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Spacecube appoints former Mirvac chief executive Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz to help grow the modular builder.
Melbourne-based modular building innovator Spacecube has made a strategic move in its global expansion plans by appointing Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, the former chief executive and managing director of Mirvac, to its board as a non-executive director. (main pic: Spacecube’s modular build for Paramount.)
Lloyd-Hurwitz brings a decade of experience from her tenure at Mirvac, complemented by her previous roles at LaSalle Investment Management, Macquarie Group, and LendLease. Her appointment is a key development for Spacecube, known for its sustainable, reconfigurable modular structures.
Spacecube, which has already made its mark in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Europe, specialises in creating highly engineered modular units. These units are designed with a strong focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, local manufacturing, and sustainability.
They have been deployed in various commercial projects including residential show suites, retail brand activations, and hospitality, with recent ventures into healthcare, including building semi-permanent schools for the UK Department of Education.
Lloyd-Hurwitz expressed her enthusiasm for joining Spacecube, stating, “I am delighted to be joining an innovative Australian business that is expanding globally and fundamentally changing the way the world builds. To meet the challenges of housing affordability, climate change and reducing carbon emissions we need to be more open to using innovative and creative solutions.”
Watch a Spacecube ‘Mirvac’ commercial development
Spacecube’s unique flat-pack modular building system has shown its versatility and efficiency in various scenarios. A notable example was during the pandemic when the company assembled an emergency COVID-19 hospital in just 15 hours – a first for the team.
On building the Covid-19 hospital, Mark Davies, CEO of Spacecube, said, “We agreed to terms on Tuesday night we could build a hospital, and by Saturday morning at 6.30am we started; we finished at 11pm that night. So, in the space of 15 hours we built a 360 square metre two-storey hospital, and then over the coming days the fit-out team went in and ran oxygen lines.” After serving its purpose, the hospital was repurposed into a community health centre, with 90 percent of the materials recycled.
Davies further highlighted the company’s growth trajectory, including the launch of a UK division in 2022. “We believe there are significant market opportunities in the UK, and then, broader opportunities in Europe for highly adaptable, reusable modular infrastructure,” he said.
Looking ahead, Davies sees immense potential in semi-permanent infrastructure, particularly in the Australian market. “Offsite construction has significant opportunities in Australia, and I believe the Australian market needs to adapt quickly to it. One of the biggest barriers we have here is actually having an open mind on how offsite construction can now be premium,” he concludes, signalling an ambitious future for Spacecube under the guidance of its seasoned board and innovative leadership.
