Helen Lochhead

Helen Marian Lochhead is an Australian architect and urbanist who combines academic and expert advisory roles with practice. Her career has focused on the inception, planning, design, and delivery of complex urban projects ranging from city improvements programs to major urban regeneration projects. She has held numerous influential roles in government, industry and universities including Dean, Faculty of Built Environment and Pro Vice-Chancellor Precincts at UNSW Sydney, National President of the Australian Institute of Architects and Deputy Government Architect in NSW. She has served on various Panels and Boards including the NSW Independent Planning Commission, The Australian Heritage Council and the National Capital Authority.

Biography
Helen Lochhead graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Science(Architecture) and Bachelor of Architecture and went on to complete a Master of Science (Architecture and Urban Design), from Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. She is a registered architect, landscape architect and planner.

Lochhead is an architect and urban designer with over 20 years of senior management and project delivery experience in both private and public sectors in Australia and the United States. Her career has primarily focused on urban design, public works and complex large-scale urban regeneration projects.

In 2013 Lochhead was awarded the prestigious Marion Mahony Griffin Prize by the NSW Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects. The citation states that Lochhead 'has worked tirelessly to achieve design excellence in the public sector working on architectural, urban design and landscape design projects. Through her role on committees, design review panels and competition juries, and from within local council and state government agencies, she has worked determinedly, managing to extricate herself from procedural inertia and the daily difficulties of working in a bureaucracy to make design quality and sustainability important considerations in major capital works projects. Prior to accepting a secondment as the director of strategic developments at Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA), Helen championed the promotion of women architects within the GAO, and has played an important role in mentoring graduates. She has taught at three of Sydney's universities and was an adjunct professor at the University of Sydney, prior to her appointment at UNSW Sydney. She has been a champion of women in architecture and construction and established Engaging Women in Built Environment in 2016 to profile and connect women from research and industry. In recognition of her contributions she was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize in 2019.

Lochhead had won numerous awards for her contributions to the profession, and was a 2013–14 Lincoln/Loeb Fellow at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. During her fellowship she studied design, policy, and governance strategies that can deliver more sustainable climate-resilient coastal cities.

Professional career
Lochhead was Director of Helen Lochhead Urban Projects (1996–2006) where she prepared masterplans and Development Control Plans (DCPs) including Rozelle Hospital & Gladesville Hospital Master Plans, Rouse Hill Town Centre, Mascot Station Precinct, public domain projects, multi-unit housing projects.

From 2004 to 2007 she was Executive Director, Sustainability at Sydney Olympic Park Authority. Lochhead became Deputy Government Architect in the NSW Government Architect's Office in 2007.

in 2011 Lochhead was appointed an Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning until 2016.

In 2012–2013 Lochhead was Executive Director, Place Development, at the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.

Lochhead was awarded the Lincoln/Loeb Fellowship in 2014 at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Bogliasco Fellowship in 2015.

Lochhead was appointed the first female Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment UNSW in Sydney in 2015 and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Precincts in 2020.

Lochhead was a nationally-elected councillor of the Australian Institute of Architects since 2013 and was the National President from 2019-21. During her term she also served as chair of the Board, the 2020 Venice Architecture Biennale (Australian Pavilion) and the Climate Action and Sustainability Taskforce and on the Architecture Foundation Board.

In 2019 Helen Lochhead was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize. The prize is named for the distinguished Australian architect, Paula Whitman.

In 2022 she was made an Emeritus Professor of Architecture and Urbanism at UNSW Sydney.

Personal life
Lochhead has studied and worked in Australia and the United States.

Awards

 * 2024: Officer of the Order of Australia
 * 2022: Emeritus Professor in Architecture and Urbanism, UNSW Sydney
 * 2020: Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Presidential Medal
 * 2020: American Institute of Architects (AIA) Presidents Medal,
 * 2020: Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) President's Medal
 * 2019: Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize, Australian Institute of Architects
 * 2019:100 Women of Influence, The Australian Financial Review
 * 2019: Life Fellow, Australian Institute of Architects (LFRAIA)
 * 2019: RAIA NSW Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design for Harold Park Precinct, Sydney
 * 2019: City of Sydney Lord Mayor's Prize for urban design excellence for Harold Park Precinct, Sydney
 * 2016: Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD)
 * 2015: Bogliasco Fellowship, The Bogliasco Foundation, Italy
 * 2015: AIA Presidents Prize for contribution to the design of the built environment of Sydney, design education and the profession
 * 2013 Loeb Fellowship, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
 * 2013 Lincoln Fellowship, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Cambridge
 * 2013: Australian Institute of Architects Marion Mahony Griffin Prize (for a distinctive body of work & contribution of a female architect to the profession)
 * 2011: AILA National Award for leadership in adaptation to climate change and promotion of sustainable Australian settlements (with OEH)
 * 2010: AV Jennings Winston Churchill Fellowship
 * 2009: National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Vision Award for leadership in the construction industry
 * 1996: Landcom Design competition winner
 * 1995: Australian Postgraduate Award
 * 1993: RAIA Merit Award for Urban Design
 * 1991: The Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship, Board of Architects
 * 1986: William Kinne Fellows Travelling Scholarship, Columbia University, New York
 * 1985: Fulbright Fellowship
 * 1985: University of Sydney Hezlet Bequest Travelling Scholarship
 * 1985: Stephenson Turner Scholarship & Medal
 * 1984: NSW Board of Architects Medallion
 * 1982: Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship