6 Oct
Happy World Architecture Day!
Last week I had the pleasure of attending the World Architecture Festival in Singapore.
WAF is an exciting, large scale, international celebration of architecture and is fantastic opportunity for the Institute to promote the work the organisation and our members are doing to an international audience.
WAF culminated on Friday night with the 2014 WAF Awards presentation event. Australian firms were again well represented in the awards, recognised by five awards, including the overall award for Landscape, won by National Arboretum Canberra / Australia / Taylor Cullity Lethlean and Tonkin Zulaikha Greer
This is a fantastic result and confirms that we continue to deliver projects at the highest level of design and collaboration in the world.
Read the list of winners here.
This month and next, many of our chapters are also celebrating architecture, with a number of festivals taking place that include tours, parties, exhibitions, talks and more. Each of these programs promotes the value of architecture to the public with diverse events that are engaging, thought-provoking and fun.
In Queensland, the program was launched on 27 September with the Gold Medal talk, runs until 19 October. Highlights include Open House in Brisbane (including Chapter offices!), Toowoomba, Cairns and Maryborough. More information here.
Place SA runs through the year and peaks in October with a public events program that is rooted in exploring and sharing what makes a great place, to deepen our understanding of the ecology and conditions, so that we create better places in the future.
WA Architecture Week runs from 18 to 24 October. There will be light shows, urban screenings, walking tours and architectural musings and more. Also popular events Box City and 3 Over 4 Under return for another year.
Melbourne Architecture Annual (27 October-2 November) is a week-long festival that engages with the public to create an open discussion about architecture, city building and sustainable communities. MA|A features a diverse program of events based around Federation Square and inner Melbourne that explores ‘your city, your home and your architecture’.
Sydney Architecture Festival runs from 1 to 10 November and is Australia’s largest public celebration of architecture. This year, the program is inspired by the curatorial theme ‘Connections – the making of a great city’, and looks at the vital role of transport and infrastructure. Enjoy guided architectural tours and cruises, talks, open houses, installations, exhibitions and children’s activities.
The program concludes in Tasmania, with festivities from 17 to 22 November. Open House Hobart will be a highlight with 40 buildings opening to the public including recent architecture award-winning projects as well as a host of heritage and mid-century icons.
Do make the most of your local architecture festival. Spread the word to family, friends and beyond. These programs encourage everyone to engage and interact with their local architecture and built environment, and the value of this cannot be overstated.
Kind regards,
David Karotkin
National President
