Alexander Tzannes

Alexander "Alec" Tzannes AM (born December 27, 1950) is an Australian architect, designer, urban strategist, thinker and academic. Tzannes is one of Australia's most respected architects, with a portfolio of private and public work spanning more than 30 years. He is the founding director of TZANNES, an architecture and urban design practice. He is immediate past professor of practice and dean of the Faculty of Built Environment at the University of New South Wales, and remains associated with the university as an emeritus professor.

Alec Tzannes
Born (1950-12-27) 27 December 1950
Sydney, Australia
NationalityAustralian
OccupationArchitect
AwardsAustralian Institute of Architects Gold Medal 2018, Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 2014, President’s Medal Royal Architectural Institute of Canada 2007, President’s Medal The American Institute of Architects 2007
PracticeTZANNES
BuildingsFederation Pavilion and Federation Drive in Centennial Park (Sydney), The Master Plan of Central Park and Brewery Yard re-development (Chippendale, Sydney), Cranbrook Junior School campus (Rose Bay, Sydney), Anzac Parade Lights (Canberra), Cathy Freeman Park (Homebush, Sydney, 71 Macquarie Street (Sydney), Barangaroo commercial buildings C5 and C2 (Sydney), Symond Residence (Point Piper, Sydney)

Biography

Tzannes is the founding director of TZANNES. He established the firm's distinctive culture based on transparent collaboration, ethical work practices and the pursuit of design excellence, measured by enduring benefits across public and private domains. The practice is today internationally recognised a leader in architecture, urban design and industrial design. Tzannes has also served the community and the profession in a diverse range of part-time positions including as National President of the Australian Institute of Architects (2006-7) and as Professor of Practice and Dean of UNSW Built Environment (2008–16) where he retains an ongoing relationship as Emeritus Professor. This academic experience has helped shape the development of the firm's rigorous and research led design process.

Professional background and qualifications
  • Chartered Architect NSW Australia 1980
  • Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design at Columbia University in the City of New York, 1978
  • Graduate study at the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in the City of New York, 1977 - 1978
  • Parsons School of Design, New York, (Architectural Rendering) 1977 - 1978
  • Scholarships for post-graduate study in the US: Sydney University Travelling Scholarship and Graduate Grant; Fulbright Award; NSW Department of Public Works Award
  • Bachelor of Architecture, Sydney University 1976 University Medal, First Class Honours, John Sulman Prize for Architectural Design
  • Selected Australian student representative to I.C.S.I.D. Moscow, USSR 1975
  • Bachelor Science (Architecture) Sydney University 1974
  • LA Aboud Prize 1974

Education

Tzannes graduated in architecture and urban design from Sydney University, and then Columbia University (Master of Science in architecture & urban design), starting his career after graduation in the New South Wales Government Architects Office (Special Projects) and as an associate of architect Glenn Murcutt.

Career

Tzannes is the founding director of TZANNES, an architecture and urban design practice. He has served as dean of UNSW Built Environment and is now an emeritus professor.

TZANNES is recognised by more than 100 local, state, national and international awards in architecture, urban design and industrial design.

In 2014 Tzannes was made a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to architecture, as a practitioner and educator and through professional organisations.

In 2017 UNSW honoured Tzannes's achievements with the degree of Doctor of the University honoris causa.

In 2018 he was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal. The Gold Medal recognises distinguished service by architects who have designed or executed buildings of high merit, produced work of great distinction resulting in the advancement of architecture or endowed the profession of architecture in a distinguished manner.

He is a current director of the Judith Neilson's Charitable Foundation for Dangrove, and the chair of the Australian Institute of Architecture Foundation Board.

In 2019 The Hellenic Union of Eptanisians honoured Tzannes for his contribution to architecture and academic endeavours. Hellenic Post issued a stamp in recognition of this honour.

Practice

Tzannes’ portfolio of architecture includes many seminal projects including the following.

  • City of Sydney Street Furniture 2013
  • Federation Pavilion and Federation Drive in Centennial Park (monuments to Australia's Federation)
  • The Brewery Yard, Central Park, Sydney
  • Urban Furniture for the City of Sydney
  • Cranbrook Junior School campus including all buildings, Rose Bay
  • Anzac Parade Lights, Canberra
  • Cathy Freeman Park, Homebush
  • Opera Residences, Sydney
  • Barangaroo commercial buildings C5 and C2 (International House), Sydney
  • Nursey Residences, Paddington and NSW Central Coast
  • Kronenberg Residence, Killcare
  • Symond Residence, Point Piper
  • Shein Residence, Vaucluse
  • Lin Residence, Point Piper
  • Irving Street Brewery, Central Park Sydney
  • Dangrove Art Storage Facility, Alexandria
  • International House Sydney, Barangaroo
Federation Pavilion, Centennial Park, Sydney

Tzannes designed the Federation Pavilion in Centennial Park, New South Wales, which was erected around the Commonwealth Stone as a permanent monument to Australia's Federation, in the Bicentennial Year of European Settlement in 1988. The Federation Monument which consists of the Commonwealth Stone (1901) and the Federation Pavilion (1988) is significant as the site of the official ceremony to mark the Federation of Australia and the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901.[1]

Selected awards

TZANNES has been honoured with more than 100 local, state, national and international architecture awards, including the Robin Boyd (1997, 1988, 1989), Wilkinson (1988, 1989, 1997, 2010), Blackett (1998), the Lachlan Macquarie award (2015), the Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture (2019) and the National Architecture Award for Interior Architecture (2019) from the Australian Institute of Architects and the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal (2018).

TZANNES won the prestigious international RED DOT and two Good Design awards in product design for a suite of street furniture for the City of Sydney (2016). The Brewery Yard, Central Park Sydney received the National AIA award, the Lachlan Macquarie (2015), an international architecture award by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies (2016), and the UNESCO International Conservation Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts (2016).

Professional honours

In 2014 Tzannes was made a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to architecture, as a practitioner and educator and through professional organisations. In 2017 UNSW honoured Tzannes's achievements with the degree of Doctor of the University honoris causa. In 2018 he was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal. The Gold Medal recognises distinguished service by architects who have designed or executed buildings of high merit, produced work of great distinction resulting in the advancement of architecture or endowed the profession of architecture in a distinguished manner. In 2019 The Hellenic Union of Eptanisians honoured Tzannes for his contribution to architecture and academic endeavours. Hellenic Post issued a stamp in recognition of this honour.

Academic appointments

Tzannes has taught design studio at a number of universities in Australia and other countries. He has lectured on urban design, interior design, architecture and furniture design and continues to be involved as a guest lecturer at UNSW from a practice perspective. He also maintains an active involvement in cutting-edge research related to design excellence, urban planning regulations and density, residential design and design science themes.

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References
  1. Federation Monument, Centennial Park, NSW Profile Archived 29 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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