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We are delighted to congratulate Fred Sedighi, Project Manager, on his 10 years with Team Taylor –an exceptional career milestone.  

With more than 13 years’ experience in the construction space, Fred is a highly respected and valued member of the Taylor team. Fred applies his deep industry knowledge for the benefit of clients and colleagues alike, and he is widely regarded by his peers for his strategic and level-headed approach.  

Fred builds impeccable rapport with our clients – providing first-class service before, during and after project handover. He has played an integral role in the successful delivery of some of Taylor’s most well-known projects including Picton High School and the Greenwich Public School Upgrade, and is currently leading the delivery of  Tara Anglican School for Girls’ Aquatic and Sports Centre.  

Fred’s commitment to the construction industry extends well beyond project delivery. An active alum, Fred is a quiet leader who is passionate about creating opportunities for others to learn and excel.  

In 2022, Fred coordinated a series of online lectures for Western Sydney University students in the School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment. He put together a team of Taylor’s industry leaders – from Project Managers to Submission Managers – to guest lecture in the ‘Complex Building Project’ course, where they shared personal experiences and case studies of past and current projects with students. 

Similarly, Fred has sought every opportunity to engage and inspire the students at Tara Anglican School for Girls about the exciting potential of careers in STEM and construction. Through access to female leaders in construction, site tours, mentoring, and career lectures he and his project team have actively championed industry awareness and gender equity in construction. 

Fred’s commitment to innovation, project delivery and mentorship was recognised by his peers, who both nominated and awarded him the Connecting People & Spaces Award in 2019. 

Fred – your reputation as a good friend, kind mentor and fair leader precedes you. We are so proud to have worked alongside you for the past decade. Congratulations!  

Now in its 7th year, Sydney Build is the best-attended construction event in Australia, offering 300+ accredited presentations, 500+ exhibitors and incredible networking opportunities for Australia’s architecture, engineering and infrastructure industries.  

Adam Vassallo, Senior Project Manager, and Clare Bailey, Head of Marketing, joined fellow panellists to share industry-leading insights, with Adam joining Tony Lavorato, Design Director, Structures – Aurecon, and Nigel Justins, Principal – Architectus on the Sydney BUILD Main Stage for an invigorating panel discussion on the Renaissance of Public Spaces.  

Adam shared his experience managing the monumental Concert Hall Renewal Project for the Sydney Opera House – one of the most recognisable buildings of the 20th century. The Concert Hall – also known as the heart of the Opera House – attracts a diverse range of contemporary performers and events.  

The Concert Hall Renewal Project was no small feat, especially when balancing the update of theatre systems and building fabric with heritage responsibilities. Overseeing the installation of new stage machinery and winch cable systems capable of lifting four times the weight of previous installations, Adam explained how the Taylor team installed 174 tonnes of new structural steel, placed 720 tonnes of concrete and laid 300 kilometres of cable to bring the design to life. 

On 8 March 2023, Roseville College and Taylor celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting a careers lunch for students in Years 10 – 12 interested in construction.

Abbey Johnson, Head of Design and Innovation was joined by Noa De Jager, Taylor Cadet, and Tara Vucetic (Pilbeam), Roseville College Class of 2022 Alumni who are both studying Construction Project Management at the University of Technology.

Sharing career insights and industry experience, Abbey discussed the critical role problem-solving skills play in delivering effective innovation and design. Noa observed that construction management is one career where you can leave University to work directly with your study cohort, and how beneficial that is to building positive workplace relationships. Tara credited her Design and Technology studies at Roseville College as key to her decision to study Construction Project Management.

Refurbishment works are gaining momentum at Redfern’s Jarjum College. Once living quarters for priests, the refurbished space will host an early intervention program that supports the school in its mission to educate and empower urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and alleviate their educational, social, emotional, behavioural and health disadvantages. The specialised program will offer hands-on, educational support to prevent First Nations children from falling through the cracks in basic literacy, numeracy and general academics. 

Team Taylor is working closely with Architectus and The Property Industry Foundation to bring the space to life – future students will enjoy a naturally-lit, safe and open layout as they build up their knowledge and self-confidence.  

We look forward to celebrating the completion of this project with our incredible partners and subcontractors shortly.  

Works are progressing well at the Powerhouse Castle Hill expansion site. The world-class facility, situated on Dharug country, will enhance the museum’s ability to protect valuable state, heritage and cultural assets in a secure, environmentally controlled and sustainable space.

The Powerhouse Castle Hill site team has celebrated the achievement of various key project milestones – learn more about these here. Significant construction progress continues with the structural steel installation and substation works, with the project team now preparing for the concrete pours in the Very Large Object Store and roof installation over the coming weeks.

A good fit in values and culture between client and construction partner lays a solid foundation for an ongoing relationship of trust – one which is more likely to weather the storms that market volatility can bring. 

Although our clients are feeling the same strain as we are, they’re still rightly seeking to achieve their goals and create the projects they’ve been envisioning – with higher sustainability, good-quality materials, reasonable costs, quick-moving teams and certainty in project timelines. 

Embarking on a new project can be challenging in this environment as costs escalate, budgets are revised and project plans adapt. How can clients start with new construction partners? How can they build trust in someone they don’t know? 

Part of the answer lies in Early Contractor Involvement agreements, otherwise known as ECIs. ECIs aren’t new, but they are a highly effective and often under-utilised tool – particularly in the current environment. They should be top of mind for team leaders seeking to build trust with new clients. 

ECIs enable construction partners to come aboard and provide valuable advice at the outset of a project, get subcontractors involved for realistic perspectives on how the project will unfold, and demonstrate strong value management and value engineering right at the start. This is in comparison to waiting 4-6 months, a period when prices – under current market pressures – are likely to have skyrocketed, and gaining a client’s trust is consequently more challenging. 

This early-stage involvement plays another important role: enabling clients to see how their partners work, and to start to build trust before contracts have been signed. Trustworthy construction partners with strong teamwork, an ethical approach and a dedication to excellent service delivery are likely to shine through an ECI – whereas these qualities can be difficult to demonstrate in highly-competitive tender processes. 

I have found that an increasing number of clients pursue ECIs to determine if their construction partner is the right fit. This industry has come a long way in recent years, and clients are now far more interested in a partner’s values and culture than they were in the past. 

Taylor provided detailed design and value management advice during the ECI phase for 66 King Street, Sydney. Contracted by CBD One Pty Ltd, Taylor completed upgrades to Charles Plaza, an individually listed, art-deco heritage building in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. Works involved the refurbishment and restoration of the existing heritage features along with upgrades to all 14 storeys. Taylor also created additional floor space within the plot boundary, replaced existing lift cars and interiors and extended lift access to basement and the level 14 rooftop.  

The ECI process enabled an increase in the commercial grade of the building for the client. This was achieved via an overall upgrade to the building’s services, vertical transportation, heritage and non-heritage finishes, as well as the maximisation of available lettable floorspace. 

On Wednesday 22 February 2023, Team Taylor joined our incredible subcontractors and suppliers for the annual Charity Golf Day, held at St Michaels Golf Club in Little Bay.

Bathurst Hospital’s MRI and Imaging Department has officially opened its doors to Bathurst and Central West residents. The $2.4 million single-story extension to the Ground Floor will provide Bathurst Health Service with a new:

– MRI room

– Control room

– Anaesthetic prep area

– Change facilities

– Bathrooms

– Shared office

– General store

Stephen Williams, General Manager Commercial and Regional, and George Stegnjaic, Project Manager, joined special guests for the formal opening of the healthcare facility, including Member for Bathurst Paul Toole who said, “…the MRI service is a first for the area, giving the residents of Bathurst and surrounding areas improved access to advanced diagnostic imaging services closer to home.”

Over the past 15 years, David Pereira, Site Manager, has collaborated closely with his peers to deliver quality outcomes for our partners and clients. A highly respected member of the Taylor team, we are delighted to celebrate this important milestone anniversary with him. 

David joined Taylor in 2008 as an Apprentice, where he developed and honed his impressive practical skillset. Over the years, David excelled in his duties and responsibilities, continually going above and beyond to deliver safe and successful projects. His ‘go-getter’ attitude was recognised by his peers, with David taking on Leading Hand and Carpenter roles before his promotion to Site Manager. He has played an integral role in the delivery of several iconic projects, including Kyeemagh Public School, Uniting Mayflower and HammondCare Miranda.  

Over the past 15 years, David has championed Taylor’s #ZeroHarm policy. This approach has been recognised by his peers, who have both nominated and awarded him the Company Safety Award throughout the years.  

A good friend, compassionate colleague, and exceptional Site Manager, congratulations David on this monumental milestone.