“The key driver in my practice towards a holistic and strategic approach to urban design is achieving resilient cities and communities.”

Sofia has more than 20 years’ experience in urban design, place-making, architecture and spatial planning both locally and internationally, working in leading roles for renowned practices on high profile projects. These include Federation Square, ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image), Southern Cross Station Precinct, Arts Centre Melbourne masterplan, and the redevelopment of Minsk Airport.

Innovative, insightful and highly organised, she has led multi-disciplinary teams in the public and private sectors and worked across all project stages and scales. Her impressive portfolio features complex, multi-layered projects spanning cultural and educational buildings, housing, mixed use and commercial developments, masterplans for urban renewal sites, wayfinding and activation strategies. She led the City of Port Phillip’s Urban Design response for Fishermans Bend, Australia’s largest urban renewal site, and helped develop NSW’s Urban Design Guidelines using a place-based approach incorporating Connecting with Country, resilience to climate change impacts and equitable access to public space.

As Senior Urban Designer at CHC, Sofia draws on her masterplanning experience on existing and new town centres in Australia and internationally. Her strengths include stakeholder collaboration, using her understanding of council processes, policies and strategies to deliver cross-council solutions, and incorporating research into practice. Analytical and forward thinking, Sofia guides and shapes projects to achieve high-quality outcomes, and creates an environment where everyone wins together.