The Queensland Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects recently held the annual President’s Honours Dinner, which celebrates the achievements of the profession over the last year.
Numerous members of the School of Architecture community received awards, including recent Masters of Architecture graduate Dana Stephens, who was awarded the QIA medallion and the Board of Architects Prize for UQ graduates; and Honorary Lecturer Michael Dickson, who was elevated to Fellow of the Institute. The dinner also marked the induction of School of Architecture Associate Professor Dr Mark Jones as the new President of the Australian Institute of Architect’s Queensland Chapter, succeeding Michael Lavery after a 2-year term.
“You’ll think that I have a boring life, but this night is always my favourite event of the year. There’s a great sense of belonging to a group of like-minded people, on a similar architectural journey, with similar challenges and joys,” Dr Jones remarked. He continued with an outline of three issues of deep interest which he hopes to personally push for substantive advancement during his tenure: the linking of design and practice with Connection to Country; the architect’s role in a zero-carbon world; and the financial sustainability of architectural practice, without which, high quality outcomes for the benefit of clients, society and the environment, are unlikely to be achieved.
Image above: Dr Chris Landorf, Dr Mark Jones, Dana Stephens, Dr Kelly Greenop and Professor Cameron Bruhn.
He concluded with a dedication to his father, Life Fellow of the Institute, Derek Jones, who “cherished his profession, as do I. In those terms, I am deeply honoured and pleased to undertake this role to the best of my ability. And I do thank you for the opportunity.”
Dr Jones follows Michael Keniger (1992 - 1994) and Peter Skinner (2010 - 2012), both also of UQ, and Dr Paula Whitman (2004 - 2006) as the only Presidents unaligned to a practice in the Queensland Chapter's history.
Photo credits: Flynn Graham, Wildkinds Studio
