A talented team, a tireless task and plenty of terrain to cover, we are grateful to our local judges and international judge for their time and expertise. Ahead of the nationwide jury tour, we are pleased to introduce you to the panel.
Dave Strachan – convenor, SGA, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Dave is a Fellow of Te Kāhui Whaihanga and was awarded the Institute’s highest honour, a Gold Medal, in 2020. As well as his extensive experience and achievements in architecture, the founder of SGA, Strachan Group Architects, has skills and knowledge in the broader field that encompass building, interiors and teaching.
Attending the 2023 Local Awards events in Tāmaki Makaurau and Waikato, Dave was struck by the number of projects recognised that had been impacted by Covid, its associated delays, supply chain issues and material substitutions. “It's a testament to the tenacity of the industry to deliver great architecture in and around a pandemic,” he said, in anticipation of the trend being represented in the national awards.
Clare Cousins – guest international judge, Clare Cousins Architects, Melbourne, Australia
In 2005, Clare founded her eponymous practice in Melbourne, on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Eastern Kulin Nation. The studio works across a diversity of projects and sectors, ranging from residential to cultural. Clare has garnered local and international awards for her commitment to architecture and is a Life Fellow and Past National President of the Australian Institute of Architects. She was an inaugural investor in the Nightingale housing model and worked on their most recent project in Brunswick, which won in the Urban Design category at the 2023 Australian Institute of Architects Awards.
Sally Ogle, Patchwork Architecture, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Sally co-founded Patchwork Architecture with Ben Mitchell-Anyon following the completion in 2012 of their first design-and-build project. The practice has gained recognition and awards along the way – including the 2022 Sir Ian Athfield Award for Housing – for its innovative approach to resolving complex sites, the majority of which are in the capital city.
Ewan Brown, Tennent Brown Architects, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Ewan, a Fellow of Te Kāhui Whaihanga, co-founded Tennent Brown in 2006 and leads the practice’s numerous sustainably focused projects for Victoria University of Wellington, Te Herenga Waka. Adept at working across large and complex projects, Ewan appreciates their challenges and the agility and skill required to see them succeed. For many years he has collaborated with iwi on projects around the motu.
Join us on the jury tour
On Thursday 24 August, the jury will embark on a nationwide tour to visit each shortlisted project.
Follow the journey on Instagram @nziarchitects.