Architects with PRIDE – WorldPride Sydney Program
Marking this year’s WorldPride celebrations in Sydney, Architects with PRIDE (AWP) launched a program of events, beginning with the Architects Ball at Pleasures Playhouse in Sydney on Thursday, 16 February. Bringing together architects, designers, artists and creatives to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in the industry, The Architects Ball and subsequent events sought to centre and explore the contributions of LGBTIQ+ architects and designers and offer a safe, welcoming space for the community.
Architects with PRIDE is a collective devoted to diversity and inclusivity in the architecture and design industry. James Kennedy, Communications Manager of SJB and AWP event organiser, says “the importance of LGBTQI+ diversity in the Australian design profession cannot be overstated. It is vital that the industry reflects the diversity of the community it serves. The Architects with PRIDE program is built on the simple understanding that the inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives leads to better design outcomes and more innovative solutions.”
The Architects Ball was a fitting occasion in celebration of both the mission of AWP and WorldPride. Cherie Micallef, Marketing Manager of event sponsor Dulux Australia, says “we are proud to support the LGBTQ+ community and come together to celebrate the spectacle that is World Pride. It was great to see everyone embrace their creative side and serve up some very fabulous looks and dance moves. It was a night we’ll never forget!”
The festivities of the Architects Ball marked the beginning of a catalogue of events focused on the enhancing inclusivity and diversity within the architecture and design world. Queer Career: InConversation brought together panelists interior designer Brahman Perera, urban designer Lucian Hicks and design editor Stephen Todd in a conversation moderated by Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown, exploring ideas around diversity in their respective fields and challenging space-making for greater inclusivity. Love Letters to Queer Space saw 16 Australian design practitioners and creatives share their experiences of creating and exploring queer spaces, asking the question ‘what does queer space look like today?’. Finally, Queer Space: In Conversation brought CEO of the Australian Institute of Architects Cameron Bruhn and RMIT professor and architecture critic Naomi Stead together to discuss the intersectionality of queer space in architecture and Naomi’s forthcoming book Queering Architecture: Methods, Practices, Spaces, Pedagogies.
