As we look ahead to the final quarter of the year, I’m pleased to share details of an important upcoming event and to acknowledge the life and legacy of a remarkable architect and Life Fellow of the Institute.
On Friday, 17 October 2025, we’ll gather at the Geelong Arts Centre for this year’s Victorian Regional Symposium. With the theme Regional Density: Regional Voices, Resilient Futures, this full-day program will bring together architects, planners, policy-makers, and infrastructure experts to explore how we can deliver density that works for – and with -regional communities.
Through case studies, critical conversations and practical frameworks, the symposium will highlight the enabling infrastructure, policy shifts and regional design leadership that must underpin Victoria’s next chapter of growth. We welcome sole practitioners, regional firms, council officers and built environment allies working outside metro Melbourne to join us.
It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Anne Cunningham LFRAIA on 8 September 2025. Anne was a pioneering architect, educator, advocate, and practice leader whose legacy spans social housing, participatory design, and environmental stewardship.
As co-founder of Cunningham & Keddie, Australia’s first women-led architectural practice, Anne championed inclusive processes and community-driven outcomes – particularly in public housing and urban renewal projects across Victoria. Her leadership extended to service on National Council, education committees, and the Victorian Building Appeals Board, as well as mentoring generations of students and practitioners.
Anne’s impact reached far beyond her built work. She was a founding member of Women in Architecture, an advocate for design education in schools, and a passionate environmentalist who continued to live and practice architecture in central Victoria well into her later years.
Anne will be remembered as a generous colleague, a visionary designer, and a true leader in our profession. She will be deeply missed.