Foundation Board.

Chair

Shannon Battisson LFRAIA

Shannon Battisson is an architect with a great passion for people and place. She was the 2022/23 National President for the Australian Institute of Architects and is a highly contributing member of the profession in Australia, and beyond. She is an experienced public advocate for the benefit of good design, and an accomplished public speaker. Shannon is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and an honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

Shannon is Chair of the Australian Institute of Architects Foundation, the Australian Construction Industry Forum and director of Canberra based practice, studio.sdb: architecture & consulting.

As a leader, Shannon believes in the strength of our collective diversity of voice, experience, and stories. She hopes to inspire others to step up to the challenges of both culture and climate through the celebration of our history and an embracing of our shared human vulnerability.

As an architect, Shannon has a strong ethos of people centric design developed over 20 years of practice. Having studied at the University of New South Wales, and lived abroad, Shannon consciously settled in Canberra to establish her original practice, The Mill, with business partner Sarah Welsh. After 15 years of running the award winning multi disciplinary practice, Shannon made the decision to open a new company, studio.sdb, to allow her to test new models of working in a modern age. She is dedicated to working towards a world where all people have access to the essential elements of home (safety, comfort, and retreat) whilst ensuring the spaces where people live and work are climate responsive, affordable and joyful spaces to be in.

Board member

Helen Lochhead, AO LFRAIA FAICD

Helen is an architect and urbanist with extensive experience in public, private and university sectors including various leadership roles at UNSW Sydney as Dean of Built Environment and Pro Vice-Chancellor Precincts, deputy NSW Government Architect and President and Board Chair of the Australian Institute of Architects 2019-21.

Helen now combines NED and advisory roles with professional practice. She is an emeritus professor at UNSW with extensive board experience and currently serves on various boards including for purpose, NFP entities, the National Art School and YNSW (supporting youth); as well as the National Capital Authority, Sydney Harbour Trust, NSW ARB, IBL Ltd. Helen has previously served on NFPs The Anganwadi Project, building pre-schools in India, and the National Trust (NSW).

Her career has focused on complex urban projects ranging from city improvements programs to major urban renewal projects in Australia and internationally. Professional recognition includes numerous AIA and AILA project awards, international fellowships and recognition for leadership including as an AFR ‘100 Women of Influence’ in 2019, and an Order of Australia in 2024.

Board member

Peter Hobbs LFRAIA

Peter Hobbs is an Architect and registered Builder. Peter is a passionate advocate for the architectural profession serving as the President of the WA Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects from 2019 – 2022, a Board member from 2020- 2023 culminating in being elected National Chairman of the Australian Institute of Architects in 2022/23.

Peter’s forty years of practice covers a diverse portfolio of projects, including urban design, multi-residential, mixed use, child-care, , social housing and local government work. Beyond his own practice, Peter currently sits on several local government Design Review Panels and has been a regular voice on local radio with his show If Walls Could Talk, discussing all things design, construction and planning.

Peter has been a practicing Architect in Western Australia for the last thirty years, during which time he has amassed a wealth of planning, architectural, urban design, and construction experience, and has been awarded by his peers with several state RAIA Architecture Awards.

Peter’s other experience in the non for-profit space was as long time Chair of ther Mark Howlett Foundation, an organization that funded and supported mid-career Western Australian artists.

Peter’s term on the Foundation Board ends in 2027, he is passionately excited by the opportunity to help transition and re-position The Foundation as a major player in the advocacy and patronage of architecture in Australia.

Board member

Antonio Giannone LFRAIA AIA(Hon) RAIC (Hon)

Tony is a director and founder of architecture practice tectvs and an Adjunct Professor at Adelaide University.

He held the role of National President of The Australian Institute of Architects (2021-2022) and was the Chair of National Council, a Director of the Institute’s Board and former President of the South Australian Chapter. He was Chair of the Venice Biennale Committee in 2023.

He is committed to advocating for communities across Australia to have access to well-designed social and affordable housing, He currently serves as the South Australian Chair of Housing All Australians, is a past Rotarian and Club President, and has been recognised as a Paul Harris Fellow by The Rotary Foundation.

Tony has been an active promoter of the role of the emerging architect and has contributed to the furthering of design practice across industry, profession and education. As the facilitator of International Workshops programmes between Adelaide University, Politecnico di Milano and Tongji University, he has fostered international design collaboration among our future generations of architects. He has lectured internationally and delivered keynote presentations at MantovaArchitettura, an international architecture festival in Italy as part of the design programme of the UNESCO chair in preservation and planning in world heritage cities.

He is a Life Fellow of The Australian Institute of Architects / Honorary Member Royal Canadian Institute of Architects / Honorary Member American Institute of Architects / International Councillor of the Asian Pacific Designers Federation and a recipient of the Sir James Irwin RAIA President's Medal / Presidential Medal, Royal Canadian Institute of Architects / Presidential Medal, American Institute of Architects.

Board member

Adam Haddow LFRAIA

Adam Haddow is the immediate past National President of the Australian Institute of Architects and a Partner at the multi-disciplinary design firm, SJB. He is a champion of good design and a strong advocate for the value architecture brings to communities. Adam is a firm believer that a better future can be had where architecture and design thinking are prioritised, and that good design can deliver both economic benefits and improved health and wellbeing outcomes. With over 30 years’ experience across diverse scales and typologies, Adam’s contributions to architecture are recognised both nationally and internationally, including the Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture, the Harry Siedler award for Commercial Architecture, the Walter Burley Griffin Award for Urban Design, as well as World Interior of the Year and World Architecture Festival Mixed Use Project of the Year, for Cleveland Rooftop and Casba respectively.

Alongside his practice work, Adam currently sits as a Board Director for the Australian Institute of Architects and was a founding Director of non-profit organisations CareerTrackers & CareerSeekers.

Board member

Mike Hill

Mike is a chartered accountant and an experienced board director. Mike spent over 30 years in the accounting profession, working initially at KPMG and subsequently at McGrathNicol where he was one of the founding partners. Mike is a registered liquidator and an accredited forensic accounting specialist. He is currently the Chair of Foodbank Queensland as well as a director of Foodbank Australia, which is the largest food relief group in Australia, a non-executive director and treasurer of Artisan, the peak body for craft and design in Queensland and is also a non-executive director of South Bank Corporation Mike is also a Non-Executive Director of Healthy Land and Water, the Natural Resource Management organisation for South-East Queensland. Separately, he is an accredited facilitator of the financial days of the AICD Company Directors course.

He is also currently the Chair of Foodbank Queensland as well as a director of Foodbank Australia, which is the largest food relief group in Australia, a non-executive director and treasurer of Artisan, the peak body for craft and design in Queensland and is also a non-executive director of South Bank Corporation and COEX Limited, the organisation responsible for the Containers for Change scheme in Queensland. Separately, Mike is a member of the management committee for the Creative Brisbane Collab and is an accredited facilitator of the financial days of the AICD Company Directors course.