Ashton Raggatt McDougall or ARM is a firm of architects based in Melbourne, Australia known for "architectural outspokenness".[1] Founded in 1988, the firm has completed internationally renowned design work and the principals are Stephen Ashton, Howard Raggatt and Ian McDougall. Their design work has been featured on two Australian postage stamps.[2]
Their most notable projects are the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, the RMIT Storey Hall, the extension to the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and the Marion Cultural Centre in Adelaide. They were also responsible for the remodelling of the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre in 2005, with a design that attempts to open up the previously internal shopping mall to its city centre context and links the railway station directly to the mall.
A national survey of 600 architects conducted by the Architectural Review Australia found ARM to be considered the most influential architectural office in Australia in the period 1982-2007.[3]
In late 2008, they completed the Melbourne Recital Centre and the Melbourne Theatre Company buildings[4]. They were also commissioned to prepare the masterplan for Melbourne Docklands and the redevelopment of the Hamer Hall[5].