Helen Lochhead

Helen Marian Lochhead is an Australian architect and urbanist. 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 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.

Early life and education Helen Marian Lochhead

Career Lochhead is a registered architect, landscape architect, and planner. She has worked in senior management 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. 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.

Lochhead 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.

Lochhead was director of Helen Lochhead Urban Projects (1996–2006), where she prepared masterplans and development control plans, including Rozelle Hospital and Gladesville Hospital master plans, Rouse Hill Town Centre, Mascot Station Precinct, public domain projects, and 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

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.

In 2022 she was made an emeritus professor of architecture and urbanism at UNSW Sydney. to 2021. 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.

Recognition and awards

2024: Officer of the Order of Australia 2022: Emeritus Professor in Architecture and Urbanism, UNSW Sydney 2020: Royal Institute of British Architects Presidential Medal 2020: American Institute of Architects Presidents Medal, 2020: Royal Architectural Institute of Canada President's Medal 2019: Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize, Australian Institute of Architects (named after architect Paula Whitman) 2019:100 Women of Influence, The Australian Financial Review 2019: Life Fellow, Australian Institute of Architects 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 2015: Bogliasco Fellowship, Bogliasco Foundation, Italy 2015: AIA Presidents Prize for contribution to the design of the built environment of Sydney, design education and the profession 2013/4: 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) 2009: National Association of Women in Construction 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: Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship, NSW Architects Registration Board 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