Kneeler stones are the wedge-shaped stones placed at the outer edges of a masonry arch or pediment to support and bond the stones above them. Our name refers to the two founding directors, Robert Bienvenu and Penelope Mulholland, while underscoring the strong focus on design within our practice. KDA is based in Victoria, Australia, on the lands of the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation.

In the first decade of practice, KDA worked hard to establish and grow a sustainable business model. We focused on residential projects, developing a detailed understanding of town planning, VCAT and Construction Code requirements. Most importantly, we learnt how to show leadership and how to observe and listen in order to respond to clients’ needs.

By our second decade, we moved our focus to public projects and began working with a broader client group. This allowed us to hone our skills on working with committees and multiple stakeholders, including the facilitation of client group workshops, management tools, public speaking and presenting. Quietly but surely, the practice grew, the business model strengthened and our capacity for teamwork developed, both internally and with external consultants.

Now on the cusp of our fourth decade, KDA has a solid basis on which to shoulder any new challenge. We have completed a wide array of educational projects across public and private sectors in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania, from early learning centres to special developmental schools to entire new school campuses. Regardless of scope and context, we remain committed to designing learning environments that enable effective learning and teaching, while responding to function and beauty in equal measure.