NSW Chapter President Elizabeth Carpenter Updates us on recent events

Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of engaging with the next generation of architects through my involvement in the juries for the Brian Patrick Keirnan Prize and the EmAGN Awards, which recognise early-career architects and designers. The breadth and depth of talent in these emerging professionals is inspiring. Across all the projects—both built and unbuilt—there is a strong sense of responsibility toward the environment and a commitment to designing better with less impact.

Tusculum was intensely busy hosting all juries for the NSW Awards – thank you to all of those who either presented, were on juries or worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

I also put my head into Vine, an energetic student and recent graduate mentoring session sponsored by Parlour. 

 Mid-month, the RAIA National Council held a two-day workshop in Sydney, bringing together new and current members, including State Presidents, Nominated Councilors, and several board members, including independent member, Rob Stokes. We discussed ways to improve communication across states, how we can advocate more effectively at both state and federal levels, how we can better understand the needs of all members and continually communicate our value as a profession. Our organisation is exceptionally diverse and complex, with no single right answer to many of the challenges we face.
 
We learnt an encouraging statistic: as a member-based organisation, the Institute has an exceptionally high rate of engagement, with over 1,200 volunteers across Australia and internationally. These volunteers contribute to committees, working groups, policy development, advocacy, and community engagement. A huge thank you to all! I encourage anyone interested in getting involved to reach out to our Executive Director, Lisa King, to me, or to one of the NSW Chapter Councillors.
 
Additionally, we received a detailed briefing on the upcoming National Conference, which promises to be an impactful event. A key highlight will be Decarbonising Design: A Path to Net Zero on Day 2, curated by the National Climate Action Sustainability Committee (NCASC). This session is a must-attend. Note –  prices will increase on 04 April.

I had the pleasure of attending an event hosted by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) to celebrate newly registered architects and announce the recipient of the 2025 ARB Medallion at Parliament House. Congratulations to Tyler Smith from the University of Technology Sydney, the 2025 Architects Medallion winner.

It was encouraging to see both the Minister for Building, the Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong, and the Building Commissioner, James Sherrard, in attendance and speaking at the event. Could this be a positive sign for the future?

Finally, I want to highlight a newly published book you may not have come across: The Australian House: The Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture since 1981 by the RAIA. I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the book along with many of the award winners. It is a beautifully produced volume, and one striking theme across many award-winning houses is their modest scale—inspiring yet compact. Taking the time to reflect on the past can offer valuable lessons for the future.

  – Elizabeth Carpenter, NSW CHAPTER PRESIDENT
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