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