Tasmania Chapter: President’s Report
2007 started with the appointment of a new Chapter President, James Jones of Heffernan Button Voss Architects, and new Chapter Manager, Celine Lim.
Highlights
State Awards
Over 170 guests attended the prestigious annual Royal Australian Institute of Architects Awards at the acclaimed Morilla Estate food and wine centre in May, where winners from 27 entries received were presented with category awards and prizes. Exhibitions of the exemplary work were extremely well-received by members of the profession and the general public, with massive attendances surpassing 1100 at the Mason Pavilion in Hobart. Responses were equally enthusiastic to the regional exhibitions at the School of Architecture in Launceston and the State Library in Burnie. Our interstate juror, Kerstin Thompson (VIC), did a remarkable job of chairing the judging process and spoke at the Chapter to sell-out crowds.
Advocacy
The Tasmanian RAIA formally responded to various issues relevant to the profession throughout the year such as the State Government’s Climate Change Strategy, and on Affordable Housing to the Legislative Council Select Committee.
Representing the architectural profession, we were closely involved with the Tasmanian Building and Construction Industry Training Board’s steering committee to identify CPD needs in the building and construction industry. As well, the project aimed to review funding options available to both the architectural profession and the building industry in general.
We represented the profession in a public forum ‘See What They Want to Do to Our Waterfront’ on the redevelopment and regeneration of the Hobart waterfront, auspiced by the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority.
We continued to lobby the State Government to establish an office of Tasmanian Government Architect. As demonstrated in states with the appointment, such a role will create mutually beneficial relationships between the government and the profession, across areas such as key built environment issues and policies; strategic advice on procurement and design process for major projects, and promotion of the value of design.
CPD/Events
The triennial Cranbrook weekend conference was held again in March to great success. The Greenhill family generously hosted over 55 participants and a band at their estate, where speakers from the profession and allied disciplines gathered to create another round of Tasmanian architectural narratives, with a major highlight of the event being a forum on the Hobart Waterfront International Design Competition.
Our Sustainability Committee curated a small exhibition of ESD projects and provided individual consultations to members of the public during the Environmental Home Expo. Forums such as the joint RAIA/AILA/PIA Sustainable Suburbs event and the Working with Heritage event by Tasmanian Heritage Council provided opportunities for discussion and knowledge sharing on topical issues. Carme Pinos and Wiel Arets’ presence at the Chapter in January, fresh from their whirlwind activity of judging the HWIDC entries, sparked off a year of intense discussions about the future of the waterfront.
In addition to over 50 hours of CPD provided by the Chapter, our Architecture Week emerged reinvigorated with the input of four teams of creative directors, each shaping a night’s program of 10x10x10 presentations, the debut of our Archi-Idol event, and capped off with an address by guest speaker Leon van Schaik.
The Year Ahead
We look forward to furthering the work of the Chapter with new initiatives for CPD, the new EMAGN group, collaborations with SONA and the University of Tasmania, and all volunteers, member committees and the Chapter Council. The Tasmanian RAIA welcomes new councillors Dr Ceridwen Owen, Paul S Johnston and Alysia Bennett (SONA), as well as re-elected and continuing councilors.
Thank You
In appreciation to all sponsors:
Bluescope Steel
Access Solution
Armstrong
Caroma Dorf
CSR Bradford
Department of Justice
Fairbrother
Futago
GHD
J Boag & Sons
K&D Bricks
Lockwood Assa Abloy
Polyflor
Powerco
SEMF
Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority
Tarkett
Tasmanian Heritage Council
Total Flooring
And all in-kind support from our valuable volunteers and members.
James Jones RAIA
President
Tasmania Chapter Council, 2007
James Jones RAIA - President
Yvette Breytenbach RAIA
Karen Davis RAIA
Roger Fay FRAIA
Jeremy Holloway RAIA
Michael Jirku RAIA
Paul Lan FRAIA
Neal Mackintosh RAIA
Jonathan Pyefinch
Peter Scott RAIA
Elizabeth Walsh (SONA)
Cornelis Wegman FRAIA
Andrew Williamson RAIA
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