In nipaluna, the 2025 Emerging Architect Prize Tour became a conversation about values in practice. Liz Walsh and Alex Neilson of So. Architecture spoke about shaping their practice by values such as beauty, joy and strategy, evolving over time and seeking to leave the world “a little more beautiful and a little more nurtured.” Their reflections on collaboration, shared life, and learning from the canon set the tone: practice is a verb, not a noun. That framing connected with my sharing about love, limits, beauty, justice, joy and grief as intertwined forces in architectural work.
The Q&A circled around collaboration, impact and agency. How can architects articulate their value beyond image-making? What emerging futures should the profession prepare for? There was a call for deeper cross-disciplinary work, more architects in policy, more honest sharing of lessons, and better storytelling — especially about small projects with significant impact, or projects that don’t result in a building at all. If a rising tide lifts all boats, the challenge is ensuring the profession rises together, and with purpose.
“Places change people. Experiences change people. And these have shaped who we are and how we practice today.”
I’m off to Melbourne in the morning and excited to see how the discussion continues!