Professor Gordon Holden has been awarded a Life Fellowship of the Australian Institute of Architects.
The Discipline Head of Architecture within the Griffith School of Environment said he is delighted by the award.
“This is one of the highest forms of recognition my profession can bestow so it truly is an honour and really rather nice,” Professor Holden said.
National President of the Australian Institute of Architects, Shelley Penn said the Life Fellowship was awarded in recognition of Professor Holden’s outstanding contribution to the advancement of the architecture profession.
“In a remarkable career which has spanned three decades of academic leadership, Professor Holden’s enthusiasm and tireless energy has raised the quality of education,” Shelley Penn said.
In 2010, Professor Holden won the Neville Quarry Architectural Education Prize.
Professor Holden said any time a Griffith student or staff member receives an external honour or recognition it is a time of celebration for everyone.
“It gives assurance to colleagues and students in a particular field of endeavour, architecture in this case, that we are making a substantial contribution.”
And it seems there is plenty to celebrate in the Griffith Architecture School.
“We marked the graduation of the first cohort of undergraduates last year (Bachelor of Environmental Design, Architecture) and this year we have launched the Masters degree.
“For the Masters program, three new colleagues have joined us which provides a real boost to our research strategy and teaching capabilities.”
Applications to study architecture at Griffith are strong, proving the unique program is hitting all the right notes.
“Our architecture course is different because of our emphasis on sustainability,” Professor Holden said.
“We are strongly committed to producing professionals of the future who have the knowledge, creative skills and abilities and, most of all, a commitment to design buildings and urban environments what have a high sustainability capacity.
“Another distinctive aspect of our architectural program is that during the first two years of study our students are studying collaboratively with students from other disciplines such as planning, environmental science, and engineering.
“We think that is important that architects of the future will have met people from other fields and have a broader understanding and appreciation of other disciplines.”