Kevin McCloud and Tim Ross take their Design Obsession off the Beaten Track from 27 February to 14 March 2027.

From an Art Deco theatre in country New South Wales to a Roy Grounds’ modernist marvel in Melbourne’s suburbs, the UK’s Grand Designs presenter and Australia’s favourite architecture advocate are hitting the road for a tour of architectural treasures – and they’re inviting audiences along for the ride.

When Tim Ross and Kevin McCloud were invited to visit an extraordinary Art Deco theatre in the NSW Central Tablelands, the design-obsessed duo couldn’t resist.

And so begins an unlikely architectural road trip.

In their new live shows – An Evening with Kevin McCloud and Tim Ross – the pair take their infectious banter and big ideas to cities and regional centres from 27 February to 14 March 2027. The tour builds on the success of their sold-out 2026 live shows and three seasons of their hit podcast, Tim & Kev’s Big Design Adventure, with Season 4 in the works. 

Drawing on the stories, people and ideas they’ve encountered through their podcast episodes, Ross and McCloud make the case for optimism, imagination and the power of good design.
Destinations by design

Among Ross and McCloud’s many architectural revelations is Oberon’s Malachi Gilmore Hall (pictured above), designed by Agabiti & Millane. With its striking geometric façade and heritage revival, this painstakingly-restored Art Deco landmark in New South Wales’s central west is a fitting stage for two blokes who reckon great architecture deserves a great audience.

The tour ranges through Australia’s rich design heritage with performances at Federation University’s 1870 Founders Hall in Ballarat, University of Newcastle’s Great Hall by Ancher Mortlock Murray and Wheeler, and Frensham School’s Clubbe Hall by AJC Architects in the Southern Highlands, which won the 2026 NSW Enduring Architecture Award. Other shows are held at Adelaide University’s 1964 Scott Theatre as well as Monash University’s Robert Blackwood Hall by Sir Roy Grounds in Melbourne. Ross and McCloud even cross the ditch for two nights in the Fisher & Paykel Theatre at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, designed by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (FJMT) in collaboration with Archimedia.

Unsurprisingly, the people they meet are as much a part of the adventure as the buildings themselves.

“When a podcast listener writes in with an invitation to visit their Art Deco theatre in central NSW, it’s only polite to say yes,” says Ross.

“And before you know it, a tour starts taking shape. Kevin’s coming all the way from the UK, so I thought we should show him a bit more of the country than airport lounges.”

For McCloud, the contrasts between Britain and Australia offer plenty to explore.

“The landscapes and climates of Britain and Australia are worlds apart. The scale, the light, the heat – even the distances between places are on an entirely different order,” says McCloud.

“But what makes great architecture is remarkably universal. It’s about responding intelligently to climate and understanding people’s needs while capturing the energy of a place. I’m fascinated by how those principles play out in Australia’s cities and regional communities, and what we might learn from one another.”

Audiences are in for a funny, thought-provoking and ultimately optimistic conversation about the places we live, the places we love, and the places we could create. Expect lively debate, plenty of laughter and a few unexpected detours.

“Grand designs, great laughs” – Domain

“A design-led bromance” – Sydney Morning Herald

“A surprising surge of sunshine” – The Age

2027 TOUR DATES – AN EVENING WITH TIM ROSS AND KEVIN MCCLOUD

ADELAIDE – Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February

Scott Theatre, Adelaide University

Built in 1964 and designed by the Public Buildings Department.

MELBOURNE – Tuesday 2 March

Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University

Opened in 1971 and designed by Sir Roy Grounds, featuring Leonard French’s monumental stained glass window titled Alpha and Omega.

BALLARAT – Wednesday 3 March

1870 Founders Hall, Federation University

Opened in 1981, funded through a community appeal associated with the School of Mines centenary celebrations.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March

Fisher & Paykel Auditorium, University of Auckland

Opened in 2008 and designed by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (FJMT) in collaboration with Archimedia.

NEWCASTLE – Wednesday 10 March

The Great Hall, University of Newcastle

Opened in 1973, designed by Ancher Mortlock Murray and Wheeler.

OBERON – Friday 12 and Saturday 13 March

Malachi Gilmore Hall

Built in 1936 and designed by Agabiti & Millane architects.

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS – Sunday 14 March

Clubbe Hall at Frensham School, Mittagong

Built in 1965 and designed by Keith Cottier – AJC Architects.

TICKETS
Tickets for these very special live shows are strictly limited. Head to bigdesignadventure.com for ticketing options. 

SOCIALS

Kevin McCloud: @kevin.mccloud1

Tim Ross: @modernister

Podcast: @big_design_adventure