About — Atelier DAU

Founded in 2012 by Emma Lucce, Atelier DAU is an independent architectural and interior design practice delivering residential, heritage and interior projects throughout Sydney and regional New South Wales. The practice works from early feasibility and planning approvals through to design, documentation and construction, bringing the same level of care to every stage of a project's development.

More than thirty years of professional experience across Australia, Hong Kong and the Netherlands inform the studio's work today. Before establishing Atelier DAU, projects ranged from airports and education facilities to commercial buildings, high-density housing, urban renewal and master planning. That breadth continues to shape the practice, reche site itself.ognising that every project is influenced by far more than t

Planning has always been central to the practice. Over fourteen years of independent work, Atelier DAU has maintained a 100% planning approval success rate across councils including Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, Inner West and Lower North Shore. Heritage work runs equally deep, with foundations established at Clive Lucas Stapleton & Partners in the early 1990s. Today, much of the practice involves adapting buildings of heritage significance for contemporary living while respecting their existing character.

In 2020, Chimney House in Redfern received the Jury Winner award in the Architecture + Living Small category at the Architizer A+Awards. The same year brought recognition as one of Architizer's 100 Women to Watch in Architecture, acknowledging a contribution to both architecture and creative education.

Beyond architectural practice, Emma founded Archikidz in 2012 to encourage young people to engage with the built environment and recognise they have a voice in shaping the places they inherit. The practice has more recently expanded into strategic advisory through MAX. Property Advisory, providing independent planning and development advice before residential property is purchased. Separately, Emma is developing The Civic Agency Project, an ongoing body of essays exploring civic agency and the decisions that shape the places we share.

Chimney House I Redfern
Architizer A+Awards 2020 I JURY WINNER Architecture +Living Small