23 Years of Shaping Equitable, Resilient, and Sustainable Urban Futures
It is with a mix of pride and sadness that we announce the closure of Studio THI after an incredible 23-year journey as an independent urban change leader. Our vision has always been to shape an equitable, resilient, and sustainable urban future, and we are grateful for the opportunity to have worked towards this goal alongside you.
Our Journey.
Studio THI was founded in 2001 by Stuart Hornery, whose unwavering commitment to creating a more equitable society and promoting grassroots involvement in development has been an ideology embraced by our organisation. We have offered a platform and an extensive toolkit for practitioners, organisations, elected officials, and the community to collaborate and collectively shape sustainable, liveable urban development. As an independent, mission-driven not-for-profit, we have approached urban challenges from a systems view, unencumbered by the specific interests of any single profession or industry segment.
Stuart Hornery AO (1939-2012)
THI Founder Stuart Hornery
The Hornery Institute’s (THI) founding Chair, the late Stuart Hornery AO, had a vision and unwavering commitment to create a more equitable society, shaped by the needs of people and communities.
In understanding the role of urban development in shaping the way people live, learn, work and play, he believed it was his duty to create extraordinary places that changed people’s lives. It was from this belief that THI was established in 2001, with the intention to support community planning and development by taking a ‘people-centred’ approach.
Through his 36-year career with Lendlease, 12 of which saw him as Chief Executive Officer, Stuart was able to make a practical difference to communities, promoting grassroots involvement in development; an ideology still embraced by the THI today.
His approach to encourage dreams, underpin them with research, and work like crazy to achieve them, influenced not only a multi-billion dollar company but an industry, and in turn, THI, which has stayed true to his philosophies of daring to be different, thinking outside the square, questioning everything and combining creativity with discipline.'
From his early days as a Site Engineer, to Chief Executive and Non-Executive Chair of Lendlease, Stuart played an integral role in cultivating an industry focused on creating better outcomes for people.
Our Legacy.
As a registered not-for-profit organisation, Studio THI has undertaken education, research, and development projects to find practical solutions to urban design problems. We have applied our knowledge and resources to improve the quality of lives and environments. We have also provided information and education on the creative development and management of the built environment and supported individuals and communities in acquiring job skills.
As part of our enduring legacy, we are leaving behind a suite of valuable tools and programs that will remain accessible to the public on this THI Legacy site. We hope these resources will continue to inspire, educate, and support those working towards creating more equitable, resilient, and livable cities for future generations.
As we close this chapter, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our clients, partners, and the community for their support and trust over the past 23 years. Although Studio THI is closing its doors, our commitment to our vision and values remains steadfast. We encourage everyone to continue the vital work of shaping equitable, resilient, and sustainable urban futures. THI key personnel also remain active in influencing the future of our cities as Civic Shifts.