Shannon's `Beauty and Nature' wins prestigious international architecture award

Bond University Bachelor of Architectural Studies student Shannon Thompson has recently returned from Baltimore in the United States where she was presented with the prestigious American Society of Architectural Illustrators’ Student Award of Excellence.

Ms Thompson’s winning entry in the Architecture in Perspective (AIP) Student Competition was titled ‘Beauty + Nature’, and captured the jurors’ attention with its striking imagery.

AIP Jury Moderator, Mr Gordon Grice, said the quality of entries in the international competition, which is a joint initiative between the American Society of Architectural Illustrators (ASAI), Architecture in Perspective (AIP), Australian Association of Architectural Illustrators (AAAI), and Japanese Architectural Renderers Association (JARA), was again outstanding.

“As organisers of the Architecture in Perspective Student Competition, we are continually impressed and gratified by the strong international response and by the quality of the illustrations submitted by students around the world,” said Mr Grice.

“In viewing this work, we are privileged to witness not only the current state of architectural imagery, but also its future course.

“In this year’s Student Award of Excellence, Shannon Thompson of Bond University in Robina, Australia has crafted an evocative drawing that draws suggestions about architectural form from images of a eucalyptus forest, fusing architectural ideas that represent the primeval past, the present and the hoped-for future.

“We were especially delighted to meet Shannon, when she travelled from Australia to receive her citation and be present at the opening of AIP 27 in Baltimore, this October,” said Mr Grice.

Student Jury Spokesperson, Michael Keniger, added; “The Architecture in Perspective Student Competition is one of very few architectural drawing competitions open to students worldwide.”

“That students from the Bond University’s recently established course in Architecture featured strongly in a field dominated by entries from America and Japan is a credit to the Bond students and their teachers.”

Ms Thompson, who is currently working at Sydney architectural firm Design Ink, said she was delighted and honoured to receive the Student Award.

“Winning the award is confirmation that we Queensland designers are on par with our international counterparts,” said Ms Thompson.

“For me, it is encouraging to receive such prestigious recognition, it is a wonderful boost for my personal progress and now forms part of the foundation which drives my determination to advance and reach my architectural goals,” she said.

Head of the Soheil Abedian School of Architecture Professor Philip Follent praised Shannon on her achievement, saying it’s testament to her hard work and diligence.

“We encourage our students to get involved in as many co-curricular activities as possible outside of the classroom,” explained Professor Follent.

“Our course is focused on both a practical and theoretical approach and Shannon’s success is a true indication of her dedication to the field and future success.”