As many of you will have read in the media over the last few days, there has been an investigation by the Ombudsman into delays and poor communication in relation to a complaint made to the Board of Architects of Tasmania. The Ombudsman has made a number of recommendations to the Board of Architects, and you can see them here. Clearly this matter is of importance to the profession, and we will update you as more information becomes available.
Open House Hobart will take place as both a virtual and face to face event on November 14 & 15, 2020. The production team have been working closely with the City of Hobart to provide a COVID-19 safe event that adheres to the government’s COVID-19 guidelines, but one which will allow Tasmanians to experience and learn about the value of architecture and our built environment. We will invite the public into buildings, but in small groups and ask people to remain physically distanced. We want to keep our community safe, and for those who don’t feel comfortable to be there in person, we will be running a number of virtual tours across the weekend, along with events either side of this. This will also allow people from across the world the opportunity to tune in a see a little bit of Hobart and its surrounds.
To those of you who are participating in the program this year, we thank you and your commitment to continually allow the public the opportunity to experience and learn about great architecture. COVID-19 has, and continues, to affect our communities and will present an ongoing challenge for us all. The important role of the built environment in keeping us safe and well has never been so important – particularly in our homes – and the pandemic has also forced us to re-think our approach to our public buildings and spaces. The program allows us to ignite this conversation and keep the community engaged in a dialogue about our built environment and I thank you all for your collective commitment to this.
Jennifer Nichols
Executive Director, Tasmanian Chapter
Australian Institute of Architects
