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Connection is a unifying thread that runs through everything we do, and in March the Taylor team came together to celebrate Harmony Day 2023. Our people are rich in cultural and linguistic diversity, and fostering a safe and inclusive workplace, where people feel accepted for their differences, helps maintain a positive and collaborative environment.  

As part of this commitment to creating and sustaining a culture of equality and belonging for people from diverse cultural backgrounds, staff at Head Office and project sites held respective Food Festivals, where they shared food from different cultural backgrounds with their peers. 

It was great to see the Tara Aquatic Centre, Nimco, Scape Kingsford and Campbelltown Hospital site teams taking part. A special thank you to Simon Byrne, Client Project Director at Bloompark, Paul Convey, Subcontractor Director at Shamrock Electrical, Grant Dehlson, Subcontractor Director at Adox Comms and Michael from Shaw PA Systems for joining Tara Aquatic Centre’s team on the day.  

We look forward to celebrating Harmony Day – and the diversity of our workforce – in 2024 and beyond.  

In 2008, Adam Vassallo joined Team Taylor as a Contract Administrator. 15 years later, Adam is now a highly respected Senior Project Manager who has delivered an array of world-class projects around the Sydney metropolitan area.  

Recognised as an industry leader, Adam’s projects are completed to the highest possible standard, time and time again. Adam and the close knit Taylor project team recently completed the refurbishment of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Renewal. Leading this once in a generation project, Adam oversaw the biggest venue upgrade since this world-heritage listed venue opened 50 years ago. This multi-million dollar project has resulted in upgrades to acoustics, state-of-the-art theatre machinery, the staging system, improved accessibility and safety, and more.  

Adam also delivered the multi-award-winning eco-luxury hotel – the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga. Not least, this immersive conservation experience included cross-laminated timber innovations and has been included in Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Hotel list for two consecutive years. For his work on the Retreat, Adam won the prestigious AIB Professional Excellence in Building and Construction Award in 2020, at both the State and National level. 

A proud Western Sydney University Alumni, Adam regularly presents at various universities, to support students studying construction and is a passionate mentor to those building their careers at Taylor. 

Ben Folkard, General Manager – Refurbishment and Live Environments, has worked closely with Adam since he joined the Taylor team, saying, “I was a young Project Manager when I was assigned a Cadet to work on three projects Taylor had just won – this Cadet was Adam. Within a few short months, I realised how lucky I was to have him as my right-hand-man –Adam helped me run these projects, and he smashed it out of the ballpark. We were a great team, and even though we were both young I credit him for being a huge part of my own personal and professional growth. 

It’s been a pleasure working with Adam all these years – he’s always been mature beyond his years, calm under pressure and most importantly, treated his co-workers, clients and subcontractors with respect. It’s impossible to ignore his attention to detail, hard work and loyalty – his career trajectory reflects this. Well done on 15 years, Adam– it’s been an honour to work with you and I look forward to more to come.”  

An exceptional leader, Adam truly embodies Taylor’s culture and values – we are thrilled to celebrate this career milestone with you, Adam. 

Last week, Team Taylor joined special guests from The Girls & Boys Brigade to celebrate the completion of refurbishment works to the centre’s community rooms.  

The renovation project – a commissioned extension of the pro bono work undertaken in 2020 to improve the Girls & Boys Brigade’s staff offices – was led Taylor’s Refurbishment and Live Environments division, spearheaded by Jason Tulich, Project Manager, and supported by Petar Marinovic, Site Manager, Joshua Norman, Contract Administrator and Daniel Taylor, Cadet. 

The Girls & Boys Brigade can now offer more functional and accessible spaces for youth and families experiencing financial, social, educational and housing challenges. The completed community rooms will enable the team to deliver educational and recreational programs that build life skills and the foundations for success.  

A warm congratulations to all involved, including the Property Industry Foundation, Hayball and Unispace – together, we are helping children, youth and their families to realise their full potential.  

Located in Greystanes, this cutting-edge industrial development is enabling efficient operations and supply across Sydney to international corporations.  

Team Taylor worked closely with ISPT and Aliro to successfully deliver the $24 million precinct, with works comprising a 21,3000sqm warehouse, 1,400sqm two-level office, 240sqm two-level dock office, 480sqm battery charge room and external areas including retaining walls, hardstand and carparking facilities.  

As our Industrial business unit has grown over the last year, our clients are asking for innovative, higher-sustainability work reliably delivered on time. Pemulway Greystanes BUNZL Elevation’s 6 Star Green Star rating reflects this ongoing commitment, as does the economical steel and pavement used in the designs.  

Congratulations to all involved in the delivery of this project.  

“Leadership is more than being a builder. Relationships and people should be at the heart of all we do when conducting business, as we collaborate with partners and team members to improve local communities. Tim truly embodies this sentiment.” – George Bardas, CEO at Taylor.  

Over the past decade Tim Christie, General Manager – New Build, has led the establishment and growth of key Taylor divisions across a broad range of services, while actively contributing to the communities we help to shape. 

Taylor is committed to making genuine environmental, social and economic differences in our industry and business. Fittingly, today marks UN 2023 World Water Day – we are playing our part by implementing sustainability measures that are firmly rooted in our principle-driven culture. 

World Water Day is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis – a once-in-a-generation moment for the world to unite around water.  

Taylor has a strong track record in NABERS and Green Star projects in residential, commercial, and public buildings construction. Our processes manage the project relevant themes of energy efficiency, recycling materials, water conservation, waste minimisation, and pollution reduction during both construction and building operations.  

To maximise water conservation, all of our hydraulic fixtures and fittings throughout construction and operation of facilities are selected to have high efficiency “WELS” rated fittings and/or sensor taps. Water meters are also fitted onsite to allow for monitoring of all our project site water use. 

Our team of specialists has successfully delivered a host of complex projects in live environments. We understand that by designing infrastructure that protects Australia’s biodiversity and water resources, we amplify our positive impact on the environment.  

This commitment was reflected in recent works at the Sub Base Platypus Torpedo Factory Renewal, with the Taylor team installing a floating water bund in Neutral Bay as a secondary measure to prevent any demolition waste entering local waterways. The bund was complemented by fully meshed and carpeted scaffolding, regular scaffold walks, clean-ups and toolbox talks – consequently, the project team successfully ensured no waste entered the harbour. 

A warm congratulations to Angelia Liew, Senior Estimator, and Mary Haddad, Graduate Site Engineer, for being selected to join the Property Council of Australia’s most sought-after professional development program – 500 Women in Property.  

More than 3,000 women across the country have taken part in the program since its inception in 2016 – in 2023, it aims to accelerate more women into leadership positions across the property industry through sponsorship of high-potential talent – an initiative spearheaded by the Council’s Diversity and Inclusion Committees across Australia.  

Mary Haddad will be sponsored by Adam Towner, Head of New Business & Strategy, and Angelia Liew will be sponsored by Stephen Hatzantonis, Head of Cost & Value. As a member of PCA’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, this is Adam’s second consecutive year sponsoring women from Taylor – in 2022, Emily Carlton, People Relations Coordinator graduated from the industry-leading program. You can read Emily’s reflection here. 

Good luck to our 2023 program participants and their sponsors – this important diversity initiative can facilitate tremendous change in the construction space, as we all work together to #EmbraceEquity.  

Taylor is committed to developing future leaders – providing employment opportunity and professional development experiences that support and complement related external studies. As part of this commitment, Taylor works with the Department of Education through School Infrastructure NSW’s (SINSW) Infrastructure Traineeship – providing a future employment pathway, education and skills for school leavers to pursue careers in the infrastructure sector.  

Congratulations to our first Traineeship graduates, Amanda Bruhn and Carlos Del Rio, who will be joining Team Taylor in February 2023 as Cadets while commencing Construction degrees at university. Both Amanda and Carlos successfully completely their TAFE NSW training (CERT IV) in Project Management, and an 8-month rotation on a project site.  

Amanda reflected on her experience with Taylor in the Infrastructure Traineeship, stating, “I won the lottery placement-wise when I got placed with the most amazing and welcoming team.  

The experience of being a young female placed on a construction site with people from all walks of life was the best thing that ever happened to me. I wanted to stay there forever, and while the traineeship made me move on, I knew I would come back to work with the Taylor team.”  

The Scots College has reached a major milestone in the construction of the John Cunningham Student Centre, with the final external piece of the eastern side of the building put into place – an impressive sandstone lion sculpture.   

The formidable structure was brought to life by a team of experts, who hand-carved the piece to replicate a surviving lion sculpture found on a building in Scotland on which the John Cunningham Student Centre is based.