Jury citation
Ian Close (managing director) and Sue Harris (publisher) of Architecture Media.
Image: John Gollings
Architects like to talk about architecture nearly as much as they enjoy practising it. The Australian Institute of Architects strives to be a catalyst for conversations about architecture through many of the programs it runs each year. This dialogue stimulates the profession and informs the public, promoting both better design and the value that architects’ contributions bring to our communities. There is no more effective and valuable way that the Institute achieves these goals than through its partnership with this year’s National President’s Prize winners Sue Harris and Ian Close.
Close’s involvement with the Institute began in 1980 when he and his manager at Rural Press, based in Brisbane, put together a proposal to publish Architecture Australia – not only at no cost to the Institute, but also to a higher production and editorial standard than was being delivered at the time. The first issue of Architecture Australia published by Close was produced in July 1980. Fast-forward to 1987 and, with Close and Architecture Australia now based in Melbourne, Rural Press decided they no longer wished to publish non-rural journals. Close approached the Institute and it was agreed that they would establish a joint venture company – Architecture Media Australia (subsequently renamed Architecture Media). With Close as managing director plus one employee based in a room in Port Melbourne, publication of Architecture Australia continued without missing a beat.
The 1990s saw growth in staff and magazine offerings from Architecture Media. Close’s partner Sue Harris joined the business in 1994 and has since held various editorial and management roles, and ultimately joined the board as a director in 2003. The stable of media offerings continued to grow in the 2000s including the purchase of New Zealand-based AGM Publishing.
As directors and managers, Close and Harris, with the assistance of a supportive and talented staff, have guided the company as it moved into the digital realm and into awards and events – all-important aspects of modern-day specialist publishing. Their ability to respond to contemporary challenges faced in a highly competitive media world has seen Architecture Media not only survive, but thrive. The social media, web-based and event offerings developed over the last decade have been enthusiastically adopted by Institute members; however, the jewel in the crown continues to be Architecture Australia, which sets the benchmark as the journal of record for our profession.
On behalf of all of the Institute’s members, I thank and congratulate Harris and Close for their outstanding contribution to the profession, and I take great pleasure in awarding them the 2015 National President’s Prize.
Jury
David Karotkin, FRAIA (chair) Australian Institute of Architects National President, managing director Sandover Pinder Architects.
