The Australian Institute of Architects has announced the winners of the 2019 Australian Institute of Architects Dulux Study Tour.
Five emerging architects were chosen from 30 shortlisted applicants by a panel of jurors. In 2019, the winners will visit three cities in Europe – Copenhagen, London and Lisbon – and experience first hand some of the world’s best architectural sites and meet global leaders of the profession.
“The jury was impressed by the winners’ depth of skill, engagement and dedication to their profession,” said Clare Cousins, the Institute’s national president and jury chair. “We congratulate all for their success from such a competitive field of applicants. The Institute’s Dulux Study Tour is one of our most coveted awards that celebrates the importance of experiencing architecture first hand by our most promising emerging practitioners.”
The winners are:
Carly McMahon
Jury citation: Originally from rural Victoria, Carly made Tasmania her home when she enrolled at the University of Tasmania to study architecture. After graduating in 2010, Carly worked at Architecture Matters in Melbourne and then relocated back to Tasmania in 2013. Carly now works as a registered architect at Liminal Studio, a globally connected, creatively agile studio noted for its creativity and embrace of collaboration.
Carly is active in the advocacy and development of the architectural profession across Tasmania. Her drive to make a difference and contribute more broadly to the profession is noted through her participation as a chapter councillor for the Tasmanian Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects and EmAGN Tasmania. This has led to organizational roles for the local architecture symposium, A Weekend Away, being appointed to the jury for the 2016 Tasmanian Architecture Awards, and being selected as creative director for the 2016 and 2017 Tasmanian Architecture Awards. Her participation demonstrates leadership, her generous spirit and ambition to interact with and propel the profession across multiple platforms.
Carly’s involvement in leading projects has intensified – she is one of the key team members delivering The Hedberg, a ninety-six-million-dollar performing arts project for the University of Tasmania, the state government and the operators of the Theatre Royal, the oldest continually operating theatre in Australia. The jury believes Carly will greatly benefit from taking part in the Dulux Study Tour and this opportunity will expand, strengthen and reward her ongoing and generous contribution to the Tasmanian architectural community.
Jennifer McMaster.
Image: Jonathan Donnelly
Jennifer McMaster
Jury citation: Jennifer graduated with honours from the University of Sydney and is now the director of Trias, founded in 2016. She is passionate about the role that architecture plays within our culture and has a strong desire to continually provoke change in our cities, suburbs and landscapes by inspiring residential occupants, and to mentor younger architecture graduates.
While Trias has a short two-year history, the practice’s Three Piece House, led by Jennifer, has humbly received a 2018 New South Wales Australian Institute of Architects Residential (New) Award and a 2018 Sustainable Architecture Award in the Newcastle Awards. It is an exceptional example of simplicity, strength and beauty in a residential area. Jennifer is a devoted writer and architectural advocate with a strong belief in quality over quantity. She is not afraid to challenge the status quo and is eager to learn and share her experiences with those around her by creating content for magazine features, blogs and radio programs. She contributes to open conversations and continues to use different mediums to educate and inspire.
Assuredly Jennifer’s participation in the Dulux Study Tour will allow her the unique opportunity to investigate and share her involvement with the wider community, encouraging graduates to pursue their careers with curiosity and courage.
Phillip Nielsen.
Image: Georgie James Photography
Phillip Nielsen
Jury citation: Phillip is a registered architect and co-founder of Regional Design Service, an architecture and design practice based in the Murray River region on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. Phillip has over ten years’ experience working in architectural practices across Australia including Hassell and KPDO.
Driven by a desire to promote design and strategic thinking beyond Australia’s major urban centres, Phillip and his partner Aaron Nicholls moved to the region in 2017 and set up shop in an empty storefront on the main street of Corowa. Phillip has become a familiar face in the community, to its individuals, community groups and local government alike.
Phillip’s service to the region is diverse and broad ranging: he assists local councils and community groups in project creation, strategic planning, instigating public design events and securing project funding. One significant example is the Rural Placemaking Project in Wangaratta, realized in collaboration with consulting studio Projectura. Twenty-one rural townships were consulted through conversations with individual community members, uniting the individual towns into five rural district plans that captured their aspirations for the future. This resulted in the doubling of project funding allocated to the small townships in 2018–19.
The jury commends Phillip’s drive and initiative and is confident the Dulux Study Tour will propel his contributions to regional Australia’s built environment and its people.
Ben Peake
Image: Matt Fraser
Ben Peake
Jury citation: Ben is an associate at Carter Williamson Architects. Since graduating in 2015 with a master of architecture from the University of Technology Sydney, Ben has tutored in various UTS subjects including “The Profession,” where students are asked to consider the role of the architect.
For Ben, the role is more than delivering quality projects for people. Architects have a civic responsibility – a moral and professional obligation to work towards the public interest. Nowhere is this more apparent than with Ben’s advocacy for Save our Sirius, a campaign to protect a brutalist apartment building in The Rocks, Sydney. As campaign manager, Ben helped crowdfund a successful legal challenge against the New South Wales Heritage Minister, co-authored the book Sirius and organized events and protest marches to garner further support for the cause.
The profession needs advocates and leaders to speak out on behalf of communities and the built environment. While still a graduate architect, Ben is one of these leaders. The jury is confident that Ben’s participation in the Dulux Study Tour will provide experiences to further his passion as a positive influencer within the profession.
Alix Smith.
Image: Victor Scorsis
Alix Smith
Jury citation: Alix is an associate at Hassell where she began as a graduate architect. She is a registered architect and graduated from the University of Melbourne. With exceptional leadership within the profession, Alix is involved in promoting gender equity, mentoring and Indigenous engagement through the establishment of Hassell’s Women in Design Group, Global Intern Program and Indigenous Engagement Initiative, and through collaboration with Parlour. Alix is the design lead for a number of large and complex projects at Hassell, including the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, level crossing removal projects and the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. Through these projects, she has demonstrated exceptional design skills and talent, advocacy for responsible and high-quality design, and highly collaborative and generous leadership skills.
Alix’s involvement in education and mentoring extends beyond Hassell to running design studios for the master of architecture program, presenting a number of times at the University of Melbourne and involvement in the Australian Institute of Architects including as a member of the 2018 Victorian Chapter sustainability jury.
The jury believes that Alix’s remarkable design and professional skills on projects of the highest level of complexity combined with her effective advocacy, mentoring and leadership will be enriched and expanded through her participation in this year’s Dulux Study Tour.
The jury comprised the Institute’s national president Clare Cousin (jury chair, president of the Australian Institute of Architects and director of Clare Cousins Architects), Richard Hansen (general manager of Dulux Trade), Carrie Field (national commercial manager of Dulux Group), Michael Linke (general manager membership services, Australian Institute of Architects), Emily Ouston (past Dulux Study Tour winner and architect at Core Collective Architects) and Thom McKenzie (president of EmAGN, Australian Institute of Architects and director of Winwood McKenzie).
Cousins encouraged unsuccessful candidates from 2019 to reapply for 2020.
