This Sunday 4 May, the AAA's Open House series - At Home With the Architect, explores the Chatswood home of Kristin Utz and Duncan Sanby, directors of Utz Sanby Architects. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about house was conceived and built in its lovely bushland setting.

Utz Sanby is an award winning practice that has focused on delivering high quality residential projects since 1994 after their broad experience in London and Hong Kong.

Their projects are all over Sydney, from Palm Beach to Maroubra and Alexandria to Hunters Hill and include inner-city alterations, work to heritage listed buildings, multiple housing, apartments, educational facilities and restaurant fit-outs as well as many new homes, beach houses and rural retreats. Projects outside of Sydney have been completed in Kangaroo Valley and Coffs Harbour and developed for clients in Fiji, Hamilton Island, Culburra and Mount Wilson.

The AAA has opened many of their works over the years in our residential bus tours and now this is a chance to see how they design for themselves!

House Location: Chatswood
Please note that the address will only be forwarded to ticket holders in the days immediately preceding the tour.
Tickets: $40 (public) / $25 (AAA members)
Time: 11am - 1pm
Date: Sunday 4 May

Numbers are limited so don't miss out! To book your place on the self drive tour click here.

• Images: provided by Utz Sanby Architects

This month the Australian Architecture Association invites you to take a step back into the mid-twentieth century with a visit to the Johnson House, designed by architect Peter (Richard Norman) Johnson (1923-2003).

The family home of Peter, his wife Jane and sons Chris, Tim and Simon, the Johnson House won the Wilkinson award for excellence in domestic architecture in 1964 and is regarded as a fine example of what has become known as the 'Sydney School'.

Peter Johnson was a founding partner of the award winning firm McConnel Smith and Johnson, noted for their designs of public buildings such as the Law Courts, Queens Square, the Sydney Water Board headquarters and the University of Sydney's law school and faculty of architecture buildings.

As a professor of architecture and head of school at the University of Sydney (1968-86), as well as chancellor at the University of Technology Sydney (1988-98), Peter Johnson had a profound influence on the careers of many an emerging architect.

The house will be presented on the day by Meredith Foley and Dominic Wilson, the proud owners, who bought the house after Peter passed away.

Date: Sunday 29 June 2014
House Location: Chatswood
Please note that the address will only be forwarded to ticket holders in the days immediately before the tour.
Tickets: $30 (early bird) / $40 (public) / $25 (AAA members)
Time: 11am - 12pm

Please note the Johnson House will only be open for one hour.

As a private residence this is a rare opportunity to experience a real design classic, don't miss out!

Book your place on the tour by clicking here.

• Article: Vanessa Couzens
• Photographs: Vanessa Couzens 2014

The Australian Architecture Association will soon be offering more local events for Victorian architecture and design enthusiasts.

AAA volunteer, architect Steve Rose, is our new representative in Melbourne and recently jointly organised a AAA Short Black - Architects In Their Space Talk by Sean Godsell at RMIT Design Hub, as a part of Melbourne Indesign the Event.

With the establishment of a Melbourne chapter, the AAA is excited to partner with Melbourne Architours, who share a passion for helping people to understand and appreciate architecture and design.

Melbourne Architours is a group of local Melburnians who work, live and breathe architecture and design. Keen to share their knowledge and generate discussion about the built environment, they invite you on a walking tour to learn about Melbourne's evolution through its building fabric. Join Architours on their CBD or inner urban tours. A great social outing, its not unusual for tour participants to continue the conversation afterwards over a caffeine pitstop or beer at the bar to dissect the good and the bad about the city and its architecture.

There are some great Architour walks and tours taking place in October you won't want to miss.

Walking Tour - Modernism to Contemporary Walking Tour (City East): 10.00am - 11.30am Saturday 4 October
Click here to visit the Melbourne Architour's booking page.

Walking Tour - Settlement to Marvellous: 10.00am - 11.30am Saturday 18 October
Click here to visit the Melbourne Architour's booking page.

Special Tour - Innovation Through Architecture: An Open Studio Tour for City of Melbourne's Knowledge Week: 10.00am - 12.00pm Friday 31 October
In Collaboration with the Victorian chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA), Melbourne Architours are curating a bespoke architour of the most innovative architectural practices for Melbourne Knowledge Week, taking tour attendees behind the scenes to selected architectural offices to witness innovation as it happens.
For further information click here.

Bike Tour - Richmond Tour by Bike: 10.00am - 11.30am Saturday 15 November
Click here to visit Melbourne Architour's booking page.

Places on Melbourne Architour's events are limited, book early to avoid disappointment!

• Article: Vanessa Couzens
• Image & Logo: Provided by Melbourne Architours

Join the final AAA Residential Bus Tour for 2014 on Saturday 29 November.

Enjoy a relaxing and informative day exploring inside some of the most interesting new and renovated contemporary residential architecture in the eastern, western and lower north shore suburbs. Featured on the day will be residences designed by such architects as Richard Cole Architecture, Jorge Hrdina Architects, Drew Heath Architects, Connor + Solomon Architects and Carter Williamson Architects.

Meet the architects and learn about how the houses were designed and built.

This is an all day bus tour which includes lunch, commentary and coach travel.

Tour Details:
Date: Saturday 29 November 2014
Time: 9.30am - 5.30pm
Tickets: $195 (Public) / $170 (AAA Members)

Tickets will sell out fast, so book now to learn how the designs evolved and be inspired!

Click here to secure your place on the tour.

Support the Australian Architecture Association by visiting our Pozible campaign page 'Keep Architecture Open to Everyone'. Chose the Residential Bus Tour reward and you can get advance tickets for you and a friend in 2015.

• Article: Vanessa Couzens
• Image 1: Exterior of the Angophora House designed by Richard Cole Architecture
• Image 1 Photographer: Simon Wood
• Image 2: Interior of the Angophora House designed by Richard Cole Architecture
• Image 2 Photographer: Simon Wood

It pays to be a member of the AAA! Australian Architecture Association partner Canon offers special discounts to AAA members.

As a member of the Australian Architecture Association you are entitled to join the Canon Rewards Club, which offers AAA members the opportunity to discover a range of unique offers from Canon Australia.

As a Canon Rewards Club member you can take advantage of some awesome discounts, unique offers and special promotions that are available to AAA members.

Some of the main benefits you can expect from Canon include:

• Great discounts on a massive range of Canon products - including cameras, lenses, printers and ink!
• Free delivery across Australia
• 14 day peace of mind,
• Access to unique sales and promotions.

For a limited time you can enjoy a great discount on AAA membership for 2015 by visiting our 'Keep Architecture Open to Everyone' campaign and select the reward of either an individual membership or dual membership. Hurry the Pozible membership offer ends 12.00pm EST Tuesday 2 December 2014. Click here to take advantage.

The AAA member activation code will be sent to members this week to coincide with the issue of the December issue of 'All About Architecture'. Enter your activation code and start your christmas shopping!

International study tours are a unique opportunity for architects, designers and design enthusiasts to enhance their knowledge of and appreciation for a particular geographical area or topic. Appreciating this fact, AAA member, interior designer, editor of Grand Designs Australia and Italophile, Kate St James has again curated a tour to Italy especially orientated towards architects and designers.

This tour focuses on architecture and landscape in several locations in Italy, including but not limited to Cinque Terre, Carrara marble mines, Venice and Vincenza, offering a program in partnership with exhibitions and institutions, culminating in a personalised study of Expo Milan 2015.

It is Kate's personal experience living in and travelling through Italy that was the catalyst for these tours that she creates specifically for the design industry in conjunction with trusted colleagues in Italy.

'For our 2015 study tours we offer two departure dates in July and October. Our program draws on our wide network of scholars and colleagues, who have tailored the tours to the interests of our participants', said Kate.

'This 14 day program is the result of extensive research by our Italian partners and is designed for those who have an interest in architecture and design which goes beyond the standard guidebooks, visiting destinations covering a multiple disciplines, structures and geographic areas. Of course we include pauses for leisure and personal exploration of la dolce vita too, as no visit to Italy should be purely academic'.

You will also have unprecedented access to signifcant sites and you will be in great company, enhancing your experiences with debate and input from your co-coordinators, hosts and study colleagues with a wide expertise in a variety of disciplines.

This special study tour focuses on gems of architecture, presenting rich layers of urban history with on-site visits offering insight into urban changes and the challenges of historic preservation and adaptive re-use of landmark structures to resolve contemporary urban difficulties in a country overflowing with superb cultural moments.

Combining the Study Tour with Expo Milan 2015 offers a truly once-in-a-lifetime journey spanning not just Italian and European, but international architecture with exhibition pavilions and interiors by architects from a host of countries which are spending millions of euro to competitively present and exhibit the best of their country under the provocative theme: Feeding the Planet - Energy for Life.

For more information, itinerary and pricing contact:
Annette Dearing
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• Images: provided by Kate St James
• Image 1: Cinque Terra
• Image 2: Carrara marble mine
• Image 3: Venice

ARTPark and The Finger Wharf Management invite you to the opening of 'Sculpture on the Wharf'. The exhibition will be officially opened by Australian Architecture Association President and Principal of Environa Studio, Tone Wheeler, on Sunday 30 November.

Be the first to experience a collection of significant artists in this unique location.

• Image: Kaspar 'Harmony', Cor-Ten Steel at the Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, photograph and invitation provided by ARTPark Australia.

The AAA needs you. Donate NOW!

We want to continue providing to you a rich program of walks, tours and talks in 2015 in Sydney and expand our program in Melbourne. We are running an operations funding drive on the crowd funding website Pozible. By pledging you 'Keep Architecture Open for Everyone' and you reap some great rewards for your generosity!

Donate now and be rewarded! Click here to show you love the AAA.

The Australian Architecture Association (AAA) is a not for profit organisation that has been promoting a greater understanding of architecture and design since 2004.

The AAA is a volunteer run organisation, and it is only possible for us to continue providing educational programs with the generous support of our members, partners and volunteers.

We are reaching out to you because we are hoping to raise over $7,500 to help us continue to run and ultimately continue to expand our yearly program of educational walks, tours and talks. We have put together some great benefits in appreciation of your support.

The Australian Architecture Association's vision is that through education and greater understanding, people have the power to effect positive change in the way their built environment is shaped.

Our yearly program includes:

• Weekly architectural walking tours through suburbs around Sydney that promote an understanding of the unique qualities of Sydney's Communities and environment.
• Monthly opening the doors of a private home and meeting the architects who demonstrate how clever design can better serve the needs of individuals.
• Bus tours showcasing residential architecture both locally and interstate.
• Special talks that provide an opportunity to discover developments in contemporary design and how home grown and international designers can contribute to a more sustainable future.
• In 2015 we plan to expand the program of our new chapter based in Melbourne.

The Australian Architecture Association is not about promoting individual designers, it is about allowing people to understand and celebrate the value of architecture, urban planning and heritage.

We believe that everyone should be empowered to effect positive change on the way our cities are shaped and this can only happen through fostering understanding and encouraging people to debat the merits of architecture and design.

We want to thank you in advance for your generous support!

Click here to show you love the Australian Architecture Association and you want to 'Keep Architecture Open to Everyone'!

• Article: Vanessa Couzens
• Image 1: Keep Architecture Open
• Image 1 Photographer: Vincent Lam
• Image 2: Images from At Home With the Architect
• Image 2: Photographer: Vanessa Couzens