Author: lauraj

Advocacy and Policy update

 

Mar 2017

The review of Institute policies is continuing, as we work through the list that needs updating. We will continue to consult with members to identify the most important issues and the best strategy to communicate our messages to governments and the public. New policies can be developed at the instigation of the chapters, national committees and National Council and will go through a similar review process.

Since our last update, we have also advocated at a state and territory level on a number of issues:

 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Heritage

The South Australian Chapter has provided a submission to the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure on the department’s Local Heritage Discussion Paper. The Chapter has welcomed the review of the local heritage system, suggesting that it should identify and build on positive aspects of the existing system. The chapter has also called for adequate resourcing to deliver positive outcomes and has called for further consultation prior to the creation of new planning policies and/or new legislation.

30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide

The SA Chapter has welcomed the release of the 2016 update of the 30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide in a submission to the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. The chapter has offered broad support for the document but has recommended a number of proposals to strengthen the plan, in particular, linking it with other areas of policy within government, such as health. The submission focuses on key targets of design quality, smarter travel and housing mix and affordability although it points out that this feedback relates to other targets within the plan as well, and reiterates the chapter’s support for architects and other built environment design professionals to be an integral part of the planning process at the outset.

Building Health and Safety
The SA Chapter has also provided a submission on the draft Minister’s Code for Upgrading the Health and Safety of Existing Buildings. The chapter has supported the review as an opportunity to address aspects of the current system that are ineffective or poorly understood, along with issues of compliance. However, the chapter has argued that, in its present form, the document does not constitute a significant change from the existing situation and does not provide certainty for a development or the construction industry. It has recommended a number of changes, including a well-formed and clear set of parameters in the code based on the level of risk.
 

QUEENSLAND

Conservation management

The Queensland Chapter has made a submission to Arts Queensland on the draft Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the Brisbane Cultural Centre Precinct. While the chapter has described the CMP as a critical first step, it has not supported the CMP in its current form. The chapter has offered a detailed submission, dealing with the technical issues and structure of the CMP and has offered to assist in the refinement of the CMP through further consultation. It has also expressed concern about the way in which the CMP will be administered, saying it lacks a proper governance model and requesting reconsideration of this aspect to ensure the future protection of culturally significant buildings and spaces in the Cultural Precinct.

Queensland Building Plan discussion paper

The Queensland Government has released a Building Plan Discussion Paper to guide changes to policy and legislation in the state’s construction industry. The Queensland Chapter has provided a submission, offering a number of recommendations, particularly in relation to the proposed adoption of the Project Bank Account (PBA) system for large government building projects in 2018. The chapter has recommended that the State Government conduct an independent analysis of the PBA system, to be undertaken by members of the Institute, Engineers Australia and Master Builders Queensland, before it is extended to the private sector in 2019. The chapter has also offered ongoing consultation as the policy and legislation is developed.

 
NORTHERN TERRITORY

NT Planning Scheme Amendment

The Northern Territory Chapter made a submission last year to the Planning Commission regarding a proposed amendment to the NT Planning Scheme to accommodate the planned $300 million Berrimah Farm (Northcrest) redevelopment. The government has adopted at least one of the changes requested in the chapter’s submission – the relocation of the proposed school from land adjacent to a General Industry Zone to the north-east corner of the development, adjacent to organised recreation and community purpose land. The amendment also includes a clause (2) relating to Community Purpose land which interfaces with either Light or General Industry zoned land, which had also been addressed in the NT chapter’s submission.
 

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Procurement

The ACT Chapter has established an ongoing dialogue with the Territory government, specifically with the Procurement and Capital Works directorate. This resulted in another industry forum held in December following a joint industry submission to the Minister, specifically on the chapter’s concerns about the interactive tendering process being implemented in the ACT. The submission and forum, led by the Institute, was supported by Engineers Australia, MBA, AIB, and AILA.

Local Industry Participation plan

The ACT Chapter also hosted a forum for members to explain the newly introduced Local Industry Participation Plan, which is intended to ensure that local practices are considered and given weight in the tendering process for government projects.

Planning

The ACT Chapter President and Planning Committee members have met with the Greens Member of the Legislative Assembly, Caroline Le Courteur about planning and affordable housing issues, as well as holding talks with the Opposition spokesperson on planning Nicole Lawder on planning issues in the ACT. Discussions have included design quality outcomes on former Mr Fluffy sites.

From the Chief Executive Officer

 

13 March, 2017

At the end of last month, Expressions of Interest closed for Australia’s exhibition at the 15th International Architecture Biennale in Venice. Following on from the incredible success of the 2016 exhibition, The Pool by Aileen Sage Architects (Isabelle Toland and Amelia Holliday) with Michelle Tabet, we received a record number of submissions for 2018.

The Venice Biennale Committee, chaired by Victorian Government Architect Jill Garner, have been busy deliberating over the high calibre of entries as they select their shortlist which will be announced in the coming weeks. We look forward to sharing the exciting shortlisted proposals with you all.

February also saw the election of our new office bearers and I would like to offer my congratulations to all those who will be joining our National and Chapter Councils. We certainly have a lot planned for the year and the staff at the Institute look forward to working with you all. Thank you to all those members whose official roles have finished, we greatly appreciate your many contributions and hard work during your tenures.

Entries are now closed for the 2017 Architecture Awards program and it looks set to be a big year for the celebration of architecture with a record number of entries from around the country, and overseas. Judging has commenced for many Chapters and it will be an exciting time over the next few months as we acknowledge the best local architecture in the lead up to the National Architecture Awards, taking place in Canberra on Thursday 2 Nov.

As I mentioned last month, our finance team has moved to our Melbourne office where it sits with a number of our national business units. In addition, we have made two further executive level changes to the Institute’s organisational structure in order to better align our functions with our strategic goals.

Jamie Penrose, formerly General Manager – Member Engagement, has been appointed to the new role of General Manager –  Commercial responsible for the management of the Institute’s commercial operations; events, awards and prizes, Venice Architecture Biennale and sponsorship.

Kim Hilliard replaces Jamie as General Manager – Member Engagement, overseeing the chapter Executive Directors and started with the Institute last week. Kim has extensive financial and stakeholder management expertise and will be a great asset to the Institute’s leadership team.  

Our annual member survey closed at the beginning of this month and I want to thank all those who shared their thoughts; it greatly assists us as we progress in developing our future strategy.  

Jennifer Cunich
Chief Executive Officer

Women in Architecture: Susan Dugdale

The National Committee for Gender Equity have been profiling some of the women that are shaping the profession of architecture. This series is working to achieve a more equitable, diverse and sustainable profession for the future.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the National Committee for Gender Equity is releasing the first of its new style Women in Architecture column. This column aims to highlight the experiences, accomplishments and contributions of leading females within the architectural profession. This month, committee member Jessica Hardwick interviews Susan Dugdale, Director of Alice Springs practice, Susan Dugdale & Associates.

 

Susan Dugdale, Director of Susan Dugdale & Associates

 

Arriving in Alice Springs some 22 years ago ‘for two months work’, Susan Dugdale has produced a body of work whose influence is notable in the fabric of Alice Springs and beyond. A current Institute National Councillor, Sue is a highly regarded leader both within the Northern Territory and at a national level, having also contributed at a board level to Olive Pink Botanic Garden and serving as a Council Member on the Northern Territory Heritage Advisory Council.

Originally from Brisbane, Dugdale completed four years of her architectural education at the University of Queensland, completing her final year of studies at RMIT. After practicing for 10 years in Melbourne and ready for something new, she accepted an opportunity to assist with a short-term workload at Alice Springs’ Indigenous-owned firm, Tangentyere Design where she worked until 2000 when she founded her own practice.

“What I enjoy most about the practice of architecture is the diversity of activities and the range of skills you have to bring to it. A lot of it’s about people, but then you’ve got to have good technical skills, plus experience of how buildings go together and how the whole industry works, materials and their value, their detailing, the ease of use in local industry. It makes me feel like I am quite a broad person to be an architect.”

Driving into Alice for our interview, several of Susan’s built works were easily identifiable – even in passing. Susan Dugdale and Associates’ practice profile states that ‘Director Sue Dugdale has a personal passion for discovering and developing a unique regional identity based on the particular culture, climate and geography of Central Australia. The practice evolves this broader project with each commission undertaken, by embedding stories in design, manipulation of water and light, landscape design and creating a particular sense of place, and through design of form, and selection of materials and colour.’ This continuum of thought and the cultural project that underpins the work is evident in the buildings, which contribute an atmosphere of community, optimism and excitement to the public realm.

 

Photo credit: Brendan Chan

 

Reflecting on what it is that has captured her interest and caused her to build a life in Alice, Dugdale shares, ‘It’s just really interesting living in a small community. In cities, there’s generally too many people around you, so you have to edit people to select your friends and associates. Inevitably, a lot of the time you’ll go for people like you, so when I lived in Brisbane and Melbourne almost all of my friends were architects. Whereas here, almost none of my friends are architects, you just have a wider community and you connect differently… When I first came to town and walked down the mall, you hear all these different languages around you, like Japanese, French, Italian, at the same time as hearing Indigenous languages, which are from here, it’s very eye-opening.’ In perfect timing, right in this middle of discussing this point, an artist friend walks by and briefly interrupts our interview for a quick ‘hello’. Picking up where we left off, Sue shares, ‘in a small town of only 30,000 people there are four or five local architectural practices, which is higher than you’d expect.’ In recent years Sue has observed a new breed of construction company and developer emerging in the Northern Territory and notes that these younger companies ‘really value design’. According to Dugdale, ‘There are good opportunities to work closely and engage with local craftsman, materials suppliers and artists on an ongoing basis, which informs the building process, increases knowledge and it’s not adversarial which is a fantastic thing.’

Of the practice’s recently completed Alice Springs ‘CBD Revitalisation’ project, Sue reflected, ‘It was a chance to express the identity of the community at a larger scale. In particular, Alice Springs is a creative hub and has a really high level arts community – particularly visual arts and painting, with internationally regarded indigenous and non-indigenous artists, as well as musicians and performance artists. [Prior to the commissioning of this work] you could walk down the mall and not know it, except for a few tourist shops… I think architecture is urban design as well, we need to tell ourselves who we are through what we look like to visitors.’

Photo credit: Pip McManus

This project was about expression of community identity and inclusion, with an indigenous cultural framework being specifically commissioned, to underpin a lot of the design work. Four artworks were commissioned as part of the project, produced in collaboration with local artists and makers. The project connected with a lot of people and stakeholders from the town and Sue recalled this as being at the core of why she found the project most satisfying.

Photo credit: Susan Dugdale

In honour of the role this project has played to the town of Alice Springs, the project was widely recognised in the Institute’s 2015 Awards program, receiving the 2015 Tracy Memorial Award (best across all categories), COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture and George Goyder Award for Urban Design at the Northern Territory Architecture Awards.

At this point in her career, Susan Dugdale is an active advocate for regional practitioners and women in architecture, saying that while it is currently male-dominated, ‘The men on the National Council are unbelievably proactive about gender issues, which is incredibly encouraging.’ When asked to discuss her biggest challenge as a female in architecture, Sue spoke of the ‘unintentional sexism’ and an ongoing sense of feeling marginalised that she experienced, particularly early on in her career, saying that ‘confidence’ had been her key challenge. ‘On some levels, I’ve always been a confident person and on others definitely not.’ Reflecting on the apparent confidence with which her young male colleagues seemingly leapt into practice, Sue recalled her first NT architecture award, a backyard granny flat project she entered after being encouraged by colleague Deb Fisher.

‘I’d always been kind of anti-establishment… just sort of putting myself on the fringe really, so I entered the awards and it won an award. I couldn’t believe what that meant, the affirmation from peers. I’ve totally changed my view, that I shouldn’t marginalise myself, I should be front and centre – that’s partly why I stood for National Council and got elected. I’m finding it really interesting, you get to network, be stimulated by your peers. If you let yourself be marginalised, you just miss out on so much. Jump into the middle of the pond, I reckon! Starting my own practice was a really good thing to do, I was never going to feel like I was really doing my own thing until then… But then, men and women architects probably all feel that.’

As the sole director of her practice, Sue has intentionally maintained a small team, placing high importance on continuity of authorship and close collaboration. ‘I always thought that I would [start my own practice] … I wanted to get creative opportunities for myself and to run them myself. I work collaboratively with my employees on design but I always tell my employees so they don’t have any false expectations, that I started the practice so that I have the creative opportunities… I’m not going to hand out really plum projects and walk away from them. I like working collaboratively and if you end up with a good design working relationship, that’s even better. There’s enough work in running a practice, that I feel that’s my reward.’

There’s no ‘typical day’ in Sue’s office, which she says is part of the appeal of small practice. If anything – a typical day for Sue will generally start and finish on time. Sue shared, ‘I feel strongly about that – unpaid extra time is exploitative – and also, I don’t want to – I like my life outside of work as well and I want to enjoy it… I probably could have pushed harder and got more ‘fame’ or exposure, if I wanted to spend that extra 10 hours a week for my whole life, but I didn’t. I never have, and I don’t expect or want my employees to… Time away from work brings a quality to the work, it brings the real engagement with the community back to the work. It’s not subtracting but contributing to the work.’

‘I feel strongly about that – unpaid extra time is exploitative – and also, I don’t want to – I like my life outside of work as well and I want to enjoy it.’

As the practice continues to evolve, Sue looks forward to continuing to explore and give form to the cultural narrative of Central Australia. The practice, and Sue herself, is deeply embedded within the community and so she looks forward to continuing to engage on significant urban-scale projects through which the regional identity of the place can be expressed. The work of the practice is quite clearly a testament to Sue’s personal commitment to the place, as well as a product of the diverse network of relationships she has cultivated over the years – the artists, fellow architects, community leaders and makers.

‘As you develop as an architect and get more experience, you develop in your creative and critical faculties, as a synthesis. As you get more experienced, you understand your ideas that have more value or potential to be productive ideas, or not. So you can be much more efficient in knowing and trusting your own gut and instincts… It’s about the ideas, they’ve got to be the right ones for the project.’

Circling back to confidence in practice, our discussion closed with a comment from Sue regarding her practice’s recent inclusion in the Venice Biennale, which she said was a ‘very affirming experience’, noting that ‘women often don’t expect to be affirmed’, she encouraged other women architects to actively look for these opportunities to participate.

From the National President

National President, Ken Maher. Photo by Brett Boardman

Just last week ballots closed for our 2017 elections and I’m delighted to congratulate Suzanne Hunt who has been elected our first female WA Chapter President and nationally-elected Councillors Prof Helen Lochhead (NSW) and Adrian Fitzgerald (Vic) on their success. They will join Yvette Breytenbach (Tas), Mario Dreosti (SA) and Andrew Nimmo (NSW), who were all elected unopposed as Chapter Presidents earlier in the year, and SONA President Jemima Ninnes on National Council from our next meeting in March. We look forward to welcoming them on board, and their contribution in ensuring your Institute is effective in supporting members, and stays focused and relevant to the profession’s and the broader community’s interest which we serve.

I’d also like to warmly thank our outgoing National Councillors and Chapter Presidents – Philip Griffiths (WA President – who has also served on our newly constituted Board), Shaun Carter (NSW President), David Homburg (SA President), Brad Wheeler (Tas President), Sue Dugdale (nationally-elected) and Cale Black (SONA President) – for their tremendous efforts and hard work, enthusiasm and friendship during their time on Council. Our Institute can only thrive and be truly representative with engaged members, and these incoming and outgoing Councillors, along with our many other volunteers are our lifeblood.

On Friday night at the annual Queensland President’s Dinner, Catherine Baudet was announced as inaugural recipient of the Institute’s Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize, named in honour of the late Queensland architect, university professor and gender equity advocate, Paula Whitman.  On behalf of the architecture community and the Institute I’d like to congratulate Catherine on her outstanding leadership over the last three decades in supporting women in the profession of architecture.

Catherine is an exceptional role model and mentor for many young and emerging architects and she is a most worthy recipient of this significant national prize.  As the jury noted:

‘In 1983 Catherine was the co-founder of Women in Architecture Queensland and she was the president for a number of years. In 1984 WIA held the first exhibition of the work of women architects in Queensland. The exhibition highlighted and promoted the work of 40 women architects. Catherine was the first person to involve Paula Whitman in the broader issues facing women working in the architectural profession. Catherine inspired Paula Whitman on a path of investigative research which subsequently led to the landmark 2005 study Going places: The Career Progression of Women in Architecture. Catherine continued to support Paula Whitman through her career and she was a mentor for the duration of this study.’

For architecture to realise its full potential as an agent of change, particularly at a time when there is ever-increasing interest in the quality and sustainability of the built world – and consequently competition to be heard – I believe as architects and advocates we need to effectively articulate the value we can contribute as a profession to a better future through informed design.  To do this it is important we explore and define this value collectively to understand and ensure our work has meaning and can enrich the human experience – to connect our ‘thinking’ and ‘doing’.

This has been fellow conference curator, Prof Helen Lochhead, and my inspiration as we prepare for the 2017 National Architecture Conference, taking place 4-6 May in Sydney, with the focus on ‘PRAXIS: Process.Propositions.Production’. Our interesting range of international speakers – Winy Maas, Eva Castro, Rahul Mehrotra, Vo Trong Nghia, Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey with more to be announced soon – have been selected for the diversity of their modes of practice, locations, typologies and methodologies, yet all engage in reflective practice so critical to the value of their contribution. Our international speakers will be joined by similarly aligned local practitioners exploring their own work.  Through the various presentations of the work itself, the thinking behind the work and the process of working we will be exposed to stimulating and intimate insights. By exploring this link between praxis and values we can generate an understanding of the potential of the power of meaning in architecture; morally, socially, functionally and, most critically, experientially.

With these ideas at the core of our program we hope you will not only be inspired by the exceptional works and thinking of these speakers but also stimulated to reflect on your own values and thinking in architecture. Our National Conference affords a great opportunity to engage with colleagues in the celebration of architecture and through this interaction better understand our role and our place. This inspiration and reflection, as architects, educators, students and interested professionals, may also equip us to be better positioned to promote and enact our roles as agents of change.

 

Ken Maher

National President

New national prize celebrates gender equity

Queensland architect Catherine Baudet has tonight been awarded the inaugural Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize for her outstanding support for women in the architectural profession spanning more than 30 years.

Immediate Past President and Jury Chair, Jon Clements, said Catherine has played a pivotal role in bringing about the substantial progress now being achieved towards gender equity in the architectural profession.

‘In 1983, Catherine co-founded Women in Architecture Queensland which hosted the first exhibition of the work of 40 women architects the following year,’ Clements said.

‘Over the past 30 years Catherine has tirelessly advocated for gender equity and promoted the outstanding contribution women make to the architectural profession.

‘Catherine brought a new level of energetic focus to gender equity issues both through her own practice, Ferrier Baudet Architects, and at the Institute when she became the first woman architect to be elected to the Queensland Chapter Council in 1989.

‘Importantly, Catherine inspired Paula Whitman on a path of investigative research which subsequently led to the landmark 2005 study Going places: The Career Progression of Women in Architecture.

‘This prize is a fitting tribute to and recognition of Catherine’s achievements, the benefits of which will be felt by generations of women architects into the future.’

In awarding Catherine the prize the jury noted that, ‘Catherine is an exceptional role model and mentor for many young and emerging architects and she is a most worthy recipient of the Inaugural Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize 2017.’

The Prize is a new initiative of the Australian Institute of Architects’ National Committee for Gender Equity and aims to recognise exceptional leadership and an outstanding contribution to the advancement of gender equity in architectural practice, education and governance. The national prize is named in honour of the late Queensland architect, university professor and gender equity advocate, Paula Whitman.

It is part of a broader suite of initiatives the Institute is leading to promote gender equity in the profession. Last year the Institute adopted and met a new target to ensure gender equity on its Board of Directors.  

Advocacy and Policy update

Feb 2017

The review of Institute policies is continuing, as we work through the list that needs updating. We will continue to consult with members to identify the most important issues and the best strategy to communicate our messages to governments and the public. New policies can be developed at the instigation of the chapters, national committees and National Council and will go through a similar review process.

Since our last update, we have also advocated at a state and territory level on a number of issues:

 

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Planning policy

The Western Australian Chapter has provided a submission responding to the release last year of Design WA’s draft planning policy. The WA Chapter is generally supportive of the document, particularly its inclusion of design in planning policy. The Chapter has responded favourably to proposed apartment minimum standards, although it has recommended clarification of some items, in particular, setbacks, apartment sizes and balcony requirements. The Chapter also supports the inclusion of a Design Review Guide, with some recommendations on the makeup of design review panels to ensure reasonable debate and consistency across the design review process. The government’s design skills discussion paper also looks at improving outcomes through the regulation of design skills. The WA Chapter is strongly in favour of the mandatory use of architects on multi-residential developments above a certain height threshold, ideally three storeys, similar to the NSW Sepp 65 model.

 

TASMANIA

Building documentation

The Tasmanian Practice Committee is continuing to work with the state’s Department of Justice to determine the minimum level of information which should be provided on building approval documents for Class 2 to Class 9 buildings. The Department has the Director’s Specified List – Schedule 1, which outlines the minimum requirements for design documentation for Class 1 and Class 10 building in Tasmania, and is considering expanding this approach to include Class 2 to Class 9 buildings. Members of the Tasmanian Chapter’s Practice Committee have held discussions with the Director of Building Control and are providing a formal submission on the matter. They are offering general support for the document as a guide, with some suggested clarification and amendments. The committee members are also arguing against the document being used as a checklist for use by building certifiers.

Government relations

The Tasmanian Chapter President, Brad Wheeler and Andrew Grimsdale from the Practice Committee, met recently with the state’s Construction Minister Guy Barnett, to discuss a number of issues relating to the profession. The meeting covered such issues as regulatory requirements, the state of the industry and national issues requiring a more Tasmanian-focussed approach, including access provisions for residential buildings. The meeting was a productive and positive step forward in the Tasmanian Chapter’s strategic approach of encouraging dialogue and relationship building with governments and government departments. The Chapter is working to build on this as 2017 continues, to ensure we have a direct line to government and our collective voice continues to be heard.

From the Chief Executive Officer

13 February, 2017

 

2017 is set to be a busy year for the Institute and we are already well underway.

On 4 May, the profession will come together for one of our biggest events of the year, the National Architecture Conference. PRAXIS: Process.Propositions.Production, has been curated by National President Prof Ken Maher along with Prof Helen Lochhead and features a program that explores processes of thought, engagement and action.

Tickets are now on sale for the two-day event which returns to Sydney for the first since 2010, taking place at the brand new HASSELL + Populous designed International Convention Centre, Sydney. Visit the website for all the latest details and to secure your registration today.

Expressions of interest for the role of Creative Director for Australia’s Exhibition at the 2018 International Architecture Biennale in Venice are closing soon (26 Feb). The committee are looking forward to reviewing the proposals, with the level of interest already very high, and are excited to see the profession’s ideas about how to represent and explore the place and experience of architecture in the Australian community in a rich and engaging story.

You will have noticed that elections are in full swing with a number of official positions up for vote, including Chapter Councillors for Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and International; two National Councillor roles and the Presidency for WA Chapter. Voting closes on Wednesday 22 Feb, so make sure you log in to the election portal soon to cast your ballot.

We are working on our new inclusive three year strategic plan that will be designed and driven by members through councils, committees and feedback opportunities such as our Annual Member Survey which launched last week. The survey is an opportunity for you to provide comment on your membership experience and a valuable tool for the Institute as we move forward with our ambitious plan to build a strong voice for the profession in 2017 and beyond. Click here to log in to the member portal and access the survey.

The Institute is committed to providing a connected workspace fostering collaboration while providing the team with appropriate IT tools. There is a significant amount of work to be done before this goal is fully realised.  Our first objective is an ambitious redevelopment of IT foundations; our networks, PCs, data backup, security, disaster recovery and enterprise level WiFi.

This project is continuing apace and is delivering dividends – we have new high capacity links in place between all offices, a bespoke network has been built from the ground up with new servers and 24×7 support and monitoring.  Over the next 60 days we will transition all offices into this purpose built environment – joining early adopters, finance. Meanwhile, the NSW Chapter is enjoying reliable WiFi for the first time as it tests this aspect of the deployment.  I look forward to keeping you up-to-date as we complete this phase and then layer additional value in the form of video conferencing and telephony.

This month we have welcomed our new finance team to the Melbourne office where the function will be better aligned with the senior executive. The team led by our Director Corporate Services, Ian Wilson, is championing strong internal collaboration to achieve a financially responsible budget for 2017.

We at the Institute look forward to supporting you as your essential professional and business ally in the year ahead as we work together with industry, governments and partner organisations to realise our shared vision for the profession.

 

Jennifer Cunich
Chief Executive Officer

From the National President

National President, Ken Maher. Photo by Brett Boardman

30 January, 2017

Welcome to 2017, an exciting year for our Institute with an interesting program of activities, an ambitious agenda to give architecture a stronger voice, and more access and support to members through enhanced digital access.

Last Thursday, five outstanding members of our profession received Australia Day Honours for their dedication to the profession and the community. On behalf of the Institute I would like to congratulate the late Alastair Swayn who was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (award w.e.f. 23 May 2016); John McInerney, Robert Morris-Nunn and Aija Thomas who were made Members of the Order of Australia and Alan Synman who received a Medal of the Order of Australia.

March is the first meeting following our current Council elections. I want to welcome and congratulate all Chapter Councillors already elected. Congratulations also to Yvette Breytenbach (Tasmania), Mario Dreosti (SA) and Andrew Nimmo (NSW) who were all elected unopposed as Chapter Presidents. The elections for nationally elected National Councillors, the remaining Chapter Councillors and Chapter Presidents will open on the 31st January, so I encourage you all to exercise your democratic rights and vote, as unlike in politics voting is not compulsory – maybe we should consider that! Enormous thanks are due to our outgoing National and Chapter Councillors, and all candidates for the elections this year. Our Institute is dependent on active engagement of members for its culture, relevance, and effectiveness, so we are indebted to you all.

Preparations are well underway for the major event of our calendar this year – the 2017 National Architecture Conference in Sydney, 4-6 May – and we will be launching the stimulating program soon. This year sees the return to a more classic format with a strong focus on design, exploring the work of exceptional practitioners from around the globe with intensive presentations as well as a super session on the future of cities in collaboration with PIA. The theme of ‘PRAXIS: Process. Propositions. Production.’ will allow exploration of significant projects through the intentions, modes of practice, and their making. International and local speakers have been selected who represent thoughtful, relevant and distinctive ways of practicing from a range of locations and cultures, engaging in the academies as well as projects. A stimulating fringe program will allow exploration of Sydney projects and interaction with local architects. It is the annual opportunity to connect with colleagues from around the country, so I hope you are able to join in, and book early to be part of this celebration of architecture and the limited places in the fringe events.

Following the outstanding success of our participation (The Pool) in last year’s International Architecture Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia, which was our most visited exhibition ever – you will note in the recent invitation for expressions of interest for the role of Creative Director (or curatorial team) for the 2018 Exhibition. Submissions close on 26 February. An exciting difference for this Biennale is the recent announcement of Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara of the Irish practice Grafton Architects as the 16th curators of the Venice Architecture Biennale in advance of our selection, thus allowing applicants to take into account the overall agenda for the Biennale in positioning our pavilion’s exhibition.

In the recent announcement, President of the Venice Biennale, Paolo Baratta said:

‘The exhibition curated by Alejandro Aravena…underlined how important it is that a qualified demand on the part of individuals and communities be met by an equally effective response, thereby confirming that architecture is one of civil society’s instruments for organising the space in which it lives and works. Along these lines, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara will continue to address the same theme but from the point of view of the quality of the public and private space, of urban space, of the territory and of the landscape as the main ends of architecture.’

‘The curators, who are well-known for the refinement of their work, are also known for their intense didactic activity and their ability to involve and fascinate new generations,’ added Baratta.

Farrell and McNamara won the Silver Lion at the 2012 Biennale for their project for UTEC at the University in Lima, Peru which also recently won the inaugural RIBA International Award.

It promises to be another outstanding demonstration of the significance and value of architecture as agency, extending the agenda to embrace landscape and urbanism. I look forward to some excellent proposals for the Australian exhibition.

 

Ken Maher
National President

 

Architects seek urgent review of Parliament House fence plans

The Australian Institute of Architects wants plans to build a 2.6-metre fence around Parliament House put on hold, key documents immediately released and a proper public consultation process, including expert advice, conducted around the proposal.

National President, Professor Ken Maher, has called on the Department of Parliamentary Services to immediately release the five-year Conservation Management Plan and Design Principles for the Australian Parliament House, which were due for release in 2016.

‘Parliament House is widely recognised as an icon of Australian democracy and an architectural achievement of national and international significance. Any proposal impacting on its design needs to be subject to due public processes and be managed very carefully,’ Prof Maher said.

‘Security requirements bring into conflict the two core principles of keeping people safe while at the same time allowing them access to the building and grounds. A balance must be struck, but the current proposal fails to deliver on both fronts.

‘This latest proposal to erect a 2.6-metre high perimeter fence will fundamentally change the character of the building and its symbolism as the people’s house.

‘The public has a right to know whether other methods for achieving security outcomes for parliamentarians, people working in Parliament House and visitors have been comprehensively canvassed prior to making any decision.

‘We have requested that further information be released and discussion entered into about less intrusive options to enhance the security of the building.

‘It is essential that on behalf of the Australian people, the fabric and intent of the design of Parliament House is protected now and into the future. Any change must be well considered and be consistent with the quality and durability required for a building of such status.

‘The Institute is deeply concerned about the lack of consideration of the fence’s impact on the heritage value and design of this most significant building.

‘We are also concerned that the usual National Capital Authority public consultation process will not proceed due to “security issues”. This is a matter of public interest and should be subject to the same public scrutiny as other design and development proposals within the parliamentary precinct.

‘At the same time, the Department of Parliamentary Services appears to have abandoned its own process for properly managing Parliament House.

‘In 2014, the Department of Parliamentary Services committed to preparing a five-year Conservation Management Plan and Design Principles to manage this highly significant building.

An eminent expert advisory committee was commissioned to guide and finalise these documents. To date no documents have been released. The work of this committee has reportedly been put on hold and Richard Johnson’s Design Principles report rejected, which further adds to our concerns about decisions being made without the professional advice of distinguished architects.’

World Architecture Festival 2016 – Remarks by Grant Marani

It is remarkable to have so many Australian architects gathered abroad in a location other than Venice. Venice of course is our biennial celebration and contribution, in a specific form, to the speculative world of architectural discourse, but in Berlin we gather to consider and celebrate in a global colloquium the far more demanding achievement of great buildings that have actually been built. And we Australians have made quite a contribution to the proceedings of the World Architecture Festival, with more than 30 shortlisted projects involving more than 20 practices. Not too shabby at all.

We are both privileged and delighted to be the guests of the Ambassador, Her Excellency Lynette Wood. With 2016 marking the first in the series of World Architecture Festival events in Berlin, we hope we can look forward to continuing engagement in future years. We are also excited by the prospects on offer into the near future, with the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade having designated Germany as the focus for its cultural diplomacy program, ‘Australia Now‘, in 2017.

It is interesting to note that a recent report of the Australia-Germany Advisory Group acknowledges many similarities between our respective countries – our common interests and shared values; our demonstrated international leadership; our active roles internationally including increasing engagement in the Indo-Pacific, the world’s fastest growing region; and specifically for us as architects, high quality education, research and cultural sectors.

In many respects Germany is the logical home for a celebration of modern architecture and its attendant principles. From this base Australian architects have had much to contribute, both from the point of view of what has been described as thought leadership, local engagement, but perhaps more than that, a sense of relentless optimism, which is very important indeed. I’ve been told that it was only recently that the doyen of architectural wisdom, Kevin McCloud – at the time reflecting on the advent of modern architecture in Australia – was remarking across television sets in Australia that Australian architects have much to offer the world.

Some of this contribution is the subject of the World Architecture Festival. Projects by Australian architects, as well as projects based in Australia, are shortlisted in 14 of the 18 ‘completed’ categories, and 7 of the 11 ‘future’ categories. Perhaps, not so surprisingly to us, we do very well in the areas of education, health and office design, as well as being responsible for some exquisite places in which to live. At the same time our civic, social and community infrastructure are in various respects being recognized for their inventiveness and quality.

What does this all mean? In part this is an endorsement of the quality of our Australian architectural culture, which is just as much demonstrated by the Australian Institute of Architects National Architecture Awards program. But it is also indicative of the quality of our export potential. Architects are by nature students of the world, but this seems to have a particular resonance for Australian architects – perhaps by virtue of our relative geographic dislocation. We have to learn quickly how to observe, adapt and engage with the world around us.

To this end, by way of example, the Institute has through its International Chapter this year been re-evaluating its role in the international arena. Work is ongoing, but the results of our research thus far are very interesting. Through our members, we are far more internationally engaged than perhaps we first realized – and this stands only to grow into the future as the value of the Australian architectural education and accreditation system grow in standing. The Institute looks forward to continuing to engage both through our members as well as in partnership with Government.

But more than that, there is the underlying phenomenon of spirit – in many respects the ‘why’ of architecture. Here in Germany we can see it in the advent of modernism; and in a ‘young’ country like Australia we observe parallels in our depth of culture, a modern sensibility informed by our unique Indigenous heritage.

Nearly a century ago the great German architect Bruno Taut penned his anthology Die Stadtkrone (1919), in which he wrote: 

“To view architecture as nothing more than nicely designed functional forms or as ornamental wrappings around our essential needs is to assign it to the role of a craft and places too little value of its importance in our lives. […] architecture is an art, a play of fantasy”.

This was at the dawn of the age of European Modernism, and it was a call to build the ideal rather than perpetuate the average – what the brilliant Robin Boyd might have called our ‘ugliness’. Perhaps this is as much the call for Australian architects today, as we press forward in this dynamic Asian century.

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Grant Marani is a Partner at Robert AM Stern Architects, New York. He is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, and currently a member of the Australian Institute of Architects International Chapter Council.