Winners

A director at the newly established practice Cooee Architecture in rural New South Wales, Sarah Lebner has made a huge contribution to the architectural profession in Canberra and beyond. Through her previous role as principal architect at the multidisciplinary firm Light House Architecture and Science, she worked to educate both clients and the wider public on the benefits of good design and quality building. Lebner was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects' Emerging Architect Prize in 2020, in recognition of the support she has offered the next generation of architects through her national platform and mentoring scheme My First Architecture Job. Her dedication to this work has only continued to grow, and her book, '101 Things I Didn’t Learn in Architecture School (and wish I’d known before my first job)' is an invaluable resource for those starting out in practice. She has contributed widely to the profession through various roles with the institute, including as a Student Organised Network for Architecture (SONA) representative, and a member of the institute's Emerging Architects and Graduate Network (EmAGN), Practice Committee and ACT Chapter Council.

Edwina Brisbane has established a consistent and dedicated commitment to design excellence through practice, education and community. Having built up a diverse portfolio of project experience, from hands-on crafting and building to large-scale commercial projects, she now leads Cumulus’s Melbourne studio, where she is expanding her role into business development, and as a mentor and leader. As an architectural educator, she has led various design studios at the University of Melbourne and Monash University. Brisbane’s contribution to the architectural and design community is prolific. Her ongoing engagement with the Australian Institute of Architects through various roles with the Emerging Architects and Graduate Network (EmAGN) and, more recently, as an awards juror – including as chair for the sustainability category – demonstrates her dedication to the profession. Further, she has worked to expand architectural and design discourse beyond the immediate professional community through her facilitation of events such as Process and the Better Living Forum.

Bradley Kerr, a Quandamooka man working on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, studied at the University of Canberra and the University of Queensland before establishing his career in Melbourne where he has developed a genuine passion for understanding how people respond to the built environment. For more than eight years, he worked with FJMT where he made a significant contribution across the studio through his sense of collaboration, his dedication to design excellence, and his commitment to producing work of the highest cultural and ethical values. This philosophy has only strengthened during his time with Kennedy Nolan Architects where he has further refined his skill as a senior project architect with a strong design focus. He is now branching out to establish his own practice, Winsor Kerr. An active member of the architectural community, Kerr has participated generously through roles on the institute’s First Nations Advisory Working Group, the Australian Accreditation Standing Panel and awards juries, as well as writing for Architecture Australia on the topic of Indigenising practice.

An associate at Andrew Burns Architecture, Tiffany Liew completed her degree with honours at the University of Sydney, and has worked in a number of firms across a variety of project types. A recipient of many awards and accolades throughout her career to date, Liew continually strives for achievement, balance and new opportunities. Liew’s dedication to the wider architectural community is evidenced through her involvement in all aspects of practice, including research, talks, editorial writing, exhibitions, jury contributions and sessional teaching roles at the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney. With her infectious personality, she encourages others to become involved in the wider profession. In her role as national president of EmAGN, Liew has worked collaboratively to introduce new initiatives for the betterment of graduates and recently registered architects, with a focus on acknowledgement, equity and supported parental programs.

Ellen Buttrose is an associate with POD (People Oriented Design) in Cairns, working across the diverse climates and cultures of Queensland and the Torres Strait. Her practice has been shaped by the unique and varied histories, identities, cultures, climates, seasons and landscapes of the regions in which she has lived and practised. Upon graduating from high school, she volunteered in construction in Madagascar with non-government organization Azafady before completing her bachelor and master degrees in architectural studies at the University of South Australia.