It was announced this morning that Auckland architect and Warren and Mahoney principal Tim Melville will take up the role of president of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. He will serve a two-year term until May of 2020.

Melville is a University of Auckland alumnus and joined Warren and Mahoney in 2012. Prior to this, he was the director of Auckland’s RTA Studio. He has served two terms on the Institute of Architects’ governing council and been an assessor for the New Zealand Registered Architects Board for 10 years.

“The Institute is keen to promote a greater popular understanding of architecture,” Melville said. “Rightfully, this puts pressure on architects to deliver the best possible results for their clients and their communities. Helping our members do this is core business for the Institute of Architects.” Melville noted that a focus of his will be on the government’s housing initiatives as he enters his presidency.

“KiwiBuild and Housing New Zealand both have ambitious goals that involve a significant commitment of public resources into communities and housing projects. These projects must be done well, therefore it’s crucial that design quality is integral to housing programmes. The alternative is poorly planned housing developments that will require expensive remediation a decade down the track,” he said.

Tim has said he is also keen to continue building on the progress that Christina van Bohemen, previous president of the NZIA, has made regarding The Diversity Agenda. 

“Christina championed the importance of career paths for women in the architecture profession and was committed to a strong relationship with Māori design practitioners. These will remain priorities for the Institute of Architects, and for me as president.”

Melville says he is honoured to take up the presidency and he looks forward to communicating the value of architecture to the public and supporting those within the industry.