2024 President's Awards

Ian Bowman
Ian Bowman, FNZIA, is a distinguished historian, architect and architectural conservator. His dedication to safeguarding Aotearoa New Zealand’s architectural legacy has made an enduring impact on heritage conservation and architectural preservation. 

Ian is renowned for his expertise in advisory roles, his research and documentation, strategic planning for heritage sites, and knowledge of seismic building preservation. Ian’s dedication to his profession and the best outcomes for this country deserve to be recognised and celebrated. 

Ewan Brown
Ewan Brown, FNZIA, has been a director at Tennent Brown Architects since 2006 where his leadership has propelled the practice into becoming a sustainability innovator. The practice’s projects encompass residential, commercial and educational sectors, and many are embedded in te ao Māori and embrace the Living Building Challenge. 

In association with Hugh Tennent, Ewan’s collaborative efforts push boundaries and reshape industry standards, guiding projects to support community wellbeing, environmental harmony and carbon neutrality. By integrating tikanga and fostering partnerships with indigenous communities, Ewan’s work honours cultural heritage while addressing contemporary challenges. His care and craft enrich lives and landscapes, earning him deep respect among clients, peers and admirers near and far.

Mark Everton
Mark Everton has played key roles in developing numerous high-rating television productions including Grand Designs and Designing Dreams, a local show that celebrates architecture and architects in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Designing Dreams opens the doors to homes and architectural thinking to the viewing public. Each episode explores the architect’s inspiration and design methods, encouraging viewers to appreciate the role of architecture in enhancing the environment, while supporting individual and collective wellbeing. Beyond simply showcasing beautiful homes, the series highlights the architects’ shared goal of promoting innovative and sustainable design practices. 

As a writer, producer and director, Mark is a skilled storyteller and we thank him for sharing the profound impact architecture can make with a wide and diverse audience.

Dr Anthony Hōete
Dr Anthony Hōete, FNZIA, Professor of Architecture (Māori) at the University of Auckland, has significantly advanced both New Zealand and Māori architecture here and on the global stage. Notably, his current project, Te Whare Mīmiro, with Ngāti Ira o Waioweka, promises to be a landmark in Māori architecture.

Anthony (Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Ranana) actively contributes to the promotion and preservation of indigenous architecture, while fostering research and enterprise links between Aotearoa, Australia and Europe. His commitment to transdisciplinary Kaupapa Māori Research underscores his dedication to indigenous-led design and community transformation.

We commend Anthony for his commitment to elevating Māori architecture and design technologies in Aotearoa and further afield.

Irving Smith Architects
The dynamic duo of Jeremy Smith and Andrew Irving has a way of breathing fresh air into their projects and the profession of architecture. Prolific, innovative, expansive in their practice, the pair may be based in Nelson but are known all over the world.

Their studio, Irving Smith Architects, has received more than 50 Institute awards, as well as a World Architecture Festival award, World Timber Building of the Year, Best of the Best Green Building award, and a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural heritage Award. They have represented New Zealand at the Prague International Architecture Festivals three times, they travel widely, teach, collaborate and write on architecture, generating discourse and fraternity every step of the way.

Their work, charted in part in their beautiful book Unfinished & Far Far Away: The Architecture of Irving Smith Architects, is meaningful, mindful and we sincerely thank them for their contribution to the industry.

Jerome Partington
In his efforts to steer the design and construction sectors in Aotearoa towards sustainable and regenerative practices, Jerome has inspired numerous professionals to follow his lead. As a skilled communicator, educator and coach, his ability to engage people in practice and across the board is to be commended.

Among his notable achievements, including leading the Living Building Challenge with Ngai Tuhoe’s Te Kura Whare, and pioneering Net Zero Energy Certifications, he has developed sustainable design programmes for Jasmax and other organisations. 

Jerome’s vision for creating beautiful and innovative designs that enhance society and the environment underscores his impact as a sustainability leader. We thank Jerome for his dedication to realising a richer world for us now and into the future.

Dr Kay Saville-Smith
Dr Kay Saville-Smith has spent more than 25 years researching housing in Aotearoa, via her work in community and social policy research. As a sociologist, director of the Centre for Research, Evaluation and Social Assessment, and the Chief Science Advisor for Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, her research helps deepen our understanding of sustainable housing, community housing, our residential building industry, and housing in relation to disability and social services. 

A Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Kay is a goldmine of information and a valuable contributor to discussions about our built environment. Her work makes an important contribution to our practice as architects. We commend and thank her for her commitment to the public good.

Siân Taylor
Siân Taylor, FNZIA, one of the first Passive House-certified architects in Aotearoa New Zealand, co-established the New Zealand chapter of Architects Declare in 2019. Through this initiative and her architecture practice, Siân is a passionate advocate for regenerative design practices, reducing construction waste, accelerating the shift to low-embodied carbon and non-toxic materials, and minimising wasteful use of resources in the built environment. Congratulations Siân for your exemplary efforts.

The Warren Trust
Established in 2006 in honour of celebrated architect Sir Miles Warren, the Warren Trust is a passionate supporter of architecture and architectural education in Aotearoa New Zealand. With a mission to enhance architectural awareness and accessibility, the Trust fosters public engagement through exhibitions, publications, awards, resources and education. It facilitates an annual public lecture and grants Canterbury members of this Institute access to its property for their architectural endeavours. Thanks to the Trust, the Institute holds the much-loved annual Warren Trust Awards for Architectural Writing, which attracts submissions from across the motu, from tamariki through to practising architects.

Additionally, the Trust champions various educational initiatives in the field. Led by esteemed trustees, the Trust’s commitment to architectural education aligns with its broader goal of enriching society through the art of architecture.

This legacy of support underscores the Trust’s vital role in nurturing architectural excellence and fostering a deeper appreciation for the built environment in this country.