Alastair Swayn AO was one of Australia’s leading architects and a much-loved member of the Canberran community. Swayn coloured the capital as the first ACT Government Architect and inspired the community as Professor of Architecture at the University of Canberra and director of Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn. He left a legacy in Australian architecture which lives on in Canberra today through sites such as the CSIRO Discovery Centre, the new ACT Law Courts Facility, and the City Plan and urban design strategy for Northbourne Avenue.
After his death in 2016, Swayn’s commitment to sustainable design was memorialised through the creation of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. The Foundation is “[d]edicated to the Knowledge, Research and Education of all things Australian Design”, reflecting Swayn’s passion for all aspects of design not only his chosen profession of architecture. The Alastair Swayn Foundation was established through Swayn’s generous bequeathing of his estate for the cause of advancing Australian design culture for generations onwards.
Each year the Alastair Swan Foundation offers a series of Research Grants and Strategic Grants to support individuals, groups, and organisations pursuing research related to architecture and design associated industries. The Grants Program seeks to provide the Australian community with opportunities to further design excellence through nurturing knowledge and culture. Research Grants are awarded to applicants whose research engages with the Foundation’s Guiding Principles of excellence, innovation, collaboration, progress, and leadership. Whilst Strategic Grants reward those whose research seeks to remedy contemporary design challenges in Australia such as sustainability, housing, and workplace design.
The Alastair Swayn Foundation encourages research that promotes education, has potential for further development and long-term outcomes, and demonstrates vision and innovation. Previous grant recipients include the Public Realm Lab x Aboriginal Housing Victoria project on ‘Transitioning Success: Developing a transitional housing model for young Indigenous people’ (Strategic Grant) and Ian Wong’s exhibition ‘Australian Design Index’ which showcased Australian industrial design history (Research Grant). The Grants Program embodies Swayn’s design ethos which is grounded by social responsibility and care for the community.
Applications are currently being accepted for Round One of the 2021 grants program, closing on 24th May at 5 pm (Canberra) 2021.
Find out more through https://alastairswaynfoundation.org/blog/round-one-grant-are-open/
DESIGN Canberra Festival is excited to welcome back the Alastair Swayn Foundation as a platinum partner in 2021.
