The F. Gordon Wilson Fellowship has been established by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects and family members of former Government Architect F. Gordon Wilson, to promote creative design thinking, new ideas and approaches to unmet housing needs across Aotearoa New Zealand.

It invites architects and design professionals from Aotearoa New Zealand to explore how architecture can help address one of today’s most pressing human rights — housing — and for the winner to embark on a self-directed research project supported with $20,000.

The annual recipient or recipients of the fellowship will conduct research into housing challenges of the future, and consider and explore both current and forward-looking solutions to public housing.

“We hope that new ways of looking at the complex relationship of design and public housing will help to cultivate new housing leaders in the industry,” says Peter Wilson, son of Gordon Wilson. “Over time, the Fellowship will help to influence Aotearoa New Zealand’s design outcomes as well as the overall wellbeing of people and communities in public housing. We’re excited to see where our most talented design professionals want to take this opportunity.”

The focus of the Fellowship recognises F. Gordon Wilson’s historic role as a design champion for State Housing in New Zealand over his extensive 20th century career. Wilson led the creation of our innovative State Housing programme, which included thousands of single, duplex, and multi-unit houses, as well as a small range of internationally recognised modernist apartment buildings. Born in Perth, Australia, the renowned architect’s career in Aotearoa New Zealand included positions as Chief Architect of the Department of Housing Construction (1936–1943), Chief Architect of the Housing Division of the Public Works Department (1943–1952), Assistant Government Architect (1948–1952), and Government Architect (1952–1959).

The 2023 Fellowship jury members are Judith Taylor, President NZIA; Dr Kay Saville-Smith, HUD Chief Science Advisor for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Research Director, Centre for Research, Evaluation and Social Assessment; Marko den Breems, Director of Architecture, Kāinga Ora; Julia Gatley, Associate Professor of Architecture, Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland – Te Pare School of Architecture and Planning; Peter Wilson and Julia Mandell, representatives of the Wilson family.

Applications for the inaugural fellowship can be made until 18 August, 2023. The recipient/s will be announced at the New Zealand Architecture Awards on November 16, 2023.

Click here for the criteria and entry parameters of the Fellowship.