Glenn Murcutt is Australia’s most internationally recognised architect. In 1992 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Australian Institute of Architects; in 1996 he was awarded the national honour Order of Australia; in 2002 he received the Pritzker Prize, considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for architecture; and in 2009 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects. He has carried out his work predominantly alone, as a sole-practitioner, without staff but using creative collaborations on a project-by-project basis. He pursues an architecture that is rooted in Australia’s culture and its diverse climate and topography, while being active internationally, teaching and lecturing as a professor at universities throughout the world. Glenn Murcutt has received numerous Australian Institute of Architects awards for his built projects, honorary doctorates and many international honours. International architecture wards include the Alvar Aalto Medal Finland (1992); Richard Neutra Award USA (1998); the 'Green Pin' International Award for Architecture and Ecology Denmark (1999); the Asia Pacific Culture and Architecture Design Award (2001) and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts International Award (2002). He has been, until recently, chair of the jury for the Pritzker Prize. He has been, until recently, a Professor at the University of New South Wales, still holds an honorary position there, and is the principle ‘master’ on the Architecture Foundation Australia annual International Architecture Master Classes.
Brit Andresen is a Norwegian born Australian architect with a distinguished career in scholarship, teaching and practice while at the University of Queensland. She has also held teaching positions at the Architecture Association in London and UCLA. She was co-author of the winning entry for the Burrell Museum in Glasgow in 1972. She was the first woman recipient of the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 2002. Her work, with her partner Peter O’Gorman, has been internationally published in the Phaidon World Atlas and elsewhere, and in a very comprehensive special edition of UME 22 (2011) . Recent design research projects include awarded projects exhibited at the Venice Biennale 2010 and Australia House Japan 2011. She collaborated with Sir Peter Cook and CRAB Architecture on the new School of Architecture at Bond University. Brit Andresen is now Emeritus Professor of the University of Queensland, currently leads student studio workshops in Tokyo, and is one of the principle ‘masters’ on the Architecture Foundation Australia master classes.
Richard Leplastrier is a seminal figure in Australian architecture and architectural education. He eschews publicity and his built works are secret treasures to be discovered only by those privileged enough to be introduced to them. His sensitivity to issues of culture and place and his accumulated wisdom in the design and making of architecture is gently revealed though his tutorial sessions in the design studio. He was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1999, he was recipient of the 2009 Dreyer Foundation 'Prize of Honour' in Denmark and he was recipient of the 2004 'Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award' in Finland, other recipients include Renzo Piano, Peter Zumthor, Kengo Kuma, José Cruz Ovalle and Bijoy Jain. In 2009 Richard was elected an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, in 2011 he received the Australian National Honour 'Order of Australia' for distinguished service to architecture and as 'an educator and mentor', and he received an Honorary International Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2015. Until recently Richard Leplastrier was a Professor at the University of Newcastle Australia and is one of the principle ‘masters’ on the Architecture Foundation Australia master classes.
Peter Stutchbury is recognised for his innovative approach to sustainability and design. Time spent living in the desert country of western NSW during his formative years, allowed him to develop a deep appreciation of the Australian landscape and its sustainability. As principal of Peter Stutchbury Architecture he has practiced independently since 1981 producing a wide variety of work, and his practice has won an unprecedented number of Australian Institute of Architects Awards for public, commercial and residential buildings. Projects have been published and acclaimed internationally. He was winner of the International 'Living Steel' competition for extreme climate housing in Cherepovets, Russia, he held the Catedra (Chair) Luis Barragán in Mexico and has been a tutor on McKay-Lyons Ghost Studio in Canada. The book 'Under the Edge' on the work of Peter Stutchbury, originally published by the Architecture Foundation Australia, has now been republished by Thames and Hudson. Peter Stutchbury was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 2015, and received an Honorary International Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2016. Until recently he was a Professor at the University of Newcastle Australia, and is one of the principle ‘masters’ on the Architecture Foundation Australia master classes.
Lindsay Johnston grew up in Ireland and studied architecture in Scotland. After 20 years in research and practice in Ireland, he emigrated to Australia and entered academic life. He has been Head of School and Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Design at the University of Newcastle. He has continued architectural practice and has been awarded for his houses and for research on and practice of environmentally sensitive strategies. He has been Chair of the Australian Institute of Architects National Education Committee and National Environment Committee. He was awarded the 2002 Australian Institute of Architects National Education Prize for his contribution to architectural education. He has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Newcastle, the University of Sydney, and as interim Head of School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland. He was founder of, and is now convener of, the Architecture Foundation Australia and principle organiser of the Glenn Murcutt International Architecture Master Class.
Aboriginal Elder Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison has been a cherished guest tutor and critic at the Glenn Murcutt International Master Class each year since 2005.
“His teachings cover the Yuin people’s Creation Dreaming, bush lore, foods, healing, laws and punishment, spirituality and the significance of relationship to land. In passing on traditional wisdom Uncle Max focuses on three truths: See the land … the beauty; Hear the land … the story; Feel the land … the spirit.”
Award winning American architect Rick Joy is renowned for this climate responsive and landscape sensitive work, based mostly in the desert region of Arizona.
Ian Athfield , or ‘Ath’ as he was affectionately known, past President and Gold Medallist of the New Zealand Institute of Architects and a major figure in New Zealand architecture, died unexpectedly on 14 January 2015, only a few weeks after being knighted Sir Ian Athfield in the 2015 New Zealand New Years Honours.
An obituary to Sir Ian by Architecture Foundation Australia Convener Lindsay Johnston appeared in Architecture AU – architectureau.com/articles/vale-ian-athfield-1940-2015/
