Do You Know An Extraordinary Architect?

Nominations are now open for this year’s Architect’s Board of WA Board Award
Nominations are sought for registered WA Architects ‘whose attitudes and personal contributions to the profession and/or community have enhanced public confidence in the standing of the profession, and/or promoted public awareness of the profession and the activities of the Board.’
So the Board needs your nominations. It would be great to see a shake up of this list, to include those who really promote architecture and it’s impacts on public appreciation of our built environment. It’s quite an interesting concept having an award for an Architect, which is supposed to ignore (or at least ‘not recognise’) their actual built contribution. It really opens this award up in a different way, to see the people behind the buildings.
So my nominations would be for people like Carly Barrett, for championing the cause of public interest in architecture and urban design through Open House Perth (although I’m guessing she doesn’t really need more awards on her mantle…) Or Lara Mackintosh, leading the next great community thinkers at Curtin Uni, while working on her own research and being heavily involved in CEFPI, bringing educational architecture under the spotlight. Or Stephen Neille for his regular West Australian column over the last four years, putting design thinking in front of the masses. Or Rod Mollett for his years of fighting for WA to get the same opportunities as other states and for being involved in so many other events bringing architecture to the masses (even spotted last years with the grandkids at Box City).
(BTW Does anyone know why Perth is off the International Speakers Series circuit this year??)
This Award is quite different to an award for the actual architecture created, which as we know is generally a collaborative process ( as previously discussed ) . Recognising an individual who takes the time to really celebrate architecture and WA within the public realm is a great thing. It would be brilliant to get lots of nominations this year and help champion the recognition of WA’s great architects (and no, it’s not limited to those of us in Perth!). For more information on the nomination process, contact Nicole Kerr, Registrar of the ABWA at registrar@architectsboard.org.au. Nominations close August 27.
Any thoughts on who you would nominate…? Let me know below.