Milica Tumbas

Lovell Chen

Milica Tumbas is a Lovell Chen Principal, leading a team of architects and conservation specialists. She works on all phases of projects, co-ordinating the multidisciplinary team and delivering award-winning new buildings and extensions, refurbishment works and adaptation projects. Her work includes architectural design, design development, consultant liaison, documentation and contract administration. She is a certified Passive House Designer.

Milica joined the practice in 1995 and has over 35 years’ experience in architecture, heritage conservation and adaptive reuse. Part of her work involves the preparation of documentation for state and local authority heritage submissions, and for town planning applications.

Milica is responsible for the delivery of major built environment projects, including complex large-scale public and institutional schemes. She manages projects for long-standing clients with diverse properties and assets, such as the University of Melbourne, RMIT University, Arts Victoria, Parks Victoria, University College and Ormond College in Melbourne. She is also responsible for a number of residential projects, large and small, and a diverse range of projects in various sectors.

Her expertise includes the design and adaptation of buildings to Passive House standards, and the seismic strengthening of heritage buildings to meet current requirements. Most of her work at Lovell Chen involves the integration of old and new, and in this work she places importance on extending the life of existing buildings and fabric — often through finding new functional uses, as well as improving the fabric and building services. She focuses on the well-being of occupants for a whole project, whether the fabric is old or new, while maintaining the heritage values of existing buildings.

Photography by John Gollings (1), Trevor Mein (2, 3), Eve Wilson (4).