CRAIG NENER

M.Arch (Dist.) — Director, GROTTO Studio

Craig Nener founded GROTTO Studio in 2019 as a space to explore the intersection of traditional craft and contemporary architecture—with a focus on delivering projects that are thoughtful, enduring, and grounded in place. His approach is hands-on and collaborative, valuing clarity in process and depth in design.

With experience spanning private residential, commercial, and public architecture, Craig has contributed to award-winning projects both in Australia and internationally. He is committed to conserving the art of building—designing spaces that are not only functional and beautiful but rooted in the environments and communities they serve.

Born and raised in suburban Perth, Craig’s work is shaped by both local understanding and global exposure. He has studied and collaborated with renowned studios across Denmark, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland—including time at Herzog & de Meuron. This breadth of experience informs a design methodology that is precise, responsive, and deeply considered.

To Craig, architecture is a form of craft—no different in dedication or discipline to the trades practiced by his father and brother. This respect for making, for detail, and for the unseen labour behind every project is what defines his work and the ethos of GROTTO Studio.

2023–2025  Director, GROTTO Studio

2021–2022  Herzog & de Meuron (Basel & London)

2020–2021  Design Director at Collier Homes

2019      Founded GROTTO Studio

2019      Graduate Architect at MORQ

2017–2019  Post Architecture / Nic Brunsdon

2015–2016  Intern, Iredale Pedersen Hook

2015–2017  Master of Architecture, UWA

2017       RCR Arquitectos Summer Studio. Olot, Spain

2015      EMBAIXADA Studio. Lisbon, Portugal

2013–2015  BAppSc (Architecture) Curtin University

2010–2015  Architectural Draftsman at Meyer Shircore

2009      Construct. Arch. VIA University, Denmark

2008–2010  Dip. Building Design & Technology, TAFE

2007–2010  Trade Assistant - Carpentry, Masonry, Concrete

1989      Perth, Western Australia

SHAUN HAGENSON

Architectural Technician

Shaun brings nearly two decades of construction and design experience to GROTTO Studio. He has worked across residential and commercial projects from concept through to completion, navigating drafting, building compliance, and on-site coordination with technical assurance. His deep knowledge of how buildings come together ensures our design intent is delivered with accuracy and confidence.

Currently studying Architecture at The University of Western Australia, Shaun builds on formal qualifications in Construction and Building Design & Technology, alongside specialist training in energy compliance and digital documentation.

Outside the studio, Shaun is most at home building and renovating — especially his own house — driven by a love of craft, materials, and the respect of traditional building methods. He believes in respecting the old while embracing the new, adapting proven techniques to contemporary construction demands.

A reliable and detail-focused contributor, Shaun strengthens every project he touches and is a key asset to the GROTTO team.

INGO WURM

Student of Architecture

Ingo is in his third year of architectural studies at The University of Western Australia and contributes to GROTTO Studio while developing his emerging design voice. Thoughtful and precise, he has a natural sensitivity to light, framing, and spatial proportion which underpins his growing confidence as a designer.

As the studio’s key model maker and architectural photographer, Ingo’s eye for composition and detail strengthens the way our ideas are tested and communicated. His curiosity runs deep: he sees architecture not only as form and structure, but as a social and cultural force that shapes how people live and interact.

With a background in physics, Ingo brings an analytical edge — positioned between human sensibility and the fundamental forces that govern the natural world. This balance allows him to approach design with both intuition and logic, grounding ambition in clarity.