About Sam Crawford Architects
What is Sam Crawford Architects?
Sam Crawford Architects (SCA) is a Sydney-based architecture studio founded in 1999, designing spaces that elevate how people live, work, and connect. Based in Newtown, Sydney's inner west. Multi-award-winning practice across residential, commercial, civic and educational sectors across Australia.
Where will I work?
Newtown, Sydney NSW. Office-based studio with hybrid arrangements typical of Australian architectural practices. Site visits to project locations across NSW + Australia.
What is the Sam Crawford Architects team like?
~22 architects, designers, project architects and support staff. Family and pet-friendly studio environment. Carbon-neutral operations.
Work-Life Balance
SCA operates a permanent 9-day fortnight since approximately December 2021, after a 6-month trial. From their own published statement (verified via Build Australia, Mar 2023): "Our full time staff now work nine days per fortnight instead of ten, with no drop in pay."
Every second Friday is called a "Mies Day" — a reference to architect Mies van der Rohe's famous dictum "less is more." Everyone takes the same day off, simplifying scheduling and client coordination. The eight-hour-per-day standard is enforced with no all-nighters.
In an anonymous internal survey: 100% of staff agreed they felt less stressed, 92% said they could manage their workload effectively, and the firm's profitability was unaffected.
Perks and Benefits
- 9-day fortnight ("Mies Day") — every second Friday off, no pay reduction.
- 8-hour day — no all-nighters culture.
- Family and pet-friendly studio.
- Carbon-neutral operations.
- Sydney inner-west studio (Newtown).
- Award-winning multidisciplinary project portfolio.
- Strong design culture.
How to Apply
SCA does not run a public ATS-backed careers page. Apply via samcrawfordarchitects.com.au/employment/ — they are open to talented applicants and report increased applicant volumes since adopting the 9-day fortnight.
Note: this profile is added on 4dayweek.io for visibility of their 9-day fortnight policy. Individual jobs are not auto-imported because SCA does not publish an ATS-backed jobs board.