History

The practice was founded in 1975 by John Bryant on the beautiful Yorke Peninsula when, after being thrown into the deep end on his first project, he decided to go deeper and establish his own business. From those humble beginnings delivering residential work, the practice steadily expanded—relocating to Adelaide and broadening into commercial, industrial, mixed-use, warehousing and public sector projects. The 1980s and 1990s marked a significant period of growth, with an increasing focus on diverse commercial portfolios, setting the foundation for a much broader practice and elevated multidisciplinary service.

What has remained constant throughout is John’s philosophy: build strong relationships, deliver value and leave clients better off than expected. Guided by a sensibility to follow opportunity wherever it emerged and adapt to the evolving needs of clients, the practice evolved from delivering a handful of projects each year to more than 600 annually, while extending its reach across Australia and internationally.

That growth has been shaped by its people.

Long-serving team members have provided continuity, expertise and trusted relationships that underpin the business—alongside new generations bringing fresh thinking, contemporary design and the adoption of emerging technologies. Together, they have fostered a culture that balances experience with innovation.

Known for saying “there’s never a dull moment,” John remains the heartbeat of the practice, embodying the curiosity and resilience that have defined it for more than five decades. While technology has transformed the way it operates, he still draws and drafts by hand—a skill that reflects the precision and attention to detail that continue to underpin the teams work today.

In 2015, the practice became part of the Hallett Group under the leadership of Mark Pickard, strengthening its future while remaining anchored to its founding values. From a small regional practice to a multidisciplinary team delivering hundreds of projects each year, Tesseract International’s story is one of continual growth, evolution and a commitment to helping clients build and live better. Offering design and engineering excellence that shapes and enriches everyday life.