Sydney Morning Herald senior reporter Julie Power has been awarded the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2025 NSW President’s Prize for her reporting and impact on architecture.
Elizabeth Carpenter, the president of the NSW chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects, said architects had a tendency to be “somewhat inaccessible”.
Sydney Morning Herald senior reporter Julie Power.Credit: Louise Kennerley
“We have a tendency to talk in ‘archi-speak’, which can be misconstrued as either arrogant or privileged,” she said.
Speaking at the annual event on Thursday, Carpenter said Power’s jargon-free stories had highlighted how architecture can benefit the public.
“I also like to think Julie’s clear and engaging writing is the connective tissue between government, councils and developers as well as architects and, importantly, readers.”
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Power’s contribution was especially important now, Carpenter said, given the need for innovative and imaginative housing solutions and the importance of mitigating the impact of a changing climate on the urban environment.
Carpenter, who is also the managing principal of FJCStudio architecture practice, said Power’s “unique and fresh take on the world, with a human centred focus to ground each story” promoted a public understanding of the role architecture played in shaping the city.
Accepting the award, Power, who has been lay juror on the NSW annual architecture awards, said she had been “entranced by the power of architecture to change lives”.