Episode 272: Designing community-defining precincts with Gray Puksand Senior Associate, John Czechowski

Talking Architecture & Design

The latest episode of Talking Architecture & Design features John Czechowski, Senior Associtae at Gray Puksand, whose career spans more than three decades of shaping public and multi-use precincts across Australia.

Born in Canada and trained at the University of Toronto, with formative studies in Florence and Paris, his practice has stretched from infrastructure and stadia to high-rise living and large-scale master planning.

In this conversation, Czechowski reflects on how precincts have evolved from purely functional places into community-defining spaces. He explains the delicate balance between commercial viability, accessibility and cultural identity, stressing the importance of listening to community voices rather than treating consultation as an afterthought.

The discussion also explores the unseen decisions that shape the built environment, from long-term material performance and compliance to the role of pathways and in-between spaces that guide how people experience a precinct.

Technology, climate resilience and cultural diversity are all pressing forces in design, and Czechowski offers insight into how these will influence the next generation of projects.

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