As we reflect on another year of the work of the Alastair Swayn Foundation, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for the continued dedication of our supporters, partners, and team. Our mission—to preserve and promote the legacy of Alastair Swayn, while fostering excellence in Australian design and architecture—remains as vital as ever.

In January, we welcomed two new staff members into pivotal roles: Grants Manager and Engagement Manager. These positions have been instrumental in enhancing our capacity to manage an expanding portfolio of programs and partnerships.

The Foundation’s grants program remained central to its mission. In 2024, we conducted two focused funding rounds. The first, centred on Design Thinking and Design Strategy, supporting innovative ideas that engage with real-world challenges and inspire progress in the built environment. The second round centred on two specific funding streams: an International Research Grant and Design Audio Grants. These grants enabled the Foundation to broaden its impact by supporting both emerging and established professionals exploring design’s role across borders and mediums.

We received a record-breaking number of grant applications in 2024, with more than 100 submissions. Thirteen grants were awarded, supporting a wide range of projects across Australian architecture and design. Fifteen pieces of research funded from previous grant rounds were published in our Swayn Open Research repository, reflecting the diversity and depth of inquiry supported by the Foundation.

In March, we announced the recipients of the 2024 Masters Student Research Grant. Evolving from the Foundation’s earlier internship program, these grants continue to support postgraduate architecture students undertaking original research that contributes to the advancement of Australian design thinking.

We further extended our support for undergraduate design talent through the 2024 Swayn Student Competition, held in November. This design challenged invited students from the University of Canberra to explore how design interventions can initiate transformation by creating new opportunities for ‘play’ and ‘performance’ on the shores and islands of Lake Burley Griffin. The competition continues to be a key opportunity for students to demonstrate their ideas, creativity, and potential contribution to the Australian built environment.

Public and professional engagement remained a key focus throughout the year. The Foundation was proud to sponsor the 2024 NSW Australian Institute of Landscape Architects Future Leaders Award, which recognises the work of emerging landscape architects committed to sustainability, equity, and excellence in design.

In Canberra, the Foundation was pleased to support the 2024 Canberra Art Biennial, an event that activated the city with installations, talks, and site-specific works, connecting artists, designers, and the public in powerful ways. In particular, we supported Localjinni to provide Lakeside Moonwalk journeys around the National Triangle using film and sound projections, as well as The Playful Exchange by Sanné Mestrom, an interactive and play sculpture events for children.

Internationally, we were proud to announce architect Stephanie Pahnis as the 2024/25 Alastair Swayn Foundation–RMIT Architecture Affiliated Fellow at the American Academy in Rome. The fellowship offers a unique opportunity for Australian designers to undertake immersive research within a globally significant cultural context. To further build on this partnership, the Foundation hosted a packed public lecture by inaugural Fellow Simon Robinson, who reflected on his research in Rome, Learning from Corviale, and its relevance to public housing renewal in Australia. Initiatives like this strengthen the international presence of Australian architecture and foster cross-cultural knowledge exchange.

We continued to benefit from the leadership and insight of Adjunct Professor Lyndon Anderson, the Swayn Senior Fellow in Australian Design at the National Museum of Australia, throughout the remainder of his tenure until November. His work across research, exhibition development, and public programming has been vital to shaping the Foundation’s long-term impact and strategic direction.

Of particular note, we were proud to support the National Industry PhD Scholarship in Neurodiversity-Accessible Digital Environments for Australia’s Museums, a collaborative initiative between RMIT University and the National Museum of Australia.

In exhibition programming, we marked the successful conclusion of Material World: A Story of Design, Technology, Material and Culture, our 2023–2024 exhibition in the Gandel Atrium of the National Museum of Australia, curated by Dr Anderson.

In June, we appointed Associate Professor Fleur Watson as Creative Director of the 2025 Alastair Swayn Legacy Exhibition. Titled Deep Time Real Time, the forthcoming exhibition will explore how time shapes and challenges contemporary design, encouraging the public to reflect on our shared environmental futures.

October marked a significant transition for the Foundation with the retirement of our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ashley Blondel. Since 2022 (and briefly in 2019), Ashley led the Foundation with visionary leadership and unwavering dedication, driving substantial growth in our core mission. Under his guidance, both the Foundation and The Swayn Gallery of Australian Design made meaningful strides in advancing Australian architecture and design. The Foundation will move forward with a deep appreciation for Ashley’s contributions, as we remain committed to building on the strong foundation he helped establish.

As we reflect on 2024, I am proud of what the Foundation has achieved. Our work continues to grow in reach and impact, supporting a connected and forward-thinking design culture that is inclusive, critical, and always evolving. None of this would be possible without the extraordinary commitment of the Foundation’s management team, collaborators, and my fellow Directors, who uphold the legacy of Alastair Swayn AO with dedication and vision.

Together, we remain steadfast in our belief that architecture and design matters, because they shape how we live, work, and connect with one another and with the world around us.

Thank you for your continued support.

Graham Humphries
Chairperson, Board of Directors