The Emerging Architect Prize (EAP) winners have been announced for each Chapter. The EAP recognises an individual emerging architect or emerging architectural collaboration’s contribution to architectural practice, education, design excellence and community involvement, which advances the profession’s role within the public arena.
The 2025-chapter winners will now proceed to national judging, with the winner of the National Emerging Architect Prize announced at the National Architecture Awards in Canberra on Thursday, 6 November 2025, at The National Gallery of Australia.
Congratulations to the following recipients:
- Australian Capital Territory – Mark Brook, MYMYMY Architecture
- New South Wales – Gabrielle Pelletier, Sam Crawford Architects
- Northern Territory – Maiya McKenna, Rossi Architects
- Queensland – Dr Kali Marnane, Urbis
- South Australia – Gabrielle Seymour, Baukultur
- Tasmania – Elizabeth (Liz) Walsh and Alex Nielsen, SO. Architecture
- Victoria – Stephanie Kitingan, Jacqueline O’Brien, and James Flaherty, Placement
- Western Australia – Emily Duncan, Woods Bagot
Further, congratulations to International Chapter recipient, Paul Mak, Populous, Tokyo.
In 2026 we move to the International Chapter participating in the prize with all other chapters. This means participating annually in the EAP, with the International Chapter winner eligible to win the National EAP Prize for the first time.
Nominations can still be made for the 2026 EAP, nominations close 11.59pm AEDT Thursday 31 July 2025. Nominate now!
WINNER JURY CITATIONS
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY – MARK BROOK
The Emerging Architect Prize is awarded to Mark Brook in recognition of his outstanding contribution to architecture through design excellence, leadership and advocacy. As director of MYMYMY Architecture, Mark has developed a striking portfolio across hospitality, retail and residential projects. His work – widely published and celebrated through awards including the Pamille Berg Prize for Art in Architecture – demonstrates a deep commitment to craft, collaboration, and material richness.
Beyond practice, Mark’s dedication to the profession is both sustained and generous. As EmAGN ACT Co-Chair, he actively supported emerging professionals encouraging individuals within the cohort to take on meaningful roles and responsibilities through advocacy, events, podcasts and committee involvement. As Chair of the Practice Committee, he has been strongly advocating for initiatives that can impact policy and secure opportunities for architects in the ACT. His commitment to sharing, and willingness to achieve better outcomes for others, exemplify Mark’s outstanding leadership within the profession.
A dedicated mentor and educator, Mark also contributes through volunteer work and community outreach – most notably with Yeddung Mura and the University of Canberra. His value-driven approach, focus on collective advancement, and commitment to sharing knowledge reflects the ethos of the Emerging Architect Prize. Mark is an inspiring advocate and a vital voice for our profession.
New South Wales – Gabrielle Pelletier
Gabrielle Pelletier has already in her career made a significant contribution to the architectural profession, demonstrating a generous, persistent, and strategic model of leadership. Her career spans both practice and advocacy, united by a clear commitment to design excellence, environmental sustainability, and community benefit.
As Associate Director at Sam Crawford Architects since 2017, Gabrielle has played a key role in delivering exemplary community-focused projects, including the Blacktown Animal Rehoming Centre—an initiative shaped by a number of years of research and community-focused design, realised within tight budget constraints.
Gabrielle’s advocacy work is equally impactful. A committed member of the Australian Institute of Architects, she was awarded a Fellowship in 2023. She has served on Chapter Council, contributed to the Gender Equity Taskforce, and acted as a juror for numerous awards. She championed the introduction of mandatory sustainability reporting in the Institute’s awards and helped develop the decarbonisation plan.
Beyond the Institute, Gabrielle lends her expertise to Design Review Panels, reinforcing her dedication to public-focused, high-quality design. Her career reflects a strong sense of purpose, practical leadership, and a deep belief in architecture’s potential for positive change.
Gabrielle’s honesty, generosity and candour make her an inspiring role model for emerging architects—a true embodiment of leadership by example.
NORTHERN TERRITORY – MAIYA MCKENNA
Maiya Mckenna has been awarded the 2025 Northern Territory Emerging Architect Prize for her dedication to advocacy and action at various scales of the architectural community. Her focus on community welfare, and place-responsive procedures demonstrates her commitment to achieving great architectural outcomes through genuine listening and her innate social responsibility.
As Studio Lead at Rossi Architects, Maiya exemplifies hands-on leadership and a self-driven commitment to first nations communities and the broader profession. Embracing humility while balancing technical and cultural responsibilities to clients, stakeholders and often-voiceless end users with sensitivity and conviction. All the while mentoring young architects and raising expectations within her project team through thoughtful conversations and actions.
During her time in the NT Chapter council and as NT EmAGN Co-chair she has initiated transparency, accountability, and positive change. Maiya contributed to council papers, policies, reports, and industry events. While at national levels she advocated for support to our remote members and the impacts, challenges and benefits of remote architectural practice.
Outside of the day-to-day, Maiya has supported various community initiatives, from student workshops as a SONA Rep and UQ Architecture Ambassador to fundraising and organising for the ‘Winter Sleep Out’ event for victims of domestic violence. She also leads the NT Registration Study Group to assist graduates on their path to registration.
For exhibiting exemplary leadership, embracing cultural aspects of practice, and continuously enhancing the profession, she is highly commended by the jury, who look forward to her future contributions.
QUEENSLAND – DR KALI MARNANE
Dr Kali Marnane’s career, research and community involvement has been marked by generosity, selflessness, and advocacy for underrepresented community members. Kali has played an active role in educating and advocating for the next generation of architects through her significant role as a sessional academic, EmAGN co-chair representative and Parlour Lab co-founder. Kali’s leadership within the profession has been significant.
Through her diverse career, Kali has promoted a more equitable and inclusive architecture and has encouraged others to do the same. Kali’s leadership role at Urbis demonstrates the role architects can play in contributing to city-making.”
Kali’s career path has allowed her to have a far-reaching impact on communities, and the architectural profession, with each step underpinned by excellence and devotion to promoting, in her own words: ‘architecture that uplifts, includes, and celebrates’.
South AUSTRALIA – GABRIELLE SEYMOUR
Gabrielle Seymour is a highly accomplished emerging architect whose career spans large-scale commercial, heritage and mixed-use projects. A dedicated practitioner at Baukultur, she demonstrates expertise across all project phases while maintaining a strong commitment to mentoring and professional development. Balancing work with raising a young family, Gabrielle has remained deeply engaged in project leadership, studio culture and the broader architectural community.
Beyond practice, Gabrielle is a passionate educator and advocate. As a regular sessional tutor and guest critic at the University of South Australia, and through long-standing involvement with the Institute’s SA Chapter—serving on the EmAGN SA committee (2017–2024) and as co-chair (2022–23)—she has actively contributed to shaping and supporting the next generation of architects.
In 2021, Gabrielle co-founded Archibubs, a pioneering national initiative supporting parents andcaregivers in architecture. Now active across multiple states, Archibubs provides inclusive, supportive spaces to help navigate the challenges of balancing parenting with professional life.
Through sustained leadership, advocacy and mentorship, Gabrielle embodies the values of the Emerging Architect Prize—championing equity, design excellence and a collaborative, inclusive future for the profession.
TASMANIA – ELIZABETH (LIZ) WALSH AND ALEX NIELSEN
Liz Walsh and Alex Nielsen exemplify the extraordinary impact that thoughtful, principled architectural practice can have, regardless of scale.
Their portfolio, though modest in square metres, has garnered remarkable recognition, including an Australian Institute of Architects’ Tasmanian Architecture Medal, two Triennial Prizes, and multiple national awards.
Their work demonstrates how small footprints can yield outsized spatial and cultural contributions, particularly evident in projects like Harriet’s House, #TheBarnTAS, and #TheBaeTAS.
Prior to establishing their own practice, Walsh and Nielsen honed their expertise in significant Tasmanian firms; Walsh as Principal and Design Lead at Cumulus Studio and Nielsen as Senior Associate at Circa Morris-Nunn Chua Architects.
In these roles, plus an ongoing commitment to education, they have contributed to award-winning commercial, tourism, and public projects across Tasmania, establishing Walsh and Nielsen as formidable presences in Tasmanian architecture.
VICTORIA – STEPHANIE KITINGAN, JACQUELINE O'BRIEN, AND JAMES FLAHERTY
Stephanie Kitingan, Jacqueline O’Brien, and James Flaherty are deserving winners of the 2025 Emerging Architect Prize for Victoria. This trio has made prolific and generous contributions to the practice and culture of architecture through their emerging studio, Placement.
Their design excellence is matched by a collaborative, people-centred approach, evident across their architectural and teaching work. This ethos extends beyond the studio to active service within the profession and broader community — from leading EmAGN initiatives to delivering impactful projects with recent migrants and marginalised groups. The jury commends Stephanie, Jacqueline, and James not only for the quality of their work, but for the way they work — with humility, clarity, and generosity.
Placement studio represents a model for a thoughtful, socially engaged architectural practice. Their ability to sustain and grow a meaningful practice amid the current pressures facing small, emergingstudios is especially noteworthy. The jury congratulates Stephanie, Jacqueline and James on the strength and timeliness of their collective approach and wishes them much success with their future endeavours.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA – EMILY DUNCAN
Emily Duncan stands out as a leader of the next generation of Australian architects. An Associate at Woods Bagot and a registered architect in Western Australia, Emily’s work bridges design excellence, technical delivery, and meaningful community impact. Her involvement on the Morley-Ellenbrook Line — a major public transport project spanning 21 kilometres and delivering five new stations — demonstrates her outstanding ability to realise complex, civic-focused infrastructure with human-centred and sustainable outcomes.
Emily’s active involvement with the Property Council of Australia, and the National Association of Women in Construction highlights her commitment to strengthening the profession, championing diversity, and shaping the future of Australia’s built environment. Beyond practice, she invests in the next generation, mentoring emerging architects and supporting architectural education through the University of Notre Dame’s professional practice program.
Emily’s recent accolades, including her selection for the 500 Women in Property program and Australian Design Review’s 30UNDER30, are a testament to her leadership, innovation, and advocacy for inclusive excellence within the industry. Through her design practice, professional engagement, and community contributions, Emily exemplifies the values of the Emerging Architect Prize — a passionate and visionary professional shaping architecture with integrity, collaboration.
INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER – PAUL MAK
The jury is pleased to award Paul Mak the 2025 International Chapter Emerging Architect Prize in recognition of his outstanding professional achievements, design excellence, and cross-cultural contributions to architecture.
As a registered ARBV architect and LEED Green Associate, Paul has gained diverse experience across leading international practices, including Grimshaw, Integrated Design Associates, Kengo Kuma & Associates, and Maki & Associates. Now based in Tokyo as a Senior Project Manager and Architect at Populous, he demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainable and culturally responsive design on complex urban and sporting projects. The urban focus of Mak’s work in practice dovetails with his research at the University of Tokyo on urban and social infrastructure for Tokyo’s ageing and shrinking urban conditions. This research demonstrates a commitment to tackling the problems currently facing urban settlements in advanced economies. It contributes to the broader conversation on how these issues might be addressed through high-quality design solutions.
Paul’s engagement with the architectural community extends beyond practice. His roles as an APE Part 3 examiner and volunteer at initiatives such as the Australia-Japan Sister City Forum reflect his dedication to mentoring, advocacy, and fostering international collaboration. His recognition in design competitions further attests to his creativity and innovation across scales and disciplines.
Paul Mak exemplifies the spirit of the Emerging Architect Prize through his professional leadership, design rigour, and continued contribution to advancing Australian architecture on the global stage.
