Best in Practice Prize
Best in Practice Prize WINNERS
Both practices that are being awarded in this year’s Best in Practice award were selected for their generosity; generosity of knowledge, of expertise, of time. They set an example for all of us on how to bring the whole industry forward, improving the quality and sustainability of the architectural output, creating an engaging place to work, and sharing their methods and processes with us to learn from.
Medium-Large Practice | Fitzpatrick + Partners
Fitzpatrick + Partners is a strong advocate for sharing their expertise and knowledge in order to support the whole industry to make positive change. They have shared through their website considerable intellectual property that many practices would keep for their own competitive advantage. The entire industry can utilise their in-house developed embodied carbon calculator, can use their Sustainability Action and Reconciliation Action plans as templates for their own policies, and are free to reference their Sustainable Materials guide. This generosity is deliberate and part of their industry-wide advocacy for change.
The work of Fitzpatrick + Partners is primarily in the complex world of commercial towers and health infrastructure. These are building types that have traditionally been very slow to adopt more sustainable practices, yet the practice has managed to shift the dial by diligent use of evidence-based design. They understand both the sustainability and financial consequences of design decisions and how that correlates with the agenda of their clients, and in bringing these together have been the catalysts for significant change.
Fitzpatrick + Partners is demonstrating the future of a sustainable industry, through sharing experiences and expertise for the greater good of our built environment.
Small Practice | Studio Prineas
Studio Prineas is a collegiate team that works together efficiently and joyously. Younger architects are well mentored and supported, in formally structured sessions and also throughout every day. The practice’s all-in Monday morning meetings sort through the progress, challenges, and wins of every project, including those that are in-house, such as their recent B-Corp certification. This means that younger architects and graduates are constantly learning and being challenged to contribute to the whole-office knowledge bank. They have an exceptionally high proportion of registered architects and are a female led and mostly female staffed practice. Being a successful woman dominated practice provides balance against the traditional male-led architecture industry and leads by example not only for other architects but for the consultants, builders, and clients that we all work with.
Through Studio Prineas’ B Corp certification, they have proven they are world standard across a whole range of sustainability, ethics, and equity challenges. Partly as a result of going through the certification process they have developed a number of new processes that make their ethical and sustainable design process more transparent to clients, thus challenging everyone they work with to put their best efforts towards our climate challenges. Studio Prineas promotes the idea of ‘thinking more and building less’, believing that our value as architects can be as problem-solvers, innovators, and thinkers, and that we can find ways to use what we have in clever and beautiful ways.
Studio Prineas is demonstrating through their beautiful and considered work that being a wonderful place to work and having high standards for sustainability and ethics is compatible with the best architectural output.
ABOUT THE Best in Practice Prize
Launched in July 2019, the Best in Practice Prize recognises excellence in practice, with a focus on the development of supportive and inclusive workplaces and contributing to the overall success and elevation of a positive workplace culture in Architecture.
The Prize has been developed to acknowledge non-project initiatives and successes in running a practice, and to celebrate the overall elevation of a positive workplace culture in Architecture.
Through raising awareness within the industry as to what ‘best practice’ looks like, the Prize promotes the sharing of knowledge and initiatives, and space for development and implementation in a collegiate industry. Practices of all scales across New South Wales are encouraged to enter, with prizes awarded in Small/Medium and Large categories.
The Best in Practice Prize is run bi-annually, and the theme for 2024 is Sustainability in Practice.
Sub topics: Breaking business as usual/Innovation in process/Commitment through research
find out more
Background
Purpose
Launched in July 2019, the Best in Practice Prize recognises excellence in practice, with a focus on the development of supportive and inclusive workplaces and contributing to the overall success and elevation of a positive workplace culture in Architecture.
The Prize has been developed to acknowledge non-project initiatives and successes in running a practice, and to celebrate the overall elevation of a positive workplace culture in Architecture.
Through raising awareness within the industry as to what ‘best practice’ looks like, the Prize promotes the sharing of knowledge and initiatives, and space for development and implementation in a collegiate industry. Practices of all scales across New South Wales are encouraged to enter, with prizes awarded in Small/Medium and Large categories.
The Best in Practice Prize is run bi-annually, and the theme for 2024 is Sustainability in Practice.
Sub topics: Breaking business as usual/Innovation in process/Commitment through research
Prize
- The opportunity to present on your practice’s culture at an Institute talk to advance industry best practice;
- ‘Best practice’ organisational profile in the Architecture Bulletin.
Partner
The Best in Practice Prize is sponsored by Bespoke Careers.
Judging
Evaluation criteria
An exemplary and holistic workplace culture:
- promotes and supports architects and designers
- enables ongoing professional development and the promotion of a positive workplace culture
- creates a diverse and inclusive environment
- supports employee engagement and empowerment
- applies progressive, innovative approaches for better cultural outcomes.
Continuity, communication and connection are key elements of a culture that attracts and retains talent, drives engagement, and positively impacts happiness, satisfaction and performance. The focus of the assessment of submissions will be how the practice has made a real difference in a tangible and authentic way through initiatives and innovations in continuity, communication and connection to create an outstanding culture that contributes to the advancement of the profession.
It is important that your submission provides a real sense of the culture of your practice.
Jury composition
- NSW Chapter President or Past President
- A representative nominated by Bespoke Careers
- A representative of 2022 Prize Recipient
- A member of the Practice Committee
- An experienced HR professional
- A member of EmAGN – representing the next generation of architects
- Other advisers and industry influencers may be invited
2024 Jury – TBC
How to enter
Eligibility & conditions of entry
Entrants must satisfy all of the following criteria:
- Practices must have a minimum of 5 full or part-time employees to enter
- The practice must be a member of the Institute, either holding a current A+ membership or the principal/owner being a current member
- The practice must meet its employer obligations under the Fair Work Act, National Employment Standards, Architects Award + WHS Act
Entries will be judged in one of two categories based on the practice size:
- Small and medium practice (5-30 people)
- Large practice (31+ people)
Conditions of entry
By submitting an entry, practices agree to the information supplied being used for research and reporting in an unidentifiable way. This will take the form of a general industry ‘roundup’ report from responses provided. The intent of this is to share the innovations and initiatives shaping best practice and culture in architecture in NSW in support of improving workplaces and the profession more broadly.
Should your practice be selected as one of the category winners of the 2024 Best in Practice Prize, the practice agrees to provide a seminar/talk/presentation organised by the Australian Institute of Architects on the winning culture with a view to advancing industry best practice.
Contact
For more information regarding this prize, please email peter.fry@architecture.com.au
2022 Best in Practice Prize (Small Practice) Winner
Dunn & Hillam
In a move that demonstrates a commitment to using the power of business to create a positive impact on the planet and people, Dunn & Hillam is one of the few Australian architectural practices to be granted certified B-Corp status. The practice meets the highest global standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. They are committed to balancing profit and purpose.
There are several arenas in which Dunn & Hillam stand out in their ability to practice an outward, rather than purely inward, allegiance. Impressively, their commitment is to architecture at large. Having embraced the opportunity to identify as a launch pad for other practices and sole practitioners in the industry, advocacy for the profession is embedded into their workplace values.
For a small practice, Dunn & Hillam encapsulate the breadth of the entire profession, dedicating themselves to cultural initiatives, design excellence, and education of their staff and others.
2022 Best in Practice Prize (Large Practice) Winner
NBRS
Through the lens of this year’s framework as a response to the past almost three years of COVID upheaval, and as true devotees to practice evolution, NBRS has implemented contemporary, flexible strategies to the way it operates. These strategies reflect a topical and strategic commitment to embrace recent changes and employee expectations. A flexible approach to working arrangements and implicit, respectful trust in its team members has enabled NBRS to transcend traditional workplace structure in order to provide a future-focused workplace.
The panel was impressed by the firm’s implementation of a nine-day fortnight and location-agnostic approach, reflective of their awareness of, and commitment to heeding, up-to-date research on worker satisfaction and productivity. This is a brave move and embodies the objective of the Best in Practice Prize.
2022 Best in Practice Prize Commendation
BVN
After winning the Best in Practice Award in 2018, BVN deserves commendation for eclipsing their own benchmark, improving their practices further over the last four years. One of the largest practices in New South Wales, BVN have maintained their dedication to constantly evolving and refining their workplace operations in the commitment to workplace distinction. What stands out this year is their renewed focus on employee health and wellbeing and the practical acknowledgement of the inseparability of employee output and employee health.
Their adaption to a hybrid working model since the pressures of COVID forced drastic changes into workplace operations is also commendable, revealing BVN’s intentions to foster employee creativity within the office environment, and at home.
2020 Best in Practice Prize Joint Winner
MHNDU
As 2020 comes to a close, much of our profession is reflecting on ‘practice’ and how quickly we changed to ensure work continuity and studio culture from home. MHNDU stood out in this year’s judging due to strategies established and implemented which ensured psychologically safe, flexible and supportive studio and Working From Home environments.
In testament to a diverse, inclusive and empowered studio culture the practice held an in-house design competition that led to the foundation and opening of a profit for purpose café and gallery on the ground floor of the studio. For a social impact enterprise outside the typical realms of practice to be employee initiated, leadership supported, delivered and sustained this throughout 2020, showcasing the strength of MHNDU’s workplace culture.
Demonstrating its core practice values of creativity, generosity and respect, the studio has developed clear processes around pay equity, unconscious bias, and career progression, all contributing to the establishment of a workplace that values and supports its members.
Congratulations MHNDU.
2020 Best in Practice Prize Joint Winner
Carter Williamson
Carter Williamson is a demonstration that small practice can be a diverse and supportive workplace, at the same time as advancing and advocating for the profession. The studio shows leadership across multiple fields, including workplace culture, environmental sustainability, gender equity and social advocacy, through both its internal practices and external engagements.
Against a backdrop of the many challenges brought by 2020, the studio has developed genuine responses to support the physical and mental wellbeing of staff, whilst still providing career development pathways, flexible workplace arrangements, and education and training opportunities.
Showing that a positive workplace culture is about more than just written policies, Carter Williamson has developed a model of practice that has a positive influence on place, society and the profession on many levels, an approach which is to be celebrated and congratulated.
Congratulations Carter Williamson.
2020 Best in Practice Prize Commendation
Mirvac Design
Mirvac Design has shown that non-traditional practice structures are not a barrier to developing a positive and supportive workplace.
Leveraging its origins as a partnership between architect HPA and developer Mirvac, the practice has eschewed any assumptions of this model to demonstrate leadership in people and practice. In this way, Mirvac Design has utilised its knowledge from the corporate environment to develop a studio in which diversities of career path and working arrangements are not just accommodated, but encouraged – to the benefit of the practice and its members. With positive messaging and a ‘licence to be yourself’, advocated and practiced by the leadership, Mirvac Design has developed a high trust environment in the adverse conditions of 2020.
Prioritising safety, agility and engagement, whilst delivering with creative energy, has enabled continuity and productivity to remain high, maintaining wellbeing, flexibility and balance.
Congratulations Mirvac Design.
2019 Best in Practice Prize Winner
BVN
BVN stood out for their progressive approach to all aspects of workplace culture. BVN recognises that a diverse and inclusive environment supports engagement, empowerment and performance.
Leading by example is demonstrated at the most senior levels of the practice. Building on the model policy developed through Male Architects Champions of Change, the practice has developed integrated cultural and technological approaches that are open to all. These aim to reduce the guilt and stigma that is too often associated with flexible and part-time work by providing transparency and promoting a ‘redistributed hours’ approach that also helps improve work life balance.
