2009 Australian Institute of Architects' Gold Medal for Architecture awarded to Ken Maher

Professor Ken Maher, credited with shaping Sydney's physical and cultural landscape and with creating some of the city's most iconic public spaces, has been awarded Australia's top national architecture prize - the Australian Institute of Architects 2009 Gold Medal for Architecture.

Over the past 38 years, Ken Maher of architectural firm, HASSELL, has created a vast range of significant projects in Sydney including the restoration of Luna Park at North Sydney, the North Sydney Olympic Pool, Olympic Park Railway Station at Homebush, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) buildings and the new Epping Chatswood Rail Line. Overseas, he has provided the concepts for an innovative new sustainable city centre in Ningbo, China and leads the design team for the new underground railway station in Singapore. In Melbourne, he is designing a vast new workplace for the ANZ Bank at Docklands.

His projects have won prestigious awards including Institute Merit Awards, the 1988 Canberra Medallion, the 1995 Lachlan Macquarie National Architecture Award, the Sir Zelman Cowen Award in 1998, Sulman Medals in 1998 and 2002, and national Australian Institute of Landscape Architects awards. He has won a number of national and international competitions, is a respected design jury member, a teacher of design currently holding the position of Professor in Architecture at the University of NSW and writes regularly about architecture.

He is known as an advocate for architectural engagement and collaboration, for chairing one of Australia's largest practices, for being a key contributor to half a dozen top state and national urban design committees and for being instrumental in the introduction of the State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP) 65 in New South Wales.

In its 49th year, and awarded annually since 1960, the Gold Medal is the architectural profession's highest accolade and recognises distinguished service by architects who have designed or executed buildings of high merit or who have produced works of distinction resulting in the advancement of architecture. Recent past recipients include high profile architects such as Richard Johnson, Kerry Hill, Glenn Murcutt, Jørn Utzon, Gregory Burgess, Keith Cottier, Brit Andresen and Peter Corrigan.

In awarding the Gold Medal to Ken Maher, the Australian Institute of Architects' National President, Howard Tanner said that the jury firmly believed Ken had excelled in all areas.  The jury citation noted that "Many architects agitate on public issues, but few can drive change as positively and constructively as Ken Maher. As chair of the NSW Premier's Urban Design Advisory Committee, the complex negotiations he resolved between government and the various stakeholders were impressive. A major outcome was SEPP 65, which requires the involvement of an architect for larger, denser residential projects and ensures measurable design and environmental outcomes."

Examples of Ken Maher's work:

NSW: North Sydney Olympic Pool; Olympic Park Railway Station; National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA); Chifley Square and Café; Fox Studios Car Park; Liverpool/Parramatta Transit ways; Deutsche Bank Place (with Foster and Partners); Victoria Park Public Domain, Zetland; Cooks Cove Master Plan, Sydney; Sustainable Sydney 2030 Strategy Demonstration Project, Office Building, 2 Fitzwilliam Street, Parramatta; Westpac Place Headquarters Fit-out, Sydney; Epping Chatswood Rail Line; Parramatta Civic Place, Sydney.

ACT: Bruce Psychiatric Hospital, Canberra Playhouse Theatre.

SA: Riverbank Precinct Master Plan; Port Adelaide Centre Vision and Urban Design Framework, Riverbank Promenade Shade Structures, Adelaide University Master Planning, Port Adelaide Centre Vision and Urban Design Framework.

VICTORIA: ANZ Headquarters, Docklands.

QUEENSLAND: Kelvin Grove Urban Village, Northbank Urban Design Concepts.

WA:  BHP Tower, Perth, Perth Cultural Centre Urban Design Study; Riverside Project, Waterfront Common and Hillside Precinct, Perth; Perth Metrorail William St & Esplanade Stations, Perth.

CHINA: Ningbo City Extension and New City Centre, People's Republic of China; Tianjin Exhibition Centre Competition.

INDIA: ANZ Headquarters, Bangalore, India.

SINGAPORE: 4 underground rail stations, Singapore Circle Line.

In addition to these projects, HASSELL have undertaken major works in all Australian States and throughout Asia.