Celebrating Women’s History Month – Victoria Reeves of Kennedy Nolan

Victoria Reeves was initially drawn to the practice of architecture for its composite of creativity and pragmatics. Now, as a director of architecture at Kennedy Nolan, where she has honed her skills for two decades, this nexus still underpins her approach. However, it is architecture’s ability to be the impetus for social change that truly motivates her.

As Victoria and I begin our conversation about Women’s History Month, its 2024 theme – women who advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion – and her work in the field of architecture, she stops me to broach a question. “Can I start by declaring that I feel like I’m in a pretty privileged position?” She continues, “I’m a white, middle class, hetero woman with three kids and a lovely, supportive partner.” It’s a disclaimer she’s compelled to share because, as she says, in her 20 years as an architect, she’s never felt marginalised. “I fully appreciate that’s because of the hard work of people – likely women – before me, so I pay heed to that. Lest we forget.”

 “Thanks to the advocacy of people before us, we now find ourselves on a pretty level playing field, which means we’re able to – and should – advocate for the people who remain marginalised and who are victims of systemic disadvantage.”

It is also undoubtedly because of her place of work and the ripple effects of one of its incomparable leaders, Rachel Nolan, who – along with co-founder Patrick Kennedy – has shaped a nurturing and broad-minded workplace. “Rachel still energises me; professionally, creatively, in a bar,” Victoria says with a smile. Additionally, the practice’s team – several of whom have been with Kennedy Nolan for over a decade – is predominantly female. “Many of them balance work as architects with life’s other demands. I’ve surely been strengthened by all of them,” she says.

Importantly though, for Victoria, the concept of advocating for equity, diversity and inclusion transcends matters concerning only women. She believes it is high time for a shift in how we support minority groups, and this transition from a gender binary-centric discussion to a more panoptic way of thinking sits at the crux of her interests. “Thanks to the advocacy of people before us, we now find ourselves on a pretty level playing field, which means we’re able to – and should – advocate for the people who remain marginalised and who are victims of systemic disadvantage.” She adds, “that is Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders or someone of any gender that’s underrepresented and not getting the opportunity they deserve.”

Her greatest professional achievement to date is Leftfield – one of six multi-residential buildings at Nightingale Village in Brunswick – for which Kennedy Nolan was the architect and developer.

Victoria sees her work as an architect as a vessel to enact these things, and her greatest professional achievement to date is Leftfield – one of six multi-residential buildings at Nightingale Village in Brunswick – for which Kennedy Nolan was the architect and developer. A landmark Melbourne project, it serves as a compelling paradigm for the future of socially, economically and financially sustainable housing. What’s more, Victoria believes projects of this calibre can be catalysts for change. “As architects, we don’t have much impact at scale, but we can set up these prototype projects that get a huge amount of attention to start to change the direction of things.” In this case, it could mean creating high-quality housing for less or instigating a shift in societal patterns, such as evolving the Great Australian Dream from a detached house on a corner block to high-performing, medium-density housing within sustainable and ingrained communities.

As ambitious as that may be, this philosophy brings purpose to Victoria’s work. Kennedy Nolan’s diverse portfolio, which spans community and education projects, affordable housing and “some very beautiful but less affordable housing,” jests Victoria, is something she is incredibly proud of. Her interests outside of architecture, such as reading and writing, also motivate her. She cites Irish writer Claire Keegan and the late Australian novelist Georgia Blain as influential – “they both seem to achieve the most with the least, which is my pursuit in architecture,” she says – as well as Australian filmmaker Rachel Perkins for “her incredible strength during The Voice referendum”.

“As architects, we don’t have much impact at scale, but we can set up these prototype projects that get a huge amount of attention to start to change the direction of things.”

Perhaps, most importantly, her primary school-aged children are a constant source of wisdom and insight. “Their gender doesn’t define them very much,” says Victoria. “They’re even further away from the efforts of the suffragettes and turning their attention to new battles.” Not only is this a marker of Victoria’s influence on her children, but it suggests a forthcoming generation of men and women for whom gender holds no – or at the very least, fewer – bars.