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ADRIAN ASHTON PRIZE FOR
WRITING AND CRITICISM
MARION MAHONY GRIFFIN PRIZE
SPONSORED BY BESPOKE
Parlour
Justine Clark
Architectural editor,
writer and critic
Since its launch in 2012 at the
National Architecture Conference
in Brisbane, Parlour has been a
relentless and rigorous advocate
for gender equity within the
profession of architecture.
Based in the successful research
project ‘Equity and Diversity
in the Australian Architecture
Profession: Women, Work and
Leadership’ (2011–2014), the
Parlour organisation is much
more than just a website. It has
filled a gap in our architectural
culture that most in the
profession did not even realise
existed.
Collecting hard data, collating
original research, and curating
a culture of discussion, Parlour
has assembled an exemplary
database. In the fine tradition of
open source, Parlour is sharing
its knowledge and findings
with anyone who will listen. The
influence of Parlour stretches
beyond the architecture
profession, as it has become
a model for gender equity
discussions and research around
the world. Parlour is in fact the
benchmark, which others are
now trying to emulate.
The jury were unanimous in
awarding Justine Clark the
2015 Marion Mahony Griffin
Prize. Justine is an independent
architectural editor, writer,
researcher, curator and convener.
She graduated in Architecture
from the Victoria University of
Wellington and has a Masters
in Architecture by Research
from the University of Auckland.
Amongst various current roles
Justine is the editor of the
website Parlour: women, equity,
and architecture; is a senior
research fellow at the University
of Melbourne and is a member
of the Victorian Design Review
Panel. Justine was also an active
member in the ARC research
project ‘Equity and Diversity
in the Australian Architecture
Profession: Women, Work and
Leadership (2011– 2014)’ and is
a former editor of Architecture
Australia where her work
encompassed the curating,
commissioning and production
of 66 issues.
Justine shares many personal
qualities with this prize’s
namesake. Her ongoing
participation and ever-evolving
contribution to the profession
has had a significant influence
on both the practice and
discourse of architecture. She
has been continuously active
in promoting architecture to a
wider audience and has through
many different forums shown her
ability to build dialogue among
different constituencies. As an
editor Justine has demonstrated
strong support for emerging
contributors and architectural
practices; as well as seeking
to give voice and advocate for
social justice and gender equity
issues. The jury specifically
acknowledged the personal
sacrifice and drive required for
Justine to sustain her ongoing
involvement with national
feminist initiatives in the practice
and profession of architecture, as
an independent contributor to a
collaborative research team.
Established 1998
Named for the pioneering woman
architect, Marion Mahony Griffin, this
prize was established to acknowledge
a distinctive body of work by a female
architect, be it for their contribution
to: architectural education; journalism;
research; theory; professional practice;
or built architectural work.
In raising the issue of gender
equity within the profession,
in 2014 Parlour launched the
‘Parlour Guides to Equitable
Practice’ at the National
Architecture Conference in Perth,
in association with the Australian
Institute of Architects and
researchers from the University
of Melbourne and University of
Queensland. Parlour continues
to build its program of advocacy
through on-going research, on-
line surveys and new initiatives.
Parlour is many people, but
it requires the energy and
dedication of a particular few. In
awarding the 2015 Adrian Ashton
Award for Architecture in the
Media to Parlour, we honour the
work of Justine Clark, as curator
and editor, with support from
co-editors Naomi Stead, Karen
Burns, Sandra Kaji-O’Grady, Julie
Willis, Amanda Roan and Gill
Matthewson.
Estabished 1986
This prize was first introduced in
1986 as a biennial award, but is now
awarded yearly. Adrian Ashton was
a past president of the Institute and
founding member of the National
Trust in NSW; however, it is his role as
the first editor of the NSW Chapter’s
‘Architecture Bulletin’ that this prize
commemorates.
SPONSORED BY
BATES SMART
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