The Tasmanian and International Chapters came together on Saturday 30 May, under the forested dome – originally designed by Robert Morris-Nunn and now repurposed to be a space of learning by Woods Bagot – to celebrate the architectural contributions of Institute members, both within Tasmania and across the shores of the world.
Sarah Wilcox, the manager of the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania, provided an insightful and thought-provoking Welcome to Country in this entry space.
This event showcased creativity in many forms, and I would like to extend a sincere thank you to Nicky Adams, this year’s creative director for the event, for her endless work, creativity and detailed focus on the event experience. Nicky pulled together a team of many, from Catherine Morse, the accordion player who welcomed everyone upon entry, artist Lucy Bleach with her wonderful native corsages, Will Chapman from the catering team at Braised (which also included those behind the ingenious cocktail bar, and the wine from Richmond Park Estate), the AV team from Alive, Lucie Cutting for taking on the role of MC, musician Darren Hanlon for his delightful performances, the Awards Task Force, the EmAGN Committee (who also arranged the after-party), and the many others who assisted with the set up and pack down, lent various items for decoration, and much more! It was truly an evening of collaboration, and a result of many, guided by Nicky’s vision. A big thank you also to the team at the University of Tasmania for the use of their space – and particularly to Sharon and David for their immense amount of assistance and flexibility.
We were delighted to have the Institute’s national president, David Wagner, in attendance on the evening. Thank you to David for speaking at the event, and the many others who did so on the night. From the Institute, I would like to thank the chapter team – Fiona McMullen and Natalie Newland – for the hours they put in over the lead-up to the awards, and also thank Olivia Martin and Jo Nevin for coming and supporting the event, along with the set up and pack down. There was much more work behind the scenes from the broader Institute team – it truly was a team effort.
Programs like this simply aren’t possible without the support of our partners, so a big thank you to Dulux, Alspec, BlueScope Colorbond, Bondor Metecno, Brickworks, Fielders, Lysaght, Swatchbox, Allegion, Total Synergy, Planned Cover, Architecture Media, Fairbrother, In2Construction, Tas Cabinetry Supplies, Verto and Southern Lighting. Many of you were in attendance on the evening, and your ongoing support of our profession isn’t taken for granted.
Thank you to the many juries who put in considered efforts in judging the awards and prizes that were presented. It’s not an easy task, and the time that you dedicate to making informed and considered decisions is highly valued.
Congratulations to all the entrants in the awards, along with all the recipients on the night. Entering a project for peer assessment isn’t a task that is undertaken lightly, and the work that you put into this, and the projects that you put forward to be judged, are to be commended. The list of winners can be found on our website, for both the Tasmanian and International chapters, and photos of the evening, by our ever wonderful Nina Hamilton, can be found here – thank you Nina for all the beautiful imagery from the evening.
Lastly, thank you to all who came from near and far to celebrate architecture – and to those who couldn’t make it in person, but joined us online.
In the words of Nicky, ‘good design matters and deserves to be celebrated.’
Jennifer Nichols
Executive Leader, Tasmanian and International Chapters
Australian Institute of Architects
Cover image: Nina Hamilton