Categories
Back
Search Products
Home > News > National Conference – How Soon Is Now Pt. 2

National Conference – How Soon Is Now Pt. 2

nat_conf_2_Hero_banner

The Emerging Architect Prize recognises an individual emerging architect or emerging architectural collaboration’s contribution to architectural practice, education, design excellence and community involvement, which advances the profession’s role within the public arena. Entrants need to be nominated by a member of the Australian Institute of Architects.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

A 7:30 kick off to the AWS EmAGN Breakfast was always going to be challenging on day two of the 2016 Architectural Conference and How Soon is Now proved to be predictive as I opened my eyes and rolled out of bed looking for the clock to determine when I was due to be there.

The previous evening I had visualised the three wise men giggling as they messed around with the studio photocopier late one night in the search for creativity. After all there was only so many times one could photocopy ones cheeks! Fortuitously one of the wise men had bumped the bookcase and a copy of Venturi’s Learning from Las Vegas had dropped on to the head of the wise man with the least cranial protection. Inspiration at last! The resulting tug of war over the book as it straddled the photocopier led to some distorted images of the page it had fallen open to and the wise men barely recognised Vanna Venturi House (though these images were as good as anything else they had come up with in the session).

Having satisfied myself that Architects were indeed visual thinkers I was left to rue the missed opportunity to refresh my glass before Award presentations began, a feeling that had been assuaged while Ian McDougall of 2016 Gold Medallists ARM Architecture held the floor.

The directors of ARM Architecture (which I have discovered is “known for its wit, experimentation and fearlessness with architectural language and form”), showed us that the possession of a good dose of Australian irreverence seems to be beneficial in determining Gold Medal winners, going by recent past winners.

The awards had continued to roll out between some tears and some typically self-deprecating humour  from Peter Maddison – Presidents Award, Amy Muir – Emerging Architect Award, Peter Nguyen – Student Prize, Jeremy McLeod – Sustainability Award, Brian Barr – International Award, Michael Ostwald – Neville Quarry Architectural Education Prize, and Mat van Kooy / Qianyi Lim / Chris Gilbert / Katy Moir / Hannah Slater –  the Dulux Study Award recipients.

But the next morning I once again reveled in the joy of Adelaide’s 20-minute city (beating Tim Williams 30-minute city hands down!) as I pulled up in the loading zone outside PUBLIC CBD to celebrate the EmAGN 10 year anniversary with the 2016 Emerging Architect Prize winner Amy Muir from Victoria, safe in the knowledge that unlike our Big Brother Eastern State capitals, the car would still be there when I returned with, at worst, a fine that was not going to require the sale of a kidney in order to pay off.

Having successfully negotiated the distribution rights for a restorative latte with support from a smashed avocado with toast (“could I get some fresh chilli with that please?”), it didn’t take more than a minute or two to discover I was surrounded by an extraordinary group of emerging architects. In fact, I could not help but be impressed with 2015 WA Chapter winner – Kylee Schoonens (of the Fratelle Group). I found myself wishing I had more time to connect with each of those surrounding the table, just to see what made them tick.

“How Soon is Now” proved to be too soon and day two beckoned. After all, it is the nature of conferences that such paths are crossed briefly and that it is impossible to predict where the grit that forms the pearl will originate from.

Still ahead lay Astrid Klein, Urtzi Grau & Cristina Goberna Pesudo, Kevin Low, Ken Maher, Sadie Morgan, Abbie Galvin, Tim Williams, Andrew Beer, Matt Davis, Vicente Guallart, Greg Mackie, Thomas Fisher, Sandra Kaji-O’Grady, Timothy Hill, Kerstin Thompson, Charles Rice & Nasrine Seraji.

 

– Edward Lukac (National Conference Event Correspondent for AWS)

Edward is the State Manager of Archicentre SA since 2009, AIS SA Chapter councillor since 2013 and AIA residential task force member. He regularly presents architecturally related public workshops and seminars to both adults and children aiming to engage the public with architecture. Edward has been Principal of ELA since 1992 – providing cost effective architectural residential solutions because good design changes lives.

Recent News

View All

AWS Supports OzHarvest to Help Nourish Our Country

After a demanding year for many across our communities, AWS is proud to share that we have made a festive season donation to OzHarvest, Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, which will provide thousands of meals to Australians in need.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

A growing need in our communities

Food insecurity in Australia is rising at an alarming rate. Last year, an estimated 3.5 million households struggled to put food on the table, with the cost of living now the number one driver of hardship. The charities OzHarvest supports say they could distribute double the amount of food to meet demand. Every day, new people are turning up for help, often feeling ashamed or embarrassed to ask.

James from St Albans Community Youth Club in Victoria, which receives OzHarvest food weekly, put it simply: “For the first time in 10 years, we’re struggling to feed everyone.”

Why the festive season matters

The festive period can be especially difficult for families who do not know where their next meal is coming from. Demand typically spikes at this time of year, even as household budgets are stretched further. OzHarvest is working hard to ensure nourishing food reaches those who need it most, not just during the holidays but all year round.

About OzHarvest

OzHarvest was founded in 2004 by Ronni Kahn AO, after she noticed how much quality food was going to waste through her events business. What began as a simple, practical solution rescuing surplus food and delivering it to charities quickly grew from one van in Sydney into a nationwide movement. As OzHarvest expanded, Ronni and a team of pro bono lawyers successfully lobbied state governments to change legislation so food donors could give surplus food to charities without fear of liability. NSW led the way with the Civil Liabilities Amendment Act in 2005, and other states followed.

Today, OzHarvest rescues food at scale with a clear purpose to Nourish Our Country. Their mission is to stop food waste, feed people in need, and protect our planet by championing the value of food and driving change at every level of society. Their work strongly aligns with five United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

How you can help (if you would like to)

OzHarvest welcomes every contribution. The impact is immediate and tangible.

  • $1 = 2 meals
  • Your donation helps keep OzHarvest’s wheels turning
  • It supports food relief for over 1,500 charities helping vulnerable Aussies every day

For more information or to make a donation visit: https://www.ozharvest.org/

Image credit: OzHarvest

 

 

AWS Sponsors Building Tours at Glenn Murcutt Foundation Australia Symposium

Architectural Window Systems (AWS) is proud to sponsor the Murcutt Building Tours, a centrepiece of the inaugural Glenn Murcutt Architecture Foundation Symposium, to be held in Sydney from 11 – 13 September 2025.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

The Symposium, presented by the Murcutt Foundation, celebrates more than five decades of architectural practice by Glenn Murcutt AO, Australia’s most celebrated living architect. The program offers three days of tours, talks and events for architects, students and design professionals, culminating in a rare opportunity to engage directly with some of Murcutt’s most acclaimed works.

As part of its ongoing support for architectural excellence and sustainable, place-based design, AWS is sponsoring the Murcutt Building Tours on Thursday, 11 September, providing a rare, guided experience led by Murcutt himself through two iconic residential projects:

  • Nicholas House
  • Simpson Lee House

“I am so pleased that so many have taken the chance to see these two projects that were designed in such close collaboration with the clients at the time, and which have been so well loved and cared for over the many decades since. It is such a joy to share this work,” Glenn Murcutt AO.

“Glenn Murcutt’s works embody a profound sensitivity to landscape, climate and material — and they are best understood by being experienced firsthand,” said Angela Bevitt-Parr, National Marketing Manager at AWS. “AWS is proud to support this extraordinary opportunity for architects to deepen their understanding of Murcutt’s work and philosophy through direct engagement with these exceptional places.”

Beyond the tours, the Symposium will feature keynote addresses from Glenn Murcutt AO and Francis Kéré (fellow Pritzker Prize Laureate), the inaugural awarding of the Murcutt Pin, and a full day of talks exploring the themes that have informed Murcutt’s unique model of practice.

“Francis Kéré is one of the great humans, and a gifted architect who really shows architecture can make a difference in people’s lives. I have a huge amount of respect and time and a wonderful friendship with this man because of his integrity. I am so pleased that Sydney will get to meet him this year,” Glenn Murcutt AO.

For full event details and to register, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/murcutt-symposium

About the Glenn Murcutt Architecture Foundation: The Glenn Murcutt Architecture Foundation promotes the work and legacy of Glenn Murcutt AO through education, advocacy and public programs that advance environmentally responsible architecture and foster dialogue around design excellence and connection to place. For more information visit https://www.murcuttfoundation.org/

Image credit:

Simpson Lee house: Anthony Browell.

 

Designing Value – AWS celebrates 30 years

In late 1994, two dedicated fenestration professionals, Gavan Pead and David McCleary, took a pivotal tour of Architectural Profiles Ltd (APL) in Cambridge, New Zealand. Inspired by APL’s customer-focused business model, they envisioned bringing a similar approach to challenge the Australian market’s basic, outdated aluminium windows and doors that dominated at that time.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

This vision led to the founding of Architectural Window Systems (AWS) in January 1995, with Pead as the first General Manager and McCleary as Head of Design. AWS launched with the release of the 502 sliding window and 541 sliding door – affordable, single-glazed products that immediately stirred the market. “In those days, profiles were hand-drawn, and every detail required precise verification,” McCleary recalls. Their commitment to quality was matched by strong supplier support, relationships that remain solid today.

To bring this customer-centric model to life, AWS built a robust network of independent fabricators across Australia, now exceeding 200, with unparalleled reach and service capabilities. Steve Butcher of Great Lakes Glass, an early adopter, recalls that “their passion was infectious, and if they were starting something new, I wanted to be part of it.”

AWS quickly became a trusted name in high-performance aluminium windows, with products designed to meet the needs of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. With the launch of ThermalHEART™ in 2007, followed by ThermalHEART™ commercial in 2012, AWS introduced its first thermally broken products, raising the bar for energy efficiency. In 2003, David’s son, Mark McCleary, joined AWS, continuing the family’s involvement in the company. In 2021, Mark took over the leadership of research and design, guiding the development of innovative window and door solutions. That same year, AWS introduced ComfortEDGE™, a significant step forward in thermal efficiency. With additional ComfortEDGE™ products set for release in 2025, AWS continues to strengthen its commitment to energy-efficient solutions for the Australian market.

Reflecting on the success of the last 30 years, AWS General Manager Greg Taylor notes that “it’s our model that differentiates us. A supplier that is not only an extrusion supplier, but a reliable, supportive, engaged business partner that understands the need for continuous improvement”.

In 2025, AWS will continue to focus on improvement, introducing a class-leading digital environment for specifiers, fabricators, and staff, along with an automated workflow connectivity solution exclusively for AWS fabricators.

For more information, contact marketing@awsaustralia.com.au

View All