Architect Julie Stout awarded highest honour in New Zealand architecture

Stout is the first lady to obtain the Gold Medal, which, since 1999, has honoured architects who constantly obtain the best requirements for – and with – their shoppers, and who make an impressive contribution to the development of structure in Aotearoa.

This award recognises Stout’s distinctive and high-quality physique of constructed work, her beneficiant contribution to the way forward for the occupation by means of educating and her tireless advocacy for a greater city atmosphere in Tāmaki Makaurau. Stout says she is humbled to obtain the 2021 Gold Medal. “I’m deeply honoured that the occupation, which has given me a lot, has recognised my mahi and my profession on this approach. Structure has influenced my life, my loves, my work and my hopes for future generations in so some ways. I’m positive that within the very close to future, we are going to look again and say, ‘Why did that take so lengthy?’ and that being a girl architect profitable the Gold Medal just isn’t uncommon.”

Te Kāhui Whaihanga President Judi Keith-Brown says Stout is a “distinctive and worthy” Gold Medal recipient. “Not solely does she have an incredible physique of constructed work however she has been a beneficiant trainer and an inspiring function mannequin all through her spectacular profession. I believed it was very telling that, once I rang Julie to inform her she was the 2021 Gold Medal recipient late on a Friday afternoon, she was in her workplace working with two grasp’s college students. As a practitioner, she has at all times been true to herself, whereas being prepared to share her time and information with others. Her courageous and relentless advocacy for a greater city atmosphere is a beneficiant present to the individuals of Tāmaki Makaurau. The Gold Medal honours the breadth of Julie’s work and recognises that her apply, training and advocacy has performed a essential function in uplifting the occupation of structure in Aotearoa.”

With an expert profession spanning near 40 years, Stout has achieved an distinctive physique of constructed work – a lot of it in collaboration along with her accomplice in life and apply, 2005 Gold Medal recipient David Mitchell. This contains Auckland’s NEW Gallery (1995), Tauranga Artwork Gallery (2008) and Te Uru Waitākere Up to date Gallery (2014,) in addition to faculty buildings, city design tasks and personal residences in Northland, Auckland and the King Nation. Stout was additionally a member of the artistic crew behind New Zealand’s 2014 exhibition on the Venice Structure Biennale.

For the reason that early 2000s, she has been a staunch and extremely profitable advocate for enhancing Auckland’s city atmosphere and helped instigate the Mayoral Process Pressure on City Design in 2005. As a key driver of a public marketing campaign to halt the enlargement of Auckland’s port within the Waitematā Harbour, Stout went on to entrance – and win – a 2015 authorized problem that stopped the port firm’s plans for this treasured a part of Tāmaki Makaurau.

The 2021 Gold Medal additionally recognises Stout’s beneficiant contribution to the way forward for the occupation by means of her work in training. An amazing function mannequin and mentor to many, she has served as a Skilled Instructing Fellow at Waipapa Taumata Rau College of Auckland College of Structure and Planning, and as Adjunct Professor at Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka Unitec College of Structure.

Concerning the Gold Medal
Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects has awarded medals since 1927. From 1927 to 1973, Gold Medals have been awarded to particular tasks, Silver Medals have been awarded to industrial tasks between 1956 and 1973, and Bronze Medals have been awarded to home tasks between 1940 and 1968. In 1975 a Nationwide Award changed the Gold Medal. In 1999, the Gold Medal was reintroduced and was awarded to John Scott for his distinctive expertise and excellent contribution to the apply of structure. This final accolade continues to be introduced most years by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects to a New Zealand architect or partnership of architects who constantly obtain the best requirements for – and with – their shoppers, and who make an impressive contribution to the development of structure in Aotearoa. For a full listing of recipients, go to nzia.co.nz.

Gold Medal standards
The Gold medal honours architects, or partnerships of architects, who constantly obtain the best requirements for ‐ and with ‐ their shoppers. Gold Medal recipients make an impressive contribution to the apply and occupation of structure in Aotearoa. That is demonstrated by means of a constantly excessive‐high quality physique of labor* over a time period. Consideration is given as to if a possible Gold Medallist has superior structure in New Zealand and has contributed to the architectural tradition, to the occupation, and to the broader neighborhood. *‘Excessive‐high quality physique of labor’ may embody constructed work, tutorial analysis, training, writing, skilled apply, apply innovation, and so on.