , Mosman Art Gallery: Sales of over $35,000
2024 Woollahra Art School Finalist: Looking Up Mosman
2024 Mosman Rowing Club “Art at the Rowers” Acquisitive Art Competition- Finalist “Balmoral Beach”
2025- Felicity Wilson MP “Community Recognition Statement” for “Becoming Paolo”
Written by Peter Gardiner FRAIA (Peddle Thorp)
Paul Jones (OMA) – remembering Paul Tavuzzi.
I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Paul Tavuzzi, Director at Peddle Thorp and Harvey. Paul played a pivotal role in shaping my early professional life and creative foundations, and his influence has stayed with me throughout my career.
I joined Peddle Thorp in 1987, fresh out of high school. I had no idea what lay ahead. I didn’t know what the Gold and Blue AMP buildings were—beyond glimpses from the Storey Bridge—or the significance of Central Plaza One and Two. I’d never heard of Kisho Kurokawa, or the extent to which Peddle Thorp had shaped the Brisbane and Australian Skylines.
I was with Peddle Thorp for 12 formative years. For approximately half that time I was part of Paul’s design team working alongside architects including Gianni DeClara, Steve Child, and Mario Furlan. At that time Peddle Thorp and Harvey ran two design teams at opposite ends of the Brisbane office, one run by Wayne Petrie (with future directors/executives Peter Gardiner and Brett Hudson), and the other by Paul Tavuzzi. A structure thought to foster both creative competition and, when needed, provide client confidentiality.
Working with Paul was equal parts rigorous and exhilarating. He had a rare, intuitive ability to draw—often with nothing more than a black Nikko pen. Such was his skill, the well-known rendering firm Ambler and Haycraft allowed him to contribute to project renderings!
Paul worked hard, often starting at 4 a.m. without distraction. I recall his work on the ASB Bank lobby—designed in a single weekend, every component, material and junction for floors, walls, ceilings, and glazing, drawn by hand, faxed to the Auckland office, documented, and built exactly as he conceived it. It was a lot of hard work, but it was also a lot of fun. Paul taught the value of agility—of designing and communicating with speed and intent. It laid a solid foundation for a young architect and solid friendships.
He will be missed.
Written by Paul Jones. FRAIA
