2022 NSW Life Fellows
Ed Lippmann, LFRAIA
Throughout his career Ed has contributed significantly to the built environment in New South Wales, spanning design, teaching and public policy.
As the founding principal of Lippmann Partnership, his practice’s achievements include the delivery of the highly awarded 8 Chifley Square (in partnership with Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners), the Andrew “Boy” Charlton Pool, King George V Recreational Centre and the Emmanuel Synagogue.
Ed has a long history of advocating for discourse about design and urbanism. Passionate about the sustainability of our urban environments, he has written and spoken about the need for strategy and public engagement in the growth of his hometown. He has recently published Sydney XXXL; an Eight Point Plan for the Future growth of Sydney and since 2006 has hosted a popular radio program, Sydney by Design, raising awareness of issues facing the future of the city.
Ed has contributed to architectural education through longstanding lecturing roles at several Australian universities including the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney, and the University of Newcastle.
His support of the profession has extended to serving as a juror for the Australian Institute of Architects Chapter Awards programs and on numerous New South Wales Chapter committees.
Ed’s sustained leadership, service and contribution to the profession make him a deserving recipient of an Australian Institute of Architects Life Fellowship.
Mahalath Halperin, LFRAIA
Mahalath has made a significant contribution to the profession of architecture, service to the community, sustainable design, and professional and community education. Her involvement in the Institute’s NSW Country Division saw her take on several roles including committee chair, deputy chair, awards juror and jury chair, representative to the practice, the Urban Design and the Environment and Sustainability Committees and writer for the Vision Newsletter.
Mahalath has organised Country Division conventions and was largely responsible for introducing formal continuing education programs to the Country Division. Additionally, she sat on the NSW Chapter Council and was Deputy Chair of the Environmentally Sustainable Design and NSW Practice Committees.
Mahalath has represented the interests of regional architects to the Institute and acted as an intermediary between country members and Chapter Council, giving generously of her time and knowledge. She has volunteered at several community organisations, chairing advisory groups, convening committees, writing articles, and organising the sustainable house tours at Sustainable Living Armidale. She has held workshops on domestic and commercial sustainability and has been a panelist and speaker at seminars and forums for professional, tertiary and community associations. Holistic sustainable design has been a driving force behind the architectural practice Mahalath has run from Armidale for over 30 years.
Mahalath’s commitment to the environment saw her win first place for Single Dwelling in the 2018 National Sustainability Awards and is most deserving of an Australian Institute of Architects Life Fellowship.
Philip Graus, LFRAIA
Philip is a qualified urban planner and architect with 35 years of experience in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, and 25 years of involvement in practice-based research, in conjunction with universities, professional and industry organisations, including a period of service on Australian Institute of Architects committees and panels.
With significant experience in large-scale urban renewal, urban design, master planning and mixed-use residential projects, Philip is skilled in managing multi-disciplinary teams. He was a director and chair of COX Architecture until June 2017, having joined the practice in 1992. Philip’s urban renewal projects include Putney Hill, the new Parramatta Road urban revitalisation, and Quadrant off Broadway high-density mixed-use development.
Philip joined the Greater Cities Commission (GCC) in 2017 as director of Western Sydney City Deal, overseeing the urban design elements of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and precinct plans. In 2020 he was appointed as a member of the state government Design Champions Group and has acted as a member of state design review panels for a range of state-significant precincts and projects. Other design advisory roles include membership of the health infrastructure expert reference group and the land and housing community plus program.
He has lectured widely on urban planning issues and was alternate chair of the Planning Institute of Australia NSW Urban Design Chapter, as well as a member of the Australian Institute of Architects Built Environment Committee. In 2011, together with Philip Cox AO and Bob Meyer AM, he published a book on Australian housing – Home: Evolution of the Australian Dream. Philip is a very deserving recipient of a Life Fellowship.
Leone Lorrimer, LFRAIA
Leone is a national practice leader at ghdwoodhead, member of the Property Council’s Commercial Committee, member of Chief Executive Women (CEW), and has been recognised as one of Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence and InDesign Luminary.
In an impressive career spanning over 30 years, Leone has been a board member, director, strategist, major project leader and design architect. she has held executive positions across ghdwoodhead, Design Worldwide Partnerships (dwp) and Woods Bagot, where she has led the successful growth and development of these companies into new sectors. Prior to these roles, Leone was the development and design manager for numerous city-scale projects and museums, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum.
Known for her drive and determination, Leone has given back to the profession in numerous ways throughout her career – from her involvement in design and architecture awards juries to her contribution to national competition policy, numerous industry publications and media.
Leone is passionate about design, quality, and sustainability and is a fierce campaigner for gender equality. she was a member of the National Committee for Gender Equity, and WGEA Pay Equity Ambassador and has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to champion women across the industry.
Leone is an exemplary leader, advocate for architecture and role model to many. She is elevated to Life Fellow in recognition of her ongoing and profound contribution to practice, sponsorship of women and broad service to the architectural profession.
Tone Wheeler, LFRAIA
Tone has made a significant contribution to the built environment of New South Wales and to the profession through his practice, at the academy, in publishing and through engagement and advocacy across a number of fronts.
Tone has been the leader of environa studio since its founding in 1986. Here he pursued an agenda of thoughtful, sophisticated, environmentally sustainable design across a range of project types in Sydney and around Australia. Notable projects include the Wayside Chapel in Potts Point – Winner of the Australian Institute of Architects National Award for Sustainable Architecture in 2014.
He has also been heavily involved in architectural education and has been a member of three different architecture faculties in New South Wales over the course of his career including serving as an Adjunct Professor at the University of New South Wales.
Tone has contributed an abundance of articles to numerous Australian and overseas publications, including his long-running Tone on Tuesday series for Architecture and Design. He was also involved in the ABC TV show Young Inventors as a judge, as well as various contributions to ABC Radio.
Tone is the current president of the Australian Architecture Association and has previously been involved in the Australian Institute of Architects Sustainability Committee. He served on the board of the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA) and also as a member of the Building Professionals Board.
The breadth of Tone’s contribution to the discipline of architecture and to the profession in New South Wales makes him a deserving recipient of an Australian Institute of Architects Life Fellowship.
Susan Rothwell, LFRAIA
Susan has had a transformational impact on the architectural landscape of Sydney and more broadly across Australia. Her extraordinary career spanning 50 years has enabled her to promote the academic purposes of the University of Sydney’s School of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning, the arts and philanthropic charities that aim to renew the urban landscape.
Susan is the current director of Susan Rothwell Architects, a company she started in 1972, after graduating from the University of Sydney. Her personal approach and design skills soon entrenched Susan Rothwell Architects’ reputation for producing high-quality designs culminating in the construction of some of Sydney’s most iconic homes in Palm Beach, Rose Bay, and Mosman.
From the outset, Susan’s list of residential projects in the early 1970s spanned from the Northern Sydney suburbs of Palm Beach, Mosman, Cremorne and Kirribilli to Double Bay, Woollahra, and Vaucluse on the east. In this period the practice was averaging between 15–21 residential projects annually, a remarkable feat for a recent graduate of architecture. While building her practice, Susan, along with her husband Garry, were able to share their success with others and began their philanthropic pursuits.
Susan has immersed herself in volunteer work at several cultural institutions including being a founding donor of the Museum of Contemporary Art, an exhibition patron, and donor for the museum’s wing in the former Maritime Services Board Building. Throughout her career, Susan has generously used her influence to advance the disciplines of architecture and urbanism while supporting the broader community, making her an outstanding recipient of Life Fellowship.
2022 NSW Fellows
Penny Collins FRAIA
Penny graduated from the University of Sydney in 1986, and since that time has become a leader and significant contributor to architectural design, education and industry improvement. In practice, Penny is a Principal of Collins and Turner with partner Huw Turner. Collins and Turner works across a broad spectrum of building types including public buildings, multiple and social housing, commercial buildings, private residential, interiors and infrastructure. The practice has been the recipient of the Sulman Medal and the Aaron Bolot award.
Penny has developed a reputation as a generous and thoughtful guest lecturer, sharing her insight across a range of important topics at the University of Technology Sydney, University of New South Wales, University of Sydney and University of Queensland. Penny has also served as a guest interim and final juror in design studio across multiple year levels and at multiple institutions over the last twenty years, bringing an all-round understanding of the broader industry, practice and the value of quality architecture to students.
Penny is a serving member of both the NSW State Design Review Panel as well as the Randwick Design Review Panel and has served as a NSW State Awards juror. She has also contributed to the RAIA conference and to the Housing Futures Symposium.
George El Khouri FRAIA
George has been practicing as a registered architect and licenced builder since 1984, and is a director of his own firm George El Khouri Architects. He has been a member of the Australian Institute of Architects since 1978 and is a founding member of the Australian Architects Association. Over the past 40 years George has been donating architectural services to various non-profit organizations, including a cancer care unit at St George Hospital where the wing was named in his honour. This generous contribution to the community has led to George receiving an Order of Australia Medal this year for his outstanding service to Architecture and the Community.
Cate Cowlishaw FRAIA
Cate’s career has spanned over two decades serving in leadership roles across global, national and boutique architectural practices and has seen her forge a career focused on business development, architectural operations and practice leadership.
She is passionate about making a difference and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry. Her service to the community and the profession is evidenced by her commitment to mentoring and coaching both within the studio and more broadly in mentoring programs within industry for aspiring architects and graduates.
She is an active and influential member of several industry organisations and programs, including RAIA’s NSW Chapter Chair, Gender Equity Taskforce, NSW Architecture Bulletin Editorial Committee, University of Sydney’s Advisor to Faculty of Architecture Alumni Association, Property Council of Australia’s ACT Chapter Future Directors Committee and Museum of Modern Art at Heide’s ProMoma Fundraising Committee.
We congratulate Cate on attaining Fellowship at the Australian Institute of Architects.
Michael Heenan FRAIA
Over four decades, Michael’s contributions as a city-shaper has seen him drive a wide variety of projects across a diverse range of public and private building and planning typologies. His contributions to professional associations, panels and boards, roles as both juror and chair of awards programmes and his presentations of a number of lectures at universities across the globe show his depth of engagement and deep commitment to excellence in the built and natural environments as an active contributor and mentor within the profession. Both personally and through his role as director of one of the country’s most respected practices Allen Jack+Cottier, Michael has made a number of active social contributions through the support of organisations such as Architects without Frontiers, numerous pro-bono undertakings, sponsorship and donations to a variety of projects in the Pacific and Southeast Asian region.
The Australian Institute of Architects congratulates Michael for his achievements, and thanks him for his contribution both to the profession and our broader society.
Michael Kitmiridis FRAIA
Michael is recognised for his substantial experience in the architectural profession across both public and private sector roles and is awarded a Fellowship for his significant contribution to the profession and involvement across diverse planning, architecture and construction domains.
Michael’s service to local government as Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Councillor of Kogarah City Council is to be particularly commended. His involvement in Council planning and environment and heritage committees brought architectural expertise to these domains and his skills in mediation and fundraising were of significant benefit to the local community during his term in office.
Tim Ross, HONORARY FELLOW
Tim passionately supports important issues in Australian architecture and design, in particular the ‘Save Our Sirius’ campaign, where he fights alongside the local community to protect Sydney’s now neglected modernist apartment building, Sirius. In 2018 Tim was awarded the National Trust Heritage Award for Advocacy, which recognised his activism in drawing attention to Australia’s legacy of modernist architecture and promoting its conservation.
In 2019 Tim was awarded the National President’s Prize from the Australian Institute of Architects, to “recognise him for his advocacy, activism and outstanding contribution to the architecture profession”. He also brought a wealth of experience and valuable perspective being one of the jurors for the 2022 National Architecture Awards, tasked with evaluating and deciding on the very best architecture across Australia.
Tim’s interest in architecture has led to speaking engagements at The ’50s and ’60s House Symposium (Museum of Sydney), Home Series talks (Government House), Sydney Design Week, the London Design Museum, Culture of Lates Symposium in London, the Heritage Address in Melbourne and the prestigious Griffin Lecture at the National Press Club in Canberra.
Tim’s service and contribution to the profession make him a deserving recipient of an Australian Institute of Architects Honorary Fellowship.
