The Australian Capital Territory is defined by its landscape, its planning and its people. In order to maintain our landscape setting we are beginning to see beneficial change in planning strategies that are in turn leading to the transformation of our sociocultural environment. Urban renewal, density, diversity, sustainability, and public amenity are key development strategies projecting our city into the future, and it is within these strategic principles that architects can illustrate their multitude of talent.

The ACT Architecture Awards are an annual showcase of this immense talent within our local and interstate architectural community. Every project submitted represents the highest achievement from the individual or practice entering. It is a client’s willingness to achieve the best possible outcome, an architect’s dedication and passion for their work, and a contractor’s technical ability to deliver a significant piece of architecture, that defines the success of these projects. Take away just one of these key contributors in the gestation period and the result would be significantly different.

The diversity of project type entered in this year’s awards program demonstrates that architects remain focused on improving the quality of all elements within our built environment. From the mega scale design of a government office building to the finely crafted low budget house renovation, our architects are improving this city with ingenuity and place making at heart.

All entries are winners in their own right and our dedicated jury, led by Ann Cleary, have been hard pressed to select a collection that showcases this body of work with exemplarity. The jury must be commended for their devotion to the task at hand and their voluntary contribution to our Institute. Entrants, and their collaborators, must also be commended for sharing their outstanding achievements and contributing to the educational outcomes that this awards program offers.

We are also indebted to our team at the ACT Chapter office for their efforts in supporting this annual event. Thank you Leanne, Francesca, and Mai, along with many of our national office staff, for the energy you bring to this exhaustive process.

Whilst the future of our profession may be hard to predict, it is very clear that architects have the capacity to produce high quality outcomes for our city when given the mandate to do so. We must continue to honour our position as industry leaders, collaborate with our industry partners, and embrace future opportunities with passion and skill.

Rob Henry

ACT Chapter President

Chapter President’s Message

The architecture awards process is in full swing. Entrants have presented to the jury and the jury has spent several days travelling around each and every project. Ann Cleary, the 2016 jury chair, was delighted with the quality of entries. If you didn’t get the chance to see them hanging at M16 Art Gallery, head to the ACT Chapter website and check them out, or into Mugga Way where they are hanging in the lounge.

EmAGN, SONA, and ARCH-Club are combining forces to add that ‘designer’ touch to the awards evening in June. I look forward to seeing their creations.

I recently attended an Australian Institute of Landscape Architects event where Jane Jose launched her book titled Places Women Make. The book is a great read, and has interviews with many national and international female architects that have made significant contributions to the built environment.

The National Gallery’s theatre was full of architects recently for the lecture by prominent Finish architect and Droga Residency Program recipient, Juhani Pallasmaa. Juhani spoke on “Empathetic imagination – embodied simulation in architecture”. He stated that as designers we need focus not only on the material form, configurations and dynamics of a building, but also imagine how the future dweller or user of the space will feel.

Last Thursday we held the ‘Meet the President’ event at the ACT Chapter. The event gave members the opportunity to discuss their visions for the future of the Institute. The clear message was to collaborate more with other industry partners and enhance public awareness of the profession. We thank our event sponsors – HAYS recruitment, our major Chapter sponsors – BCA Certifiers, and Chapter sponsors – RITEK.

Over the last few weeks I have been catching up with our committee’s in the ACT Chapter. There are plenty of things happening, so we have decided to give each committee the opportunity to present their progress in the Chapter news in the coming months.

Happy travels to those attending the National Conference in Adelaide. See you there.

Rob Henry

ACT Chapter President

4 April, 2016

Opportunity. As the new ACT Chapter President, l have an opportunity to empower members to illustrate how critical this profession is for the future of our built environment.

Our choice is to either lament to ourselves about the diminishing role of an architect within the industry OR unify and communicate our message as one powerful body. We are a member driven organisation and therefore the Australian Institute of Architects needs you to be vocal. Your voice will make our message louder. You have the opportunity to get involved. Please take up this opportunity. Any contribution, small or large, will benefit the profession and as the saying goes… many hands make light work.

Every new President brings to the table a fresh direction for the chapter. My direction is going to revolve around collaboration. I don’t wish to issue you with my platform statement and then spend two years achieving my goals. I want our membership, and our representative chapter council, to develop the agenda and work in collaboration to achieve our goals. Please join me at the upcoming ‘Meet the President’ event to discuss our future direction of our chapter.

It would be fair to say that the year has started with a bang. The ACT Chapter Women in Architecture collective recently aligned with NAWIC to host an Internal Women’s Day breakfast, attended by over 200 people. Last month EmAGN hosted the National Emerging Architect Prize Winner, Nic Brunsdon from WA, in a discussion forum on personal stories about ‘Pride and Vulnerability’ within the profession. Many members, young and old(er), shared their stories including Jesus Garcia whom discussed the faceless immigrant’s pursuit for work in a new city, and Alisa Moss whom provided optimism that women can rise to directorship in a company whilst having flexible part-time employment and juggling family commitments. Also on last month was an event run by CMAG titled ‘Canberra’s next 100 Houses’ in which members Alanna King and Philip Leeson were asked to predict advancements in housing.

Finally, and before you fall asleep reading this, we are going to be progressively changing the format of the e-news into a more enjoyable read. We will be introducing a few new segments such as ‘Archi-Rewind’: articles reviewing things from the past, ‘Archi-Projects’: articles showcasing the entries in the ACT Architecture Awards, and ‘Archi-Chat’: articles written by members. If you’ve got any other ideas, or would like to guest edit one week, please send me an email.

Rob Henry

ACT Chapter President

23 February, 2016

The past two year’s examination of governance by National Councillors has the Institute about to enter a phase of significant improvements in:

• Advocacy for high quality design and the engagement of architects;
• Active engagement in architectural education of contemporary relevance; and,
• The Institutes operations, so that member’s services are the focus.

Establishment of the number of architects in Australia is being undertaken through research of the Australian Bureau of Statistics census. It is important that the Institute knows how many architects there are in Australia, how many are members, and of those who are not members, what their needs are for support in the Australian and international building industry.

A second survey asks members and prospective members to advise key questions to be put to the major parties and independents in the 2016 Federal and ACT Government elections.

At AILA’s Living Cities Workshop on “green infrastructure industries” at Parliament House, The Honorable Anthony Albanese outlined “Our Cities, Our Future” with desire to “innovate or die in the intercity competition for people” and their abilities and called for:

• innovative financing and delivery mechanisms; and,
• appointment of a Minister for Cities with funds to spend on infrastructure.

He asked, “Where are the planners, architects and sustainable plans as existed in the 1970’s Department of Urban and Regional Development (DURD)” and contended that DURD produced results, not as asserted by others, ‘no result’! Tom Uren and Brian Howe made a difference.

There is now a marked difference with private property investments delivering living active cities. Creating green livable cities is a shared responsibility of government, private industry and the community.

Government has a responsibility to the community to encourage best practice. Currently, accountancy, spreadsheets and fee competition procurement methods lead to the lowest fee and is the cause of poor design and built outcomes.

At the end of March, Rob Henry, as incoming ACT Chapter President and the new Chapter Council including emerging architects Yuri Leong and Shoba Cole will bring great skill to the Institute. Tony Trobe, Alan Morschel and Michael Jasper will be re-joining the Chapter Council.

Congratulations to those new to Council and my sincere thanks go to continuing Chapter Councillors and Committee Chairs for your support and efforts.

Andrew Wilson

The ACT Chapter is encouraged by promising engagements with government, community and industry colleagues in 2016.

The Institute is discussing and making representation to:
– The ACT Government, about government procurement practices;
– AILA’s Living Cities Workshop. AILA’s aim is to develop an agreed advocacy agenda on “green infrastructure industries” with industry colleagues. The Institute’s aim is to promote a sustainable synergy of built and landscape environment; and,
– The Environment Planning Directorate’s invitation to “Improving the ACT Building Regulatory System”.

The Institute makes the case that, when fairly engaged to exercise our full capabilities, Architects drawings, schedules and specifications – are ‘the documents’ – that are the “prior preparation and planning prevents poor performance.”

With the extensive need for, and likely regeneration of significant parts of the Capital, the Government, community and industry are searching for ways to achieve quality in design and built outcome.

Issues that influence the outcome are:
– Public leadership;
– Planning policy and instruments;
– Economic conditions;
– Regulation and terms of engagement for client/developer/designer/builder;
– Clarity of briefing, consultation, inspiration to evoke change and improvement in the quality in design and built outcome; and,
– Designer and builder capability and influence.

National and local architects are the most capable to effectively design what is ahead for the Capital.

Local architects are an essential part of this community. We live, work, play and pay taxes and rates in the ACT. We have proven our capabilities through our collective work. There are the public spaces where we gather to celebrate; schools where our children learn; health centers and hospitals where our sick get well; nursing homes in which older members of our community live; and, the workplaces where we work that are designed and built by Canberra’s architects and builders.

In some cases, the specialisation required for a particular project necessitates importing skills. Yet, Territory architects have the skills, are proven to be efficient and responsive to client needs, providing affordable, efficiently planned, sustainable buildings with a record of exemplary design and built outcome quality.

While many local architects export their services, gaining work interstate and overseas, it is important that we ensure an economically viable local architectural profession. To not engage local architects translates into millions of dollars in lost activity for the local economy.

All members are invited to contribute to making Canberra a highly desirable place to be an architect, by getting involved in the Institute.

Please contact the Chapter on act@architecture.com.au

14 December 2016

A story is going around:

A client is asking architects and consultant teams to provide a concept design and a fee proposal for a significant building. The clients brief is subject to change. The architect teams fee is to be a fixed sum.

From the architects’ submissions, the client will select a few to work for many months with the client to develop their ideas. The ‘ideas’ of the few will be conveyed to ‘a preferred architect’. These few may be paid an unspecified sum for their time and intellectual effort.

The preferred architect will then be asked to prepare the design documentation for a development approval application by an independent authority related to the client. If the client and the authority agree that the design proposal is acceptable, then a contract for engagement may be issued and payment may be made.

This client may take your intellectual property, 1000’s of person hours of work and if warranted in their opinion may pay you an unspecified sum! If offered this work what will you do?

In winding up for the year, I want to give a big thank you to the many members who made substantial contributions to Design Canberra through 2 weeks of events – in many forums at Pavilion X, the kids ideas competition, the Open Offices expose, The Griffin Lecture and Radio Nationals “Big Ideas”.

Over the last two years I’ve attempted to address for the Institute and the profession many ongoing challenges which I ask you to continue advocating for, including:

• building industry representations contending causation of cost to industry by architects errors in design documentation;
• the business case for gender equity; and
• balanced, fair terms of engagement, including the remuneration of architects.

Elections for office bearers are underway and I would encourage you to consider nominating yourself or encouraging someone you know who may have the skills, time and interest in being involved with the Institute. Chapter President and Councillors appointments for 2016 – 2017 are required to be:

• an advocate for architect members and the improvement of the built environment through architecture;
• the spokesperson for all members;
• be responsible as a Director of the company trading as the Australian Institute of Architects;

Directors on National Council are required to:

• ensure compliance with general and specific laws applying to the company’s operations; and,
• exercise primary duty is to the members.

The duties of a Director can expand to include creditors including employees.

The design of buildings by architects is a highly contested role in Australia. We need our profession to:

• practice architecture differently today than we did yesterday;
• act in the interests of the community and all members without self-promotion and personal financial advantage.

As the year draws to a close, the Institute is set for new beginnings in advocacy, education and members services. After my role as President ceases in March 2016, I look forward to beginning new projects as a renaissance, like Renzo Piano because: “One of the great beauties of architecture is that each time, it is like life starting all over again.”

Thank you to the staff of the Institute for their enduring, and at times ‘onerous’ service to members. Please join me in thanking Leanne Hardwicke, Francesca Cooper and Taylor Keat for their truly valuable efforts on behalf of ACT members in 2015.

I wish you peace at Christmas and fulfilment in 2016.

Andrew Wilson

Gender Equity – the Business Case

Gender Equity – framed in terms of cultural change, the business case and sharing the experience of the recently launched NSW Chapter’s male champions of change campaign ‘get:GOING’ was ably presented by NSW Chapter President Shaun Carter to building industry and professional industry colleagues at the ACT President’s Lunch on 22 October.

“I wish I’d never used it – the phrase ‘the lucky country’,” Donald Horne said to me in 1993. He was being critical, warning us of the serious danger of relying on luck. Those like me who had never read the book thought he was giving the nation a reason to celebrate.

Here’s what he actually said, back in 1964:

‘Australia is a lucky country run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck. It lives on other people’s ideas, and, although its ordinary people are adaptable, most of its leaders (in all fields) so lack curiosity about the events that surround them that they are often taken by surprise.

A nation more concerned with styles of life than with achievement has managed to achieve what may be the most evenly prosperous society in the world. It has done this in a social climate largely inimical to originality and the desire for excellence (except in sport) and in which there is less and less acclamation of hard work. According to the rules Australia has not deserved its good fortune”…

… ’Lucky’, to Horne, meant we were lucky to get away with it.” …^[1] He meant to spark cultural change

Cultural change for gender equity is urgent and obligatory. For women, Australia is not the most evenly prosperous society.

The issue is to shift from “a woman’s issue” to one that the building industry and profession as a whole acknowledges and actively participates in addressing.

‘The Gender Pay Gap’ produced by the Federal Government’s Workplace Gender Equity Agency reported in September 2015 that the national full-time gender pay gap is 17.9%. This represents an average earning difference of $284.20 per week, or working an EXTRA 65 days per year for women to earn as much as men.

Over a working life, the gender pay gap contributes to a significant gap in the average superannuation balance.  The average man’s balance is nearly twice the size of the average woman’s.  There is a growing crisis of women living in poverty in retirement in Australia.

By industry, the pay gap is approximately 25% in ‘professional services’ and approximately 18% in the construction industry.

The pay gap has increased by just over 1% since 1995.

Of all women aged 25 – 29 years, 42.0% had achieved a bachelor degree whereas only 30.6% of men had achieved one.  Women are qualified and positioned to move up.

In terms of participation in the Profession, architecture has the lowest representation of women in the profession across all age groups, when compared with other professions.

• Architects – at 20 years (45%) and at 64 years (10%)
• Solicitors – at 20 years (65%) and at 64 years (15%)
• General medical practitioners – at 20 years (58%) and at 64 years (25%)^[2]

There is a significant lack of women in senior positions, and this equates to wasted talent and lack of diversity in our leadership teams. This phenomena directly contributes to the ongoing economic viability and sustainability of the architectural profession. ^[3]Mentorship in navigating advancement in the profession is lacking here in the ACT.

Gender equity and diversity is not a “women’s” issue, but a business issue:

• boards are more effective when diverse;
• we can’t afford to lose talent, we need to gain talent;
• we must improve work place morale; and,
• we improve profitability!

Our thanks go to NSW’s Chapter President Shaun Carter for introducing the Gender Equity Task Group. The NSW Chapter wants to help every chapter run a champions of change program. We aim to adopt gender equity as an ethical, moral, excellent business practice. I would like to offer my thanks to Bronwyn Jones, ACT Chair of GET (the Gender Equity Taskforce) for framing this topic and sourcing our speaker.

Sources:

WGEA – the Federal Governments Workplace Gender Equity Agency.  It sources its data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Parlour – an incorporated association which is sponsored by the Institute.  Parlour is a site for active exchange and discussion, and brings together research, informed opinion and resources on women, equity and architecture in Australia.

^[1] Mackay, Hugh, Introduction to “The Lucky Country”, Penguin Books 6th Edition

^[2] Refer to Amanda Roan, “How do we compare to other professions” published on the Parlour site, Feb 2015

^[3]Refer to Michael Smith’s blog “The Business Case for Gender Equity” published on the Parlour site, March 2015.

“The effects of diversity on business may bring benefits from increased productivity and efficiency, higher morale and job satisfaction, an ability to compete for talent, strive to retain that talent and look to improve productivity.

The advancement of equality in employment and in the workplace Equity, Business and Leadership  how to improve business, retain talent and improve staff morale by changes that are simple and easy to make…through a mindset, that leads to discover change as we go along… Our journey could be substantial, or minor, depends upon perspective, opens to change and situation.

A meeting with the Australian Building Codes Board (ACBC) discussed material being prepared for the Institutes High Quality Design Policy. In particular to explore whether metrics for Liveable Apartment Design Standards could become part of the NCC Building Code of Australia.

If the development and design professions can agree on the metrics, for example minimum apartment sizes, then the ACBC will support inclusion of apartment design standards in the Building Code of Australia. The national ‘red tape reduction agenda’ requires that new or amended legislation must demonstrate a reduction in regulation which in the matter of apartment design regulations, the myriad of local government are reduced.

The ACT government has recently established the Building Regulation Advisory Committee (BRAC), to be a link between the building industry, government and the Minister. Prior to formal public consultations the committee is to review proposed legislative changes to relevant acts, regulations, associated instruments and changes in policy relating to:

• Building;
• Building Certification;
• Builder and building surveyor licensing;
• Regulatory enforcement and compliance mechanisms relating to building, builders and building surveyors; and targeted training of builders abuildingsurveyors.

The Institutes response to Draft Variation to the Territory Plan No. 343, regarding residential blocks surrendered under the loose fill asbestos insulation eradication scheme (hereinafter DV343) was raised at the Environment Planning Directorate Planning and Development Forum (EPD PDF) last month

DV343 should be improved and used as an opportunity to promote high quality design which reinvigorates suburban change by infill, offers Canberra a more alternative housing choice and a sustainable future with better utilisation of infrastructure and services.

Dual occupancy, if well designed, is a very benign method for achieving small scale and low-density infill. By allowing a range of housing typologies, and encouraging innovative design, a dual occupancy policy is eminently suitable to many of Canberra’s established suburban areas.

High quality design from the very beginning of the redevelopment programme, which is delivered by experienced and knowledgeable architects, can give better immediate return to Government on the Mr Fluffy buybacks.

The next forum will be held on Thursday 15 October 2015

Andrew Wilson

7 September 2015

Philip Thalis’s presentation ’What Happened to the Garden City?’ inspired great discussion.

Some evaluations of Ebenezer Howard’s garden city concept (1902) – and its realisation in Letchworth UK – are that it is too spacious and there are few architecturally impressive designs.

Perpetual and increasing attempts are to make this untrue of the design of Canberra. Comparisons with cities of similar populations (381,000) showed Canberra (428 people/km2) is half the density of Wellington NZ (890 people/km2) and one tenth that of Lausanne (4,400 people/km2). On a wide brown land, feeling unconstrained for space to separate people so that issues of visual privacy, noise abatement and access to open landscape avoids the need for careful, high quality design.

Any person can design residences, in fact any building type in Australia.

When increasing the number of people/km2, redevelopment methods and actions are required to:

1. achieve excellence in design and amenity; and,
2. take responsibility for built outcome performance, beyond completion of any new development.

To achieve excellence in design, the 9 Principles in the NSW Apartment Design Guide are useful, and paraphrased here:

1: Context and Neighbourhood Character – Design responds to the key natural, current and future built elements, their relationship and the combined character they create.

2: Built Form and Scale – Design achieves a scale, bulk and height appropriate to the desired future character of the street and surrounding buildings. Building alignments, proportions, building type, articulation of building elements makes the public domain, the character of streetscapes and parks, including their views and vistas, and provides amenity and outlook.

3: Density – Design that achieves a high level of amenity for residents and each apartment, resulting in a density appropriate to the site and its context.

4: Sustainability – Uses natural cross breezes and sunlight for the liveability of residents and passive thermal design for heating and cooling reducing operation costs; recycling and reuse of materials and waste, use of sustainable materials, and deep soil zones for groundwater recharge and vegetation.

5: Landscape – enhances the development’s environmental performance by retaining natural features, co-ordinated water and soil management, solar access, micro-climate, tree canopy, habitat values, and preserving green networks. Good landscape design optimises usability, privacy and opportunities for social interaction, equitable access, respect for neighbours’ amenity, provides for practical establishment and long term management.

6: Amenity – Internal amenity for residents and external amenity for neighbours combines appropriate room dimensions and shapes, access to sunlight, natural ventilation, outlook, visual and acoustic privacy, storage, indoor and outdoor space, efficient layouts and service areas, and ease of access for all age groups and degrees of mobility.

7: Safety – Safety and security, within the development and the public domain maximise passive surveillance of public and communal areas promoting safety through clearly defined secure access points, well lit and visible areas that are easily maintained.

8: Diversity and Social Interaction – A mix of apartment sizes, providing housing choice for different demographics, living needs and household budgets and providing opportunities for residents meet and engage.

9: Architectural Expression – A built form that has good proportions and composition of elements, reflecting the internal layout and structure. A variety of materials, colours and textures and respond to the existing or future local context.

Further strategies for improving design and built outcome quality are:

• the engagement of a registered architect;
• a design review process;
• Government industry policy which ensures responsibility for what is built may be by legislation requiring “a product guarantee and warrantee” from the proponent or alternatively, continued membership of the body corporatefor a number of years after completion.

Andrew Wilson

24 Aug 2015

Last week at a President’s Lunch, Ms. Kate Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia inspired wide discussion about the results of a National Galaxy Poll entitled, ’The Benefits of Design’.

The Institute works to improve our built environment by promoting quality, responsible, sustainable design. Through its members, the Institute plays a major role in shaping Australia’s future. Locally, the President’s Lunch is a forum for open and honest expression of views, always with the purpose of improving the design of our built environment.

To recap some of the significant points made during the lunch:

• Almost all Australians (97%) believe that cities and towns are better to live in when public buildings and public spaces are well designed. (The Benefits of Design 2015)
• Architects are a regulated profession which is most highly qualified and able to provide high quality design. Architects undertake a minimum of 7 years education, training and registration examination to be able to design buildings. Except for NCC BCA Class 2 apartments in NSW, any person may design a building in Australia.
• Planning reform in the ACT is necessary to enable the quality, economically responsible and sustainable design of the built environment.

During the broad ranging discussion, further points were made that require government action. They are:

• The profession requires terms which engage architects with continuity of involvement in project design and delivery. This is required for architects to deliver quality design.
• ACT Building Act amendments with affect upon architects, will require the evidentiary basis for the amendment and regulatory impact. The Institute seeks consistency in regulatory arrangements across and within jurisdictions, because architects are increasingly professional service providers nationally and internationally.
• The Institute encourages planning reform, inspired by our ‘New Experimental Architectural Typologies’ – the NEAT housing ideas competition. The Institutes objective is to effectively deliver high quality design of sustainable and affordable housing choices that are currently not available in the ACT.
• Institute policies advocate sustainability and urban consolidation, not further greenfield development.

The Institute values the opportunity to engage with government, industry and freedom of expression. Thank you to the Independent Property Group for their continued support of the President’s Lunch series.

Andrew Wilson