Author: AA

The Architects Association has been established in Australia as an international professional association dedicated to the preservation and continued development of traditional, classical and locally characteristic architecture, craftsmanship and building practices.

The Association brings together architects, academics, related professionals and others with an interest in the continuation and development of architectural traditions. It draws inspiration from the towns, buildings and public spaces that have evolved over generations, following local principles of design and construction that remain valuable today.

“Most of the towns we love to holiday or live in were built using locally unique architectural principles, developed and refined gradually over centuries, quite happily without abrupt globalised fashions and trends. There is a great deal we can learn from them, and much that remains just as relevant today,” said the Association’s founding president, Tasmanian architect Jiri Lev.

The Association’s activities will include education, publications, professional exchange and cooperation with specialist suppliers and craftspeople. Particular attention will be given to traditional materials and building techniques, and their continued development alongside modern methods of construction.

Making good architecture more widely accessible is another of the Association’s aims, particularly in ordinary housing and community buildings, where thoughtful design can make a considerable difference to people’s lives.

“Good architecture belongs to everyone. We would like to see more ordinary houses, public buildings, streets and neighbourhoods designed with the same care and sense of place that we admire in our architectural heritage,” Lev said.

As part of its commitment to community service, the Association’s members will offer pro bono architectural assistance to those who might otherwise be unable to obtain it. This may include families recovering from natural disasters, individuals facing hardship, or community groups seeking to establish worthwhile projects. Requests for assistance will be welcomed and referred to participating members wherever practicable.

The Association’s inaugural leadership comprises Jiri Lev as President, Sydney architect Michael Suttie, director of M. J. Suttie Architects, as Vice President for Professional Affairs, and architectural designer and writer Daniel Skinner as Vice President for Education & Publications and Secretary-Treasurer.

Having already attracted interest from practitioners and supporters in Australia and New Zealand, the Association is now welcoming members internationally.

The Association’s first conference, Architecture of Continuity, is provisionally scheduled for 11-12 March 2027 in Tasmania. The event, dedicated to the memory of architect and urbanist Leon Krier, will explore traditional architecture and evolution of sustainable building.

The Association views architectural traditions as a living body of knowledge, capable of accommodating changing needs, materials and technologies while preserving the qualities that have made buildings and places useful, beautiful and enduring.

Independent and apolitical, the Association was established on Christian foundations and is guided by the principles of charity, humility, honesty and diligence. Membership is open to people of all backgrounds, regardless of religion or political affiliation, who support its objectives and founding principles.

The Association welcomes enquiries from prospective members, educational institutions, industry partners, supporters and sponsors.

Further information: https://www.architectsassociation.au

The Architects Association, a professional, apolitical, grassroots organisation dedicated to the preservation and development of traditional, local architecture, warmly invites architects, academics and related professionals to its founding meeting in Sydney on 26 September 2026.

Agenda

• Vision and mission
• Name and identity
• Structure and membership
• Draft constitution
• Board election
• Planning for the upcoming year

Event Details

Date: 1 pm, 26 September 2026
Convenor: Jiri Lev
Location: Sydney

RSVP by 20 September 2026 via this email form.

The Architects Association’s Jiri and Sasha Lev have concluded their Australian tour.

Informal discussions with architects and associated professionals across Australian states brought forth a wide collection of varied and often unexpected topics.

With architecturally educated urban planners in Geelong we discussed the disconnect between Australian architecture and urban planning, and compared this with the integrated profession of urbanism as a design discipline practiced in Central Europe.

The odd absence of urbanism in Australian city making was debated again in Adelaide with local architects, developers and thinkers.

The shortcomings of modernist architecture and planning became most starkly obvious visiting Alice Springs and its town camps, where design failures have contributed to tragic outcomes.

In Brisbane, early career architects shared the challenges associated with transitioning from junior corporate to sole practice, especially while required to provide for young families.

Beauty is not a subjective value. It can be tested empirically and as simply as by observing which buildings do people take photos of or draw. Without doubt modernism has run its course and the amount of it which our cities were capable of absorbing without widespread cultural devastation has been reached, which most architects and general public now understand. Therefore the task ahead is not only that of course correction, but also of recovery and restoration.

In Sydney, with an eclectic group of architects at various professional stages, the broadest range of topics was covered, including architectural philosophy, education, and indeed our own need for un- and re-learning: We all have been taught to put originality above order, individuality over harmony, personal opinions over universal beauty.

There are virtually no classical or traditional schools of architecture left in Australia, though we have powerful connections and access to top-tier international partners who can assist us in the quest at hand.

We discussed the opportunities in architects also acting as developers, creating precedents for high quality new traditional projects.

A Perth architect mother of five described her awakening from career-centric social conditioning and her shift towards a more fulfilling role as a mother, with architecture becoming her much welcome creative outlet – a story shared by other women architects.

Artificial intelligence was discussed frequently. AI’s ability to speedily produce expedient, run-of-the-mill designs will displace architects previously responsible for them. Meanwhile, the fact that AI-generated art and music can easily surpass the works of ‘popular artists’ further highlights the notorious lack of substance in such ‘art’. However AI tools, when used properly, can contribute positively to legitimate intellectual or creative work.

Further meetings and discussions are ongoing via videoconferencing.

Ideas and suggestions collected during this period will serve as a base for the upcoming inaugural convention.

We warmly invite architects, academics and related professionals interested in traditional architecture to join us at the inaugural general meeting scheduled to take place in Sydney on Saturday, 26 September 2026.

Founding membership intake is open. Enquire here.

Save the date and reserve your flights. A detailed program will be announced in the coming weeks.

Jiri and Sasha Lev of the emerging Architect Association are undertaking a national tour, stopping for informal discussions and meetings with professionals and academics across Australian states and territories, to promote and discuss the new association.

Architect Jiri Lev argues that contemporary architecture has long prioritised expedience, pretentious narratives, and increasingly obscure academic theories over simple function, honesty and universally legible beauty.

The new association will be dedicated to the development and preservation of traditional architectural design, craftsmanship, and materials to restore and build naturally beautiful and resilient urban environments.

• 27 July, Geelong
• 29 July, Adelaide
• 3 August, Alice Springs
• 6 August, Townsville
• 12 August, Brisbane
• 14 August, Newcastle
• 15 August, Sydney
• 17 August, Canberra
• 18 August, Melbourne
• 27 August, Hobart

The Architects Association’s founding membership intake period is currently open to architects, academics and associated professionals. Interested professionals are warmly invited to make contact via website architectsassociation.org.

Representatives of the emerging international Architects Association Jiri and Sasha Lev have arrived in Fiji on 12 June 2026, beginning their Pacific Tour – a preliminary research, mapping and networking initiative centred on old and new traditional architecture across several island nations.

According to Jiri Lev, “traditional Pacific architecture is not just a relic of the past. It is a sophisticated masterclass in sustainable, climate-adaptive design. We want to encourage architects and stakeholders to champion this heritage and ensure that international firms value, preserve, and elevate this locally specific aesthetic which helps make each Pacific region so attractive and unique.”

The field research will place between 12 and 27 July across Fiji, Samoa and New Zealand, and involve consultations with local architects, builders, and stakeholders.

The Architects Association’s founding membership intake period is currently open to architects, academics and associated professionals. Interested professionals are warmly invited to make contact via website architectsassociation.org.

A new association of architects has commenced its formation, launching a call for founding members.

The Architects Association aims to provide a collaborative platform for architects and related professionals dedicated to developing and preserving traditional, locally specific aesthetics and culture, while integrating sustainable contemporary building technology and best practice.

“Our mission is to champion architecture that preserves strong regional identity and visual continuity, and honours cultural heritage without sacrificing modern functionality. We are inviting visionary professionals to join us as founding members to help shape the standards, education, and future of traditional architecture nationally and globally.”

Jiri Lev, architect

The Architects Association’s founding membership intake period is currently open to architects, academics and associated professionals. Interested professionals are warmly invited to make contact via website architectsassociation.org.