Warren and Mahoney’s Wellington studio has grown its senior leadership team with the recent appointment of Julia McPherson as Principal.
Julia has been promoted from an Associate role within the practice where she currently leads a team of 10 interior specialists, as Warren and Mahoney continues to recognise and nurture talent within its own ranks.
Since joining Warren and Mahoney in 2013, Julia has built a depth of experience in workplace design through a number of strategy, agile and co-location projects – many of them award-winning.
Her portfolio includes the Ministry of Education’s workplace in Wellington, Kensington Swan’s workplace fitout in Wellington, as well as the Old Public Trust building accommodating the Ministry for Primary Industries.She is currently leading a Government co-location project in Wellington.
“The opportunity to provide further leadership within our Wellington studio alongside four other inspiring Principals really excites me,” says Julia. “In this new role, it’s my goal to deepen my connection with the market and showcase our team’s interior capabilities with an even broader range of clients.”
Julia is particularly passionate about designing for diversity, and finding ways to reflect this in a workplace environment. “When you’re able to incorporate a broad spectrum of voices, personalities and backgrounds, it will ultimately strengthen the design outcome. I’m very aware it’s often the quietest voices that need to be heard, as they often turn out to be the engine room of a workplace.”
After graduating with a Bachelor of Design degree with honours in spatial design from the School of Creative Arts at Massey University, Julia worked in Wellington for four years. She then moved to London where she worked on a number of large building refurbishment projects – including of the former BBC headquarters, Aldwych Quarter.
“Since joining Warren and Mahoney, Julia has stepped up and shown a strong vision for shaping and growing our interior offering, and building a team of talented specialists with complementary capabilities,” says Katherine Skipper, Studio Principal.
“Julia’s natural ability to empathise with those around her not only makes her a skilled leader, but also means she delivers excellent design outcomes for our clients and the wider community.”
Warren and Mahoney’s interior team are currently working on a diverse range of projects from university and specialist research facilities, workplace design and strategy projects, library and community centres and hospitality and retail developments.
Warren and Mahoney employs 35 people at its Wellington studio, and is delivering a broad range of projects across education and research, offices and mixed-use, interiors and workplace, masterplanning, infrastructure and civic and community sectors.