BG&E Associate – Structures Leonard Ambrogi believes his extensive engineering expertise, gleaned from temporary works for milestone Sydney projects, would not have been possible without a good work-life balance.
He says, “I enormously value work-life balance, and strongly believe that a poor work-life balance can have a negative impact on your professional life.”
Leonard’s ethos has served him well, seeing him work on the iconic Quay Quarter Tower (QQT) project between 2018 and 2022, supporting the 216-metre-tall redevelopment of AMP Capital’s commercial building at 50 Bridge Street in Sydney. The project is a multiple awards winning engineering hallmark and Australia’s first example of upcycling of a commercial tower, which retains 60% of the original building’s structure.
Leonard commenced working on the project as a temporary works designer, progressing to a role as full-time site engineer before becoming Project Manager for the last two years of construction. The variety of structural challenges provided an immense source of experience and knowledge.
Leonard says, “This project is above and beyond what I could have ever expected to work on as a structural engineer when I started my studies.
“I look forward to using my experience on the QQT project to contribute to enhanced structural and materials recycling and sustainability impacts throughout the construction industry.
“In Australia most buildings carry a design life of 50 years, which is not sustainable.
“I hope I can contribute to playing a small role in the extension of the design life of more important buildings, whether through upcycling or building with enhanced resilience.
“I am Italian and grew up in Rome, where you can still admire buildings that were designed several centuries ago.”
Other significant projects which have benefitted from Leonard’s thirst for practical, easy to procure and smart solutions to lighten and speed up the construction process, include the recent Sydney Metro West – Eastern Tunnel Package project, where Leonard was leading the design of 4 large temporary steel platforms for plant and equipment access into 4 of the major Sydney CBD excavation shafts.
He claims his BG&E work colleagues play a significant role in his work on every project, providing an open and friendly work environment which enables him to get the best out of his skills.
Leonard says, “Since I started working with BG&E I felt like part of a family, which helps me expressing my talent as best I possibly can.”
As an Italian who swears by work-life balance, he can cook (and eat) pasta just as well as he can provide structural solutions. Leonard is also passionate about geography and history and can think of nothing better than when history crosses paths with architecture and engineering.
When not working, Leonard maintains a dense social schedule, filled with close friends and outdoors adventures, especially anything that involves spending time in the ocean.
He says, “The ocean is one of the reasons I moved from Rome to Sydney.”