William (Bill) Curnow FRAIA (1938-2022)
William Curnow AM FRAIA died on 16 June 2022 in Toowoomba Queensland. His funeral was held at St Peters Lutheran College Chapel, Indooroopilly on 23 June 2022 and was attended by over 300, with just on 200 watching livestream. The family received messages from all over the world, as he had really impacted bio security at many overseas establishments.
He was buried at Brookfield Historic Cemetery Queensland on July 5th.
“His last days were spent standing at our window overlooking the park designing lost cost housing, container houses and renovation suggestions for various family and friends. His mind was sharp to the end. ” Margaret Curnow – wife of nearly 58 years tells us.
His book “ Biosecurity By Design is No Accident” was never launched due to Covid and then his unexpected cancer diagnosis. At some time in the future we hope this work may become available.
Bill’s website details his book and his research journey and poster presentations at 2 World Congresses on Parkinsons Disease.
“As citizen scientist Bill encouraged others to think outside the square. He never ever gave up on any trauma thrown at him.” said Margaret Curnow
Our thoughts go to Bill’s family in their time of mourning, and on behalf of the Institute and the many friends and colleagues that Bill enjoyed within it, the Queensland Chapter President, Amy Degenhart, extended our deepest condolences to Margaret for her loss.
In a letter to Margaret, Amy wrote:
“I am compelled to extend condolences to the architectural profession and beyond, as the contributions made to make a better world by Professor William C Curnow, AM, as an architect, scientist, philanthropist, visionary, father, grandfather, husband and so much more were quite simply extraordinary, and his loss will be felt in ways and places I am humbled to imagine.”
“In reading a recent long version of Bill’s Curriculum Vitae, I was mesmerised by so much, but particularly struct by the dexterity with which he moved from applying best-practice design to the biosecurity of Australian livestock with world class results, to interrogating the concept of how Noah might have conquered similar challenges on the Arc, then applying those lessons to envision the containment of extra-terrestrial samples our society soon hopes to collect from Mars.”
On behalf of the Institute of Architects, Queensland Chapter, our condolences..
