The Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced that Echelon Studio’s Chris Morley has been elected as the new President of its SA Chapter.

Morley is the youngest ever SA Chapter President, capping an emphatic rise within South Australia’s built environment. Graduating from university in 2009, Morley founded his own practice three years later, and was a Founding Director of CodeFish Studio, a Software and Hardware Development company in 2014.

A Director of Echelon Studio, Morley splits his time between practice and being an active lecturer and tutor in the Bachelor of Interior Architecture and Bachelor of Architecture degrees at UniSA. He says his time as an educator has put him in good stead for future endeavours.

“It provides a better base foundation as an architect to critically assess a design direction to provide greater impact and alignment with a client’s brief,” he says.

“I recommend that all future architects spend as much time as possible providing back to the education of our future colleagues, you will benefit from this experience more than the students.”

Morley has been an active participant in the Institute's graduate and emerging architecture group, and was Co-Chair of the SA EmAGN Committee in 2019 and 2020. He has also been involved in both chairing and sitting upon Awards Juries for the chapter.

Outgoing Chapter President Anthony Coupe says he is delighted for his successor.

“He (Morley) understands the role and the way the Institute is connected to both its members and the industry. More importantly, his contributions have been significant and are always underpinned by a high level of enthusiasm and a desire to make the Institute as good as it can be.”

Morley is deeply enthusiastic about amplifying the voices of sole practitioners, small businesses, graduates and emerging architects. He also aims to further the work done by the Institute to educate on the importance and relevance of the architectural profession.

“Through every studio session at uni, every lecture and every client meeting, one part of our process is consistent and that is to show good architecture is, and should always, be accessible,” he says.

“Our value and way of thinking as architects extends far beyond drawing 4 walls, a floor and a roof.

“Since being in practice full-time and now as the SA Chapter President I will continue with this message and reinforce it through my personal delivery ethos of Small Moves, Big Impact.”

Architecture & Design Team

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