Listen to this gentle, thoughtful and captivating conversation between Maggie Edmond and Vanessa Bird celebrating the 2003 Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal.
Our conversationalists for this wonderful episode are Maggie Edmond and Vanessa Bird. It is a celebration of Maggie’s life and work on the occasion of being retrospectively awarded the 2003 Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal. Vanessa begins by outlining the campaign that enabled this recognition, then interviews Maggie about her childhood, family influences and life in practice and beyond. Maggie speaks of growing up in the midst of the Melbourne fashion industry, running errands in Flinders Lane for her parents’ fashion house, Linda Patricia. She talks of her eduction, forming Edmond & Corrigan with Peter Corrigan, and their projects and contributions within the practice. She details her extensive list of board work, including being a Council Member, Deputy Chancellor and part of the Campus Planning Committee for Deakin University and a member of the Melbourne Zoological Board. It is a privilege to hear Maggie and Vanessa reflect on what the awarding of the Gold Medal after a 20-year hiatus means to Maggie and the profession as a whole.
I think if it had happened now I would. I didn’t, but a lot has happened in 20 years to women in architecture, the building of buildings, the education of young architects, the mentoring, the sharing with everyone. I think so many battles have been won.
Maggie Edmond
This episode of Parlour POD was produced with the assistance of the Alastair Swayn Foundation through a Design Audio Grant. Thanks!
This episode was recorded live on Wurundjeri Country at the 2023 Melbourne Summer Salon. Held at Brickworks on 23 November 2023, the Salon was convened by Justine Clark. Photos: Ceridwen Foran.
