It is with great sadness that I write to you about another great loss from our community. Alastair Swayn was an incredible character whom inspired many of us to remain passionate about architecture and our city’s future. Our thoughts go out to those many individuals that were close to him, particularly the team at DJAS.

Solar House Day was recently held with a lecture at the Shine Dome and two bus tours on consecutive weekends. The event is a great opportunity to promote the value of architects to the public, and our Sustainability Committee excelled in this mission in 2016. The bus tours were a sell-out, with larger buses having to be ordered, and it was delightful to see well over 100 members of the public learning from our members about the various ways to tackle solar design. Whilst there were several key individuals involved, a special thank you goes to Yuri Leong for pulling it all together.

Design Canberra is fast approaching and we are energised by the opportunities the new management are offering. We have committed to a series of architectural tours, a series of art in architecture installations, and a series of pop-up image based exhibitions. I see this as our best opportunity to illustrate that Canberra architects are leaders in design excellence. Please let us know if you would like to be involved. There are a few opportunities for your work to get exposure. Consider it as a free marketing opportunity! And if you snooze, you lose.

The ACT Chapter Council are reviewing our committees and workgroups, the programs they run, and what they should be doing in the future in regards to advocacy, education, and membership. The reality is that with declining participation we may not be able to keep rolling out the excellent events we have done in the past. The review will also include discussion on what committees are desirable at the national level. Feel free to send your comments and suggestions in to act@architecture.com.au . We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Rob Henry

ACT Chapter President