Peter Armstrong (architect)

Peter Armstrong
Born	Peter Garth Armstrong Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	Waseda University University of Sydney
Occupation	Architect
Awards	Sulman Award (2002) Order of the Rising Sun (2024)
Buildings	NIDA Building

Peter Garth Armstrong is an Australian architect, academic, and urban planner recognized for his contributions to architectural design, urban studies, and cultural exchange, particularly between Australia and Japan.

Armstrong served as President of the Australian Sumo Federation (1998–2005) and later as Vice President of the International Sumo Federation.^[1]

Academic career and research work

In 1981, Armstrong joined the University of Sydney as a lecturer, eventually taking on full-time roles within the Faculty of Architecture. He coordinated the Master of Architecture program and led the Urban Design stream.^[2]

His research areas include urban history and development in East Asia, with a focus on the Tokugawa and Silla periods. His doctoral thesis, "Origins and Development of Urban Structure in Tokugawa Japan," is regarded as a foundational text in East Asian urbanism. Armstrong has also collaborated with Waseda University^[3] and served as an honorary research fellow at the National Gyeongju Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.

Professional career

Armstrong’s early professional experiences included collaborations with Japanese architects Takamasa Yoshizaka and Kiyonori Kikutake. Upon returning to Australia, he worked on projects such as the Geelong Growth Centre Project (1974–1978) and regional conservation strategies. His architectural achievements include:

• Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre at the Barbican, London
• NIDA Building, University of New South Wales^[4]
• Family Court of Australia (Sydney and Lismore)
• Supreme Court of South Australia (Master Plan and Stage 1)
• Orange and Bega Courthouses for the NSW Attorney-General's Department

In 1995, Armstrong received the Marrickville Medal for Heritage for his work on St. Clement’s Parish Centre.^[5]

Awards and honors

• 2024 Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays (awarded by the emperor of Japan)^[1]
• 2002 Sulman Award for NIDA Stage 2 (in collaboration with Hassell Pty Ltd)^[6]

References

1. "MEDIA RELEASE: NSW recipients of 2024 Spring Imperial Decorations" (PDF). Embassy of Japan in Australia.
2. "Professor Peter Armstrong". The University of Sydney.
3. "Walking the Kumano pilgrimage route" (PDF). Embassy of Japan in Australia.
4. "Drama and Spectacle". ArchitectureAU. Architecture Australia.
5. "Peter G Armstrong | The University of Sydney". Academia.edu.
6. "NIDA extension wins design award". Australian Financial Review. 27 June 2002.