Leader Spotlight #03 - Anne-Claire Deville

Anne-Claire Deville is of French Heritage, working as an Associate at Kerstin Thompson Architects.

1. Background and Inspiration: Can you share a bit about your background and what inspired you to pursue a career in the property and construction industry?

I grew up in provincial France in a middle-class family. Both my parents studied science, and no one in my family worked in the building industry, so it wasn’t something I was exposed to growing up. Every summer, we would travel to a different region of France, not just to relax but also to visit historical places, monuments, museums, and, of course, to sample the local culinary specialties. My mum came from a modest background, yet through hard work, she built her career up to running her own business. She was also creative, and I was encouraged from a young age to practice drawing, photography, and various crafts. I saw architecture as a profession that could satisfy both my creative and scientific interests. With my love of problem-solving, I couldn’t have chosen better!

In the early 2000s, I moved to Paris to study architecture. At that time in France, architecture was still considered part of the Beaux-Arts tradition, and though we had formal lectures in technical subjects such as descriptive geometry and engineering, the learning environment felt free-flowing and collegial. It encouraged creativity, inquisitiveness, and fostered a collaborative rather than competitive spirit within the student cohort.

After three years in Paris, I enrolled in an exchange program with the Technical University of Dresden in Germany, where I studied for two years. It was my first experience living and studying in a foreign language. I enjoyed how it made me think differently, almost like a new way of seeing. But it was challenging at first, and I still remember the first time I understood a joke in German. During this period, I also did an internship with Raumlaborberlin, practicing "experimental architecture" in public spaces, art galleries, and occasionally on theatre stages – an exhilarating experience!

After graduation, with few professional prospects in Europe, I moved to Australia in early 2008. I worked in several small practices, completed the Overseas Qualification Assessment, and became a registered architect in Victoria in 2014. During that time, I also volunteered with Architects for Peace, a nonprofit advocating for spatial justice through public events, online publications, and campaigns. It was run by a small group of built environment students and professionals from diverse backgrounds. It was a wonderful way to network with people in the industry, and I made many lasting friendships.

I had admired Kerstin Thompson Architects’ work since arriving in Australia, and in 2019, I had the opportunity to start working there. Over the past five years, the studio has grown into a team of 45 talented, driven people with an exceptional work ethic. It’s a highly collaborative environment, and we consistently challenge ourselves to arrive at the best design solutions.

2. Leadership and Diversity: How do you integrate your cultural background into your leadership style, or how do you advocate for diversity and inclusion within the industry?

Coming from a Western background, I was quite surprised by the cultural differences between France and Australia, particularly in terms of social interactions and communication. Although the French language is very formal, it’s much more common to speak one’s mind, express disagreement, and even be confrontational. In France, nearly everything can become a topic for debate, and it’s not unusual to be told off by a stranger—which isn’t exactly pleasant. I was raised with a strict education and taught to be polite, rather than focusing on kindness and respect.

In Australia, people address each other by first names or nicknames, yet always with respect. This meant I had to adjust my communication style, which, in hindsight, was an opportunity for growth. I’m still working on finding the right balance between my natural directness and a more considerate delivery. Integrating into a new culture shouldn't come at the expense of one’s original background; it’s an opportunity to blend the best of both worlds and shape it to fit your personality.

Humor is the ultimate icebreaker. Communication and human relationships are central to what we do daily. Constructing buildings and infrastructure takes many hands, minds, time, and effort. It’s also often a high-pressure environment, with conflicting priorities and tight deadlines to manage—so we might as well make it enjoyable and cultivate good relationships. A diversity of experiences, backgrounds, and opinions is an invaluable asset in a team working together to solve problems.

3. Advice for Aspiring Professionals: What advice would you give to young professionals from multicultural backgrounds who aspire to leadership roles in the property and construction industry?

One of the things I appreciated most when I arrived in Australia as a recent architecture graduate was how much I was valued and respected, despite my youth and limited professional experience. The fact that everyone, regardless of age or experience level, is appreciated can be transformative for those from cultures with strong generational hierarchies. My first piece of advice is to embrace it! Australians are genuinely kind and generally happy to help, so find yourself one (or several) mentors. This could be someone within your company, someone you met at a professional event, someone you worked with on a project, or even someone you follow on LinkedIn or social media.

My own career wasn’t built with intention. I’m quite an intuitive person, so I went with the flow. But I’ve come to realize that this also stemmed from a lack of confidence—being a foreigner and not a native English speaker, I was simply happy to have a job. So, my second piece of advice is to reflect on your career path, especially since the property and construction industry is so vast. What types of projects would you like to work on? What size office or team would you prefer? Is there an area of your work you particularly enjoy and want to specialize in? Don’t be too rigid with your choices; trust your instincts, and remember that it’s okay to try something new and change your mind.

Finally, enjoy learning every day and collaborating with experts in their fields. Be self-confident but never arrogant. Remember that you don’t know what you don’t know. Putting a building together is complex and requires knowledge in many areas of expertise, so stay curious and ask questions.

4. Future Vision: In your opinion, how can the property and construction industry better support multiculturalism?

This is a tough one. I recently learned about the concept of 'WEIRD' bias (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic). Although only 12% of the world's population is WEIRD, researchers have found that this specific group dominates research in psychology and behavioral science. Unfortunately, I feel this could equally apply to our industry, particularly architecture.

Just as we are becoming more conscious of gender and ableist biases, we must also educate ourselves on racial biases and intersectional discrimination. This awareness will grow through advocacy work, which is why initiatives like the MAPP network are so important.

What we do professionally is a collective act, serving people and communities. The Australian population is diverse, with almost 30% of residents born overseas and nearly half having a parent born overseas. As built environment professionals, we hold a position of influence, as our designs can have a direct impact on people’s quality of life and on the society in which we deliver our projects. This influence brings a responsibility to create inclusive buildings and places—and there is no better way to achieve this than by increasing the diversity of voices at the design team table.

5. Cultural Celebrations: Can you share a significant cultural celebration or festival from your heritage that holds special meaning for you?

Many cultural celebrations in France are now tied to Catholic traditions, but many originally stem from ancient pagan rituals. On January 6th, it's customary to eat a "Galette des Rois." This round cake is made with two layers of puff pastry and filled with a sweet almond custard, with a tiny ceramic figure hidden inside, called a “fève,” which was originally a fava bean. You can buy it at any bakery, and it comes with a golden paper crown. The cake is cut into exactly as many pieces as there are people sharing it, and the pieces are distributed randomly. The person who finds the “fève” becomes the queen or king for the day. Shaped like the sun, this golden cake celebrates the return of growing daylight after the winter solstice.