2025 President's Awards

Dr Jessica Halliday

Dr Jessica Halliday is an architectural historian and the Director and Co-Founder of Te Pūtahi Centre for Architecture and City Making. She believes in the power of architecture to connect people, inspire understanding, and promote public participation. That vision is evident at Open Christchurch – the largest independent architecture festival in Aotearoa – orchestrated by Jessica and backed by a small, talented team.

In 2025 the event saw more than 50 buildings open their doors, welcoming more than 10,000 visits and supported by over 80 enthusiastic volunteers, along with many partners and sponsors.

Open Christchurch and its tours and evening events provide opportunities to engage, reflect, and understand our history and face the challenges of our future through a deeper appreciation for architectural excellence.

It enables many architects to get involved by opening the buildings they’ve been involved in, leading tours, or supporting through the Building Council.  

This event could only be achieved with the expertise, independence, humility, and passion that Jessica brings. It simply wouldn’t be possible without her, and Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects wishes to demonstrate our appreciation for her efforts with this award.

Her commitment is also evident through Christchurch Conversations, contributions to media and academic debate, and advocacy for the preservation of significant buildings, including the pivotal role she played in securing the future of the Christchurch Town Hall, as portrayed beautifully in the film Maurice and I.

Jessica’s passion, vision, and dedication continue to inspire us all and influence our city, profession, and collective future.

Andrea Stevens, Folio

Like great architecture, quality writing requires structure and style, function and elegance, proportion and balance. Andrea Stevens demonstrates all these qualities in her work supporting the Institute’s Auckland branch and National Office teams, and I want to thank her for her work on behalf of the architecture profession with this President’s Award.

Andrea has architecture in the family with her great aunt, Alice Greenwood, being the first woman in Aotearoa to gain a Bachelor of Architecture in 1932, who worked for Gummer and Ford and Horace Massey.

Her values are shaped by a deep connection to her Samoan ancestry through her Mum Anna Greenwood and Grandmother Rona Prichard whose family villages were Faleasi’u, Ulutogia and Leone on Tutuila.

Andrea has an innate understanding of the nature of practice and the issues surrounding it, having previously worked as an architect at Jasmax. She is a supportive and helpful presence that enables our Auckland branch to communicate clearly to members and the public with the Kōrero newsletter, and more recently supporting me and the National Office team with Te Mātārere The Bulletin.

She founded her Folio agency in 2007 and has more than two decades of experience across the construction, manufacturing and architecture sectors to draw on in her work. She is also an accomplished author, having written five books and was a Finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards for ‘Beyond the State: New Zealand State Houses from Modest to Modern’.

Judith Taylor, Past President, Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects

I am deeply honoured to present Judith Taylor with a President’s Award.

Judith’s great grandparents were born in England and moved to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1870, where they raised her grandparents in Pangatotara near Motueka.

Her parents were born on Te Wai Pounamu and lived at Ruatapu and Kaniere near Hokitika.

They married and moved to Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington in 1952.

Judith and her siblings were born and raised in the capital, where she later graduated from the Te Herenga Waka Victoria University School of Architecture.

She became President of Te Kāhui Whaihanga in 2022, and I had the honour of working closely with her during 2024 when I was the incoming President Elect.

The knowledge and support she provided me during that transition period was invaluable. I have her to thank for helping me become the Perehitini I am today, and she went far beyond the call of duty in helping me to feel prepared for the distinction of serving as your President.

I am thanking her here with a President’s Award on behalf of all our members to acknowledge her extensive experience and contribution to our profession over her 40-year career, and for enabling Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects to become a strong and representative organisation through her vision and leadership.

Today we continue to work with her closely in her current role as Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Registered Architects Board.

Being a leader requires courage to lead an organisation in the direction it needs to go – even if the organisation does not recognise it at the time. During her term as President, Judith served to guide our Institute in the direction of its future prosperity, and for that she should be commended
by our full membership.

On behalf of myself and our Institute members, I again acknowledge and thank Judith with this award.