I am writing this e-news from a sunny seat on the Goolwa Wharf, surrounded by people enjoying the glorious weather, good company, live music and locally produced food and drinks.  A weekend trip to the Fleurieu Peninsula has provided a perfect antidote to the bustle of the Chapter as well as a chance to experience the positive impact of design in the creation of a vibrant community.

Considered redevelopment of the Goolwa wharf precinct has resulted in an attractive and  popular destination for locals and visitors alike.  And more is planned to build on the initial success, with new initiative being informed by the progress made to date.

Regeneration of the built environment in response to changing economic, demographic and cultural factors is a theme that runs through a number of projects currently being undertaken by the Institute.  At a Chapter level it is informing the Architecture on Show program and seminars being conducted by ArchiCentre.  Both programs provide information to the public, the profession and local Councils in relation to urban development and demonstrate how architects can add value.  Themes of cultural identity, housing typologies and the interface between the public and private realm will enable discussion on a range of topics.  These include: managing the impact of increased density; working within heritage contexts to activate significant buildings and precincts; and exploring alternative modes of housing to meet the changing needs of our diverse population.

Regeneration is also a consideration in the ongoing response to planning reform.  The legislation, which incorporates a number of initiatives proposed by the SA Chapter’s Planning Reform Workgroup, is working its way through Parliament.  However, the regulations required to underpin the legislation and allow it to be applied in a meaningful way are yet to be developed.  The Institute has an opportunity to actively engage in this work, and in doing so, to strengthen the proactive role that design can play in this context.  This important piece of work will be a focus during 2016.

Last but by no means least, the Institute’s National Conference ‘How Soon Is Now’ is focused on regeneration and the role of design in shaping the future.  Architects’ holistic, connected thinking and ability to synthesise complex parameters to achieve a robust and well considered outcome is essential in creating built environments that provide equity, opportunity and delight.  Embedding this message within government and other bodies that shape development methodologies is a core area of the Institute’s advocacy strategy. Increased engagement with community opinion in the lead up to the federal election will be used to amplify this message.

Nicolette Di Lernia, SA Chapter Manager

On the 19th March the Awards Presentation Day was held at ODASA. Open to the public for the third year running, the presentations were well attended and well received. ODASA proved to be a great location to host the day, with plenty of praise for the choice of venue coming from the general public. ‘Hats off’ to all the jurors, and Institute staff who helped the day run like clockwork, many of whom not finishing until the early evening.

Since the presentations the awards juries have been scattered across the state, traversing sand dunes, scaling tree houses and winding their way up and down any number of ‘experiential staircases’ while visiting the projects entered.

Now after what has been quite a busy month, and with the judging process for this year’s Awards program drawing to a close, the jurors are busily casting their final votes and settling down to the task of producing awards citations. The process will be wound up and the results sealed away early in May, in preparation for the Awards night on the 2nd July.

I would encourage anyone with a keen interest in the Awards program to consider applying for a juror’s position in 2017. It is a fantastic opportunity to not only understand the workings behind the scenes of the awards process but also to get into the thick of SA Architecture, discuss ‘architecture’ and what makes it great, and network with architects from all walks of practice, both entrants and jurors alike!…and most of all it is a great opportunity to get face to face with the state’s best architecture!

To all the entrants and jurors, thank you and good luck! We look forward to seeing you at the Awards!

Sean Humphries – Awards Director, 2016 SA Architecture Awards

Over Easter we received the sad news that John Morphett AM OBE LFRAIA passed away aged 83 after a short illness. John was a giant of the profession here in South Australia and indeed nationally, with direct links to the greats of Modernism through stints in North America and Europe working for Walter Gropius in the Architects Collaborative among other activities.

John was SA Chapter President in 1981-82, recipient of the Sir James Irwin President’s Medal in 1997 and RAIA Gold Medallist in 2000.

His best known work for many of us is undoubtedly the Adelaide Festival Centre, but my colleagues at HASSELL have been looking through the archives and uncovered some more modest gems of Adelaide Modernism from around our city, including several beautifully pared back bank buildings, and the marble clad hall at Prince Alfred College. Some truly wonderful works, and he will be greatly missed.

The new Chapter Council met for the first time last month and we held a strategic planning session to map out our area of focus for the course of the term of this council. The work we have been doing as a Chapter meshes well with the National Council’s focus on Advocacy and Communications, Membership Engagement and Education that was developed last year, and we intend to further develop these areas. It is also very much in line with our mantra of ‘growing the business pie’.

Key outcomes of that meeting included:

• Education – the continuation of two education task groups. One will be focussed on developing an understanding of design in the schools initially through design presentation to interested schools, but the long term aim is to embed design in the school curriculum. The second group will be looking at creating closer ties between the universities and the profession, particularly in the area of research that can be applied to practice and vice versa. We are hoping to have our first events within a month.

• Residential Design – you will see more activity from this task group this year in promoting the benefits of using architects in the residential sector. The message will be that as well as the beautiful spaces that we see in magazines, we can also do good thoughtful design for those on a budget who might normally be looking to other providers for their designs.

• Planning – the government’s new Development Act has largely made it through the parliamentary process, and now requires supporting regulation and policy to ensure that it delivers its intent. This task group will focus on assisting DPTI in developing a suite of design based guides and pathways that will enable our skills as designers to become integral to a better built environment.

• Exporting Design – this group is developing well, and I’m currently on my way to China on Premier Weatherill’s trade mission. I’ll be representing the design sector in several round table meetings on Water in Urban Environments (known by the Chinese as Sponge City), Sustainability and Carbon Neutrality, and Retirement Living. The retirement living discussion has developed rapidly since last year with over 30 businesses now represented from the sector in the newly formed Australia China Aged Care Consortium, including several member practices. More on this on my return.

• Procurement – many of you will be aware that there has been a major change in the way that the SA Government is going about procuring its projects. There are real concerns that we may be heading down a path of mainly design and construct procurement, which although well suited to many projects, is certainly not a one size fits all solution. And although not all of our members are engaged to do government work, their procurement models often viewed by other clients as best practice and find their way into the non-government sector. We have established a task group to work through their procurement model with them to ensure that as a state we can deliver the right balance of risk minimisation and value for money.

• Co-opertition – this group brings together smaller practices within our membership, a cohort that is growing at the moment, to discuss issues that a particular to small practice. In my view it is an extremely valuable group that enables knowledge, culture and ‘tricks of the trade’ to be shared in an open and collaborative environment, something that those of us in larger organisations take for granted. The Co-opertition group will look at further developing their program this year to become a ‘must participate’ if you are in small practice.

• Festival of Architecture and Design (FAD) – FAD has been held over this year in order for the Chapter to be able to deliver a Fringe program for this month’s National Conference “How Soon is Now”. The FAD group is currently looking at a structure that will be sustainable in the long term along with new creative directors for next year, however you will see various event throughout the year branded under the FAD banner.

• And finally Communications – with all of this activity, we need to communicate what we are doing to you the members, and to have a better advocacy profile among the wider public. A newly reconstituted communications group will be charged with getting our messages out there through a variety of avenues, not just traditional print media.

We will also continue to run our standing committees such as Awards, EmAGN, SONA, Honours, Gender Equity and Education (from an accreditation perspective).

I have asked each Councillor to be accountable for a portfolio and to seek participation from you, the wider membership, in supporting these activities – they are critical to getting our industry on a more sustainable business footing, and we can only deliver these with your support. So if you are wondering what you can do to get involved, give your local SA Chapter a call on 8402 5900, or contact one of our Chapter Councillors.

David Homburg, SA Chapter President

Highlights from Chapter Council

The SA Chapter Council met on Monday 21 March with a focus on Strategic Planning for 2016. Key areas of activity were identified as:

• Export of architectural services as a mechanism for growing the SA market

• Education – accreditation of architecture schools;  building connections between academic and professional practice; educating primary and tertiary students on the role of architects and value of architecture

• Government procurement processes and methodology

• Residential design and how this can be used to demonstrate the role of architects, the value of architecture and that architecture is accessible across a range of scales and budgets

• Improving public awareness of the value of architecture through outward facing events

• Planning reform and ongoing participation in the debate around the legislation before parliament and the next steps required for effective implementation

• Development of effective communications strategies and networks for generating content and disseminating information in the media, assisting members with marketing and communications strategies to broaden their audience and client base, and reviewing the language used to communicate more accessibly with potential clients and non-architects.

National Council Governance Review

Greg Ridder, Acting CEO attended the meeting and outlined the proposed changes to the governance model.  This has been communicated this week to all members for information and comment prior to being voted on at the coming AGM.  A 75% majority is required to pass the motion, so it is important that members understand the issue and participate in voting.  If you require additional information, please contact a Chapter Councillor or the Chapter Manager. For more information on the proposed submission, click here.

SA Chapter Council

Chapter President
David Homburg, HASSELL

Immediate Past President
Steve Grieve FRAIA, Grieve Gillett Andersen

Chapter Council members
Vanessa Amodeo, Troppo
Sally Bolton, Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
David Brown, BB Architects
Anthony Coupe, Mulloway Studio
Tony Giannone, Tectvs
Adam Hannon, Cox Architecture
Sean Humphries, Black Rabbit Architecture + Interiors
Eddy Lukac, Sole Practitioner & Archicentre
Leah Salamon, wiltshire + swain
Dino Vrynios, Grieve Gillett Andersen

EmAGN Chair
Candy Aung, Grieve Gillett Andersen

SONA representatives
Jordan Bails, University of SA
Chantelle Fry, University of Adelaide

March has been a busy month for the SA Chapter. The Awards program has been the catalyst for a range of activities focused on the value of excellent design.

• The Design Conversation talk examining restaurant and bar design was a sell out and engaged design professionals and the public in a discussion about the key drivers and considerations for hospitality projects.

• An exhibition of the 2016 Awards entries opened at ODASA and will run until the 15th April. The exhibition is publicly accessible and has a strong presence on Leigh Street and we encourage you to view this year’s excellent crop of projects.

• The Awards jury presentations were conducted, also at ODASA, with all categories open to the profession and the public.

While the number of public attendees was small it was an increase on previous years. Those that did attend were fascinated by the insight into architects’ motivations and the complexities of realising a project. We hope to see more there for the event next year.

In addition, a Hidden Sounds event was held at Z Ward. This Fringe event combined access to this unique building and the After-life exhibition by artist Rod McRae with contemporary music performed by members of Sound Stream. This event was well attended, however a low level of engagement from architects is causing the Institute to reconsider its involvement in future Hidden Sounds events.

In parallel to the Awards activities, preparation for the National Conference and the next Trade Delegation to China, both occurring in April, are reaching their final stages. The Conference provides South Australia with an opportunity to showcase our professional achievements through Fringe events and the input of local speakers. It also provides us with the opportunity to participate in a high level discussion about architecture involving local, national and international speakers without the cost and time constraints of travel. We encourage all our members to attend.

The Trade Delegation is part of a strategy to strengthen the local design sector and develop a wider market for South Australian architectural services. This is being complemented by a series of meetings that the ACA and Institute have had with DPTI concerning restructure of the government procurement systems and methodology. Industry engagement, including architects, in this process is vital to achieving a well considered outcome that is cognisant of previous experience.

Thanks to all who have participated in our very own ‘mad March’. We look forward to seeing you during ‘architectural April’.

Nicolette Di Lernia, SA Chapter Manager

Elections are over and we have a new Council whose term commences in March. It was the first time that we had gone to an election in a number of years, and I’d like to congratulate new council members Adam Hannon (Cox Architecture), Vanessa Amodeo (Troppo Architects) and Anthony Coupe (Mulloway Studio) in being elected as first time Councillors along with returning Councillors Dino Vrynios (Grieve Gillett Andersen) and Tony Gianonne (Tectvs).

The year has started with a flurry. The new Development Act is progressing through Parliament, albeit slowly, but we have already had a positive influence on the debate with the Liberal Party now supporting the Government’s position of not having elected members on Development Assessment Panels. This is a positive move, and will remove the politics from the application assessment end of the process that we have all experienced being played out on our clients’ projects.

We are frantically preparing for the trade mission to China in early April. There are a number of opportunities that we are looking to pursue in Shandong, with a focus on aged care and retirement living. Several practices are already involved in this discussion. But I’d also be interested in hearing from member practices that might be interested in undertaking industrial and factory work in Shandong.

There has been some interest in procuring design services in this area from Chinese businesses, and as with most things in China, the scale is an order of magnitude greater than what we do here – think the original 30ha of roof at the original Mitsubishi plant at Tonsley rather than a warehouse at Edinburgh Parks….

If you have an interest in pursuing this further, please get in touch with the SA Chapter office this week to register your interest. We’ll need to get promotional material together quickly.

Again we’ve had a great response of entries for the State Architecture Awards. Jury presentations will be held on Saturday 19 March at the Office of Design + Architecture SA (ODASA), and once again all entrants will be presenting publicly as well as to the jurors.

I can think of no better way of promoting the benefits of architecture than by presenting projects. However, bear in mind that you will have an audience of non-architects as well as the jurors and practitioners. There will be people who can’t read plans and don’t know what ‘articulation’, ‘fenestration’ and ‘materiality’ means…… Accessible, simple to understand presentations are the key. Try them out on your families beforehand – they’ll soon let you know!

And best of luck to all entrants.

David Homburg, SA Chapter President

Architects have a reputation for racing a deadline (myself included) and the lead up to the Awards is clearly no exception. As the clock ticked down, it was with true architectural fervour, as the cut off drew near the counter just kept ticking over. Clearly SA’s architects had something to say. 77 entries later, we can safely say that the 2016 SA Architecture Awards program will not disappoint!

The number of entries sees an increase from 2015, with 40+ practices and collaborations represented, including some new faces. From tree houses to playgrounds, study nooks to some of the largest adaptive reuse projects this state has seen, this year’s Awards program represents some of the past years finest architecture.

With much discussion, the Awards juries have now been selected and can be viewed below. This year’s team of jurors brings to the table, a wealth of experience, expertise and enthusiasm. Over the past month Adam Brown and I have sifted through an overwhelming number of expressions of interest for jury positions. The level of interest and willingness to be part of the Awards program is really heartening and a testament to the passion of our members’, to be part of the shaping of the South Australian architectural scene.

This year we will again the Awards jury presentations will be open to the public, and I would encourage you all to come along to ODASA and hear from the architects themselves, as they reveal the stories behind the glossy prints.

It’s a big year for South Australia, with the National Architecture Conference teeing off at the end of April, so what better way to keep architecture at the forefront than to back it up in July with a celebration of South Australian architecture at the Awards Presentation Dinner.

To all the entrants, good luck! and to all the members, we look forward to seeing you at the Awards!

Sean Humphries – Awards Director, 2016 SA Architecture Awards

As you have probably noticed by now, the Institute is undergoing a period of reflection and restructure.  This has resulted in a range of changes to the organisation across Australia, including the sale of the SA Chapter building.

Another change that you may not be aware of is that the SA Chapter became home to the National Education Unit in late 2015.  This Unit coordinates and supports the National Education Committee and the accreditation of schools of architecture across Australia.  It also administers international education agreements such as the Canberra Accord, which was established to improve the portability of university qualifications between member countries.

Co-location of focus areas within the Chapters is occurring across the Institute to utilise the expertise of staff and distribute resources.  In SA this has resulted in Rebecca Duddy taking on the role of National Education Accreditation Officer.  We have also been joined by Zaf Papanikitas, who will work across member services and the National Education portfolio.  Please introduce yourself to Zaf when you visit the office and say hello to Rebecca, as she is still very much a part of the SA team.

In parallel with the current changes, the Institute also continues to deliver a range of established programs and services, including the Awards program.  As I am writing the presentation boards for this year’s entries are being delivered.  We are enjoying the opportunity to connect with some of the members who we don’t see regularly and to share in their pride regarding their work.

The SA Chapter has a range of public events structured around the awards program this year.  The aim is to celebrate design excellence, foster professional engagement and increase public awareness.  Stay tuned for an Awards update on Friday as we announce this years’ entries and juries.

Another key Institute event occurring in SA this year is the National Conference.  This is the first time in 20 years that the conference is being held in Adelaide and provides a fantastic opportunity to engage in topical debate regarding our profession and to participate in this significant gathering of the architectural community.

The conference theme will explore the capacity of architecture to drive change and influence our future socially, environmentally, culturally and economically.  This transformative ability has been demonstrated through a range of South Australian projects, and a selection of these will be showcased through a series of tours held on the Thursday prior to the main conference program and on the Sunday following.

We look forward to seeing you at these events and contributing to the community of architectural practice.

Nicolette Di Lernia, Chapter Manager

Welcome back to all of our members for what I believe will be another year of energy and new thinking. There are plenty of events and activities on the horizon in which hopefully everyone can participate in some form.

Firstly, elections are now on and closing next Tuesday 16 February 2pm AEDT, so please jump online and vote. We have a great field of candidates, nine overall for five positions on the SA Chapter Council.

In April, Adelaide will host the National Architecture Conference for the first time in twenty years. As well as a hearing from a great lineup of speakers put together by the creative directors, the SA Chapter is be running a series of precinct tours to showcase the best of Adelaide. Tickets are now on sale at www.architecture.com.au/howsoonisnow/

The new Development Act is currently being debated in Parliament. Although it hasn’t progressed as quickly as Minister Rau had hoped, there’s a lot to like about the new bill, and it deserves our support. You will be seeing more public advocacy for the bill from the Institute.

Our Planning Task group has met and is gearing up to provide input into the myriad of regulations, design guides and development plan changes that will inevitably follow the passage of the bill. We would welcome your support in whatever way you might be able to contribute.

The next trade mission to Shandong Province in China is scheduled for early April this year. We are currently working with the City of Charles Sturt to develop a Health and Aging industry group with a focus on Aged Care. It comprises providers and operators, designers and architects, contractors and those who manufacture equipment and mobility devices among others. If you would like to get involved in that group, please contact Chapter Manager, Nicolette Di Lernia on 8402 5900 or nicolette.dilernia@architecture.com.au for more details.

Allied to this, last Thursday evening we announced the formation of the Adelaide Design Alliance (ADA), a broad co-operative of allied businesses in the design sector. The event included the Presidents and Chapter Council members of the peak bodies in our sector (AIA, AILA, DIA, PIA and AGDA).

It was great to hear that all of us have a common aim in increasing the relevance of design here in South Australia, and the ADA will be an important aspect of this. It will initially be overseen by the Presidents or Chapter Council members, but the aim is for it to be a co-operative of businesses who can come together and collaborate around export opportunities. More on this as it develops.

At the same event, The Adelaide Review announced a series of great new initiatives to promote design in the broader Adelaide community, including an annual dedicated FORM publication to be launched in October. The alignment between our organisations and what the Review is seeking to promote is strong, and I believe they will continue to be great supporters of design in 2016.

On Friday afternoon, I met with the design schools from both the University of SA and the University of Adelaide to discuss how we might forge better ties between practice and academia. We agreed to hold a series of events to hear from both groups as to how we might work together more effectively. Watch this space…

So as you can see, there’s a lot that has already happened this year, and we’re only just past January. Much of the work relies on the voluntary contribution of members, supported by our dedicated Chapter staff.

David Homburg, SA Chapter President

The New Year is associated with resolutions – to learn new skills, improve in some manner, conquer weaknesses….One common resolution is to become more healthy and many a gym membership has been entered into on the basis of such New Year fervour.

However, becoming a member of a gym does not improve fitness and health unless you actually make use of the membership.  The amount of effort invested is the key to a successful outcome.

Membership of the Institute works along similar lines.  Being a member will not automatically confer value, although your subscription does support the Institute’s policy and advocacy work.  This is of particular significance in light of the federal election due later in 2016.  Watch this space for more information as the year progresses.

Those members who actively engage with the Institute tend to be those who most value their membership.  So, register for PALs, enter the awards, vote in the Chapter Council elections or engage in one of the many CPD and event activities.

We look forward to working with you in 2016 to develop your ‘professional fitness’ and the collective health of the profession.