About

The Victorian State Government is the largest procurer of design services in the state. There is substantial opportunity to improve design outcomes through:

• the selection of a quality design team
• the selection of a building contract that suits the conditions of a project
• peer review - from design idea through to delivery of a project and on to operation

The Office of the Victorian Government Architect (OVGA) partners with government to advocate and support project leaders through this process. It provides support by:

• championing good design
• providing free, independent and strategic advice
• knowledge sharing via guidance publications and design review
• knowledge gained via it's central government position in the Department of Premier and Cabinet

All members of the Office of the Victorian Government Architect (OVGA) have substantial experience in the design industry and are further supported by current design practitioners in the Victorian Design Review Panel (VDRP).

We are a member of the Government Architects Network Australia (GANA). GANA is a national collaborative group of state government architects. It meets annually to share information, knowledge and research.

An important legacy for any government can be seen in the quality and design of the public projects they deliver. Good design in buildings, infrastructure and public places tend to have the following attributes:

• they work well
• they feel good
• they promote community pride and identity
• they are a valuable long-term asset to their locale

Evidence shows us that bad design costs money through:

• poor user experience
• maintenance intensive materials
• unnecessary running costs
• lost opportunities that ignore the potential of refit and replacement