James Davidson is the founder and Principal of JDA Co. — the preferred architecture and design practice for governments, councils and private enterprises adapting urban environments to withstand floods, cyclones, bushfires, storm surges and extreme heat.

James is a lead technical advisor to the Queensland Government’s $741M Resilient Homes Fund. JDA Co. assisted in the design and implementation of this landmark program, which has since been replicated in other Australian states. It follows the rollout of the Flood Resilient Homes Program for the Brisbane City Council — Australia’s largest local government authority — for which JDA Co. was a delivery partner. James has also partnered with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and local Queensland councils to deliver flood-resilient building guidelines.

James holds a Doctorate in Architecture, is a previous Director of Emergency Architects Australia and a Winston Churchill Fellow. He is also the author of Waterfutures: Integrated water and flood management strategies for enhancing liveability in Southeast Queensland.

Architect Registration Number
QLD 3767 | NSW 12239 | VIC 801241

Ben is a highly experienced and versatile architect with extensive expertise, capable of delivering a full spectrum of architectural services, from project inception to contract administration. Over the past 25 years he has worked on projects of various scales, in a range of sectors including heritage, health, infrastructure, defence, industrial, residential and multi residential and is committed to the delivery of successful projects through good design, effective communication and attention to detail.

His broad experience across sectors has been of particular benefit in projects that include adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, where he enjoys the challenges associated with understanding a building’s story and finding a new compatible use.

Clive joined JDA Co. due to his strong interest in progressive, climate-responsive architecture and his passion for remote and challenging design. Having previously worked in graphic design and illustration, Clive is always looking for ways to improve a situation through design and visual communication. Through this passion, he has been heavily involved in the design and development of multiple publications including State government's Bushfire Resilient Building Guidance for Queensland Homes & the Water Futures book.

Being of Burmese heritage, Clive is particularly interested in architecture’s role in Asia, having undertaken post-tsunami housing research in Tohoku, Japan. He hopes to one day work on meaningful projects in Myanmar. Clive is also the 3D visual artist at JDA Co and a laser scanning technician at SpatialOps.

Luke is highly proficient in Revit Architecture, assisting in the implementation and training of Building Information Modelling (BIM) software. He is passionate about learning and implementing technology to improve workflow and enable better coordination throughout a project.

Luke is also involved in all stages of the project process from the drafting and BIM management of major projects to construction support and is experienced in point cloud scanning of existing buildings to assist in the speed and accuracy of documentation. He has gained experience in a wide range of projects from small house additions to large scale sustainable developments and Conservation Management Plans.

Nerida is a registered Architect with extensive experience across a range of complex, significant heritage buildings and cultural heritage sites. As project lead for a variety of small to medium scale projects, she gains an understanding of each sites’ history, constraints, and opportunities to guide and inform the project. Her work has included conservation repair assessments and interpretation strategies, alongside adaptive reuse documentation.

Nerida has extensive experience across a variety of sectors including education, infrastructure, cultural, civic, commercial and residential projects.

Through her work, she has gained experience with large stakeholder and community groups, and led consultations and workshops. Nerida is passionate about continually expanding and growing her skills and knowledge.

Arjan joined JDA Co. in 2018 whilst studying at the University of Queensland. Since then, he has contributed to a range of heritage projects, including cultural, educational and residential work. Arjan’s key area of interest is implementing JDA Co.’s 3D laser scanning service — a technology used to gather on-site data, accurately and precisely. Capturing one-million points per second, whilst rotating 360degrees, the scanner allows Arjan to collate vital information to formulate 3D project models. In particular, Arjan is excited by the opportunity to deploy this technology to assist in the design of more accessible spaces for people living with disabilities.

Arjan first met James Davidson in Malaysia, when Arjan was a New Colombo Plan scholar — a sought-after scholarship that allowed him to study in the Indo-Pacific region where James was teaching at the time. Arjan has long admired James’ drive to deploy architecture to help improve the lives of regional communities and home owners battling challenging climates.

Sophia is a Graduate of Design of the Built Environment have found her passion for architecture as a solution to many social issues we face today. Her key areas of focus are humanitarian architecture, urbanism, community, and sustainability.

Sophia has found great enjoyment in architectural visualisation and explored further mediums such as virtual reality, augmented
reality, and 360 imagery. Her educational background in architecture, art and digital technology has coalesced into an expression of architecture that translates complex ideas into simple forms, bridging the gap between architects and the community.

Sophia has worked on a broad range of projects from climate adaption, historical restoration and sustainably focused residential & commercial.

Eloise is a dedicated student of architecture with a passion for the conservation and preservation of Australian architecture. With experience in heritage conservation, adaptive reuse and design, she champions the importance of collaborating with a crew of skilled heritage specialists, craftsman and artisans to deliver the most thorough and thoughtful approach to every project.

Alongside her studies, Eloise has developed expertise in the documentation and 3D visualization of heritage architecture, combining advanced laser scanning techniques with in-depth investigations of archival drawings and historical research.

Eloise has actively contributed to initiatives that support and engage the broader architectural community. As part of a team of students, Eloise helped organise the 2022 Australasian Student Architecture Congress, entitled Occupy: an independent, student-led initiative that brought together students to explore themes of ‘Work Practices and Wellbeing,’ ‘City as a Project,’ and ‘From Climate Literacy to Climate Action’.