The Northern Territory Chapter is pleased to announce that Miriam Wallace, BScience Enviro Des. BArch (hons) Dip PM has been elected as Chapter President.
Miriam graduated with first-class honors from the University of Canberra in 2006. She was awarded the 2007 Advancement of Architecture Award and worked in Canberra for Colin Stewart before moving to Alice Springs and working with Sue Dugdale since 2008. Miriam has worked with NGOs in India, Burundi, and Thailand. She holds a Diploma of Project Management and was named the 2018 NT Emerging Architect.
The NT Chapter looks forward to working with Miriam throughout her tenure to continue to advocate for high-quality outcomes for the industry.
From Miriam Wallace
It is often said that the Northern Territory is a place of extremes—extreme climate and weather, extreme remoteness, extreme social disparity, but also extreme beauty and resilience. It takes a particular type of professional to carve out a career and commit to the small wins that lead to long-term impact in this unique place. NT Architects understand the importance of designing for the climate and the critical role that user engagement plays in the long-term success of a building. We know how to build sustainably in remote environments with the skills and materials available to us, but we can be frustrated by a culture that fails to prioritise good design in project outcomes.
The NT Chapter is committed to creating an environment that supports architects’ wellbeing alongside professional development and the amplification of their impact on the development of the NT built environment. A key element of this is continuing the conversation already underway with the NT Government, local councils, and other key development groups regarding the importance of good design, good process, and good project management, as well as the key skills and understanding that architects bring to these elements of a project. We want to encourage developers to move away from box-ticking, fast solutions with poor long-term outcomes and advocate for the inclusion of architects in the key decisions of projects, including reinstating the role of a Government Architect. We want to be part of the change in thinking that removes the excuse of remoteness or lack of funds from equitable delivery of housing, schools, and other key infrastructure, and we aim to lift everyone’s expectations of what is achievable and acceptable in the built environment.
I feel very privileged that my colleagues have asked me to represent them. I’m hopeful that as we raise the value placed on design, we will also raise the value and wellbeing of architects, including reasonable timeframes and fair remuneration for the incredible value, knowledge, and management that we bring to projects.
