An architect in society

I accepted the role of President of the Australian Institute of Architects with a degree of unease, a question of worthiness and a feeling of trepidation – but, deep down, with a great sense of honour.

In my first Foreword, I’d like to reflect on my own journey in order to offer some thoughts on the direction in which I intend to lead the Institute over the coming year – which may be somewhat different to previous years.

My business partners and

I started our practice, Tectvs, before we were 30, at the beginning of the

1989 global financial crisis. We endured the hardships of the emerging architect and now understand the importance of being able to give back and foster mentorship. Over the last few years,

I have accidentally stumbled back into the university world, where I have been able to facilitate connections between industry and teaching, and have been lucky to be bestowed with the title of professor.

I am not big on protocols, exclusivity or privilege. Throughout the year, I intend to instigate hold points for reflection and disruption. In particular, I would like to frame a conversation around how to combat ageism in our profession. And I’d like to promote the role of the emerging architect and encourage the regeneration of our membership to a contemporary group, forward-thinking and without boundaries.

Architecture in its most simplistic notion responds to the basic principles of shelter and anthropology in all cultures: to put a roof over everybody’s head while acknowledging the terroir of our particular Country.

The COVID pause has amplified a call to reflect on our social values and the things that are truly important.

In our communities across Australia, many still sleep on the streets and governments turn a blind eye. Perhaps, this year, we can focus on an agenda of social responsibility to provide shelter to those most in need. The pandemic has shown that we can find shelter for the needy when we have to – and if we want to.

Interestingly, the issue of social values feeds into the theme of this special edition of Architecture Australia on “The suburbs,” which recognizes the value of traditional social meeting points such as schools, stations and community hubs – something not lost in my suburban upbringing but disappearing in the densification and infill of our contemporary cities.

As a profession in this luckiest of countries, we can get hung up on inward-looking, first-world problems that recall some outdated perception of our privileged standing in the community. But in the end, the only people who will think that what we do is relevant are the people we serve. The real privilege of our profession is that it allows us to design spaces and environments in which people live, work and play. This is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly or for granted. It allows us to design and procure spaces that influence how society grows and ages, regardless of whether we win design awards. It is about being an architect in society and not about architecture in society.

Perhaps, this year, we can pause the grandeur and self-gratification and enjoy a different journey. Perhaps we can forgo being patrons to exclusivity in design, and instead be patrons for social shelter, our environment, and generational and cultural storytelling. Perhaps we can make fostering our next generation a greater priority.

It would be an honour to help move the Institute and our profession toward this goal during my presidency.

I would like to acknowledge the tireless work that has been done before me in the most challenging of years by Immediate Past President Helen Lochhead and outgoing National President Alice Hampson; these two extraordinary leaders have navigated us through uncharted waters, leaving us with a resilient and contemporary structure. And a big thank you also to CEO Julia Cambage and all the Institute staff, who have worked so hard to keep us relevant over the last few years and who continue to provide the best advocacy, education and support for members.