Powerhouse awards annual architectural photography commission

Powerhouse has announced the recipients of their Photography Architectural Commission - one of two major annual photography commissions from the museum. New Zealand-born, Naarm/Melbourne-based photographer Tasha Tylee has been awarded the $20,000 commission to collaborate with Powerhouse on major new works over the next year.

According to a release from Powerhouse, the architectural commission "aims to develop new perspectives on Australian architecture and the built environment, with a focus on construction, urban development, housing, infrastructure and sustainability." Past winners of the annual commission include Rory Gardiner, Amanda Williams and Matteo Dal Vera.

Focusing on material innovation within Australia's built environment, Tylee will document the development of newly developed sustainable materials. Beginning with their natural form, she will follow the manufacturing, fabrication and installation processes, ending with the materials used in a completed build.

Tylee commented, "In light of the ongoing climate crisis, I've been reflecting on how we can collaborate to build a more sustainable future. As an image maker, I believe I have a unique opportunity to contribute by visually capturing and sharing these innovative ideas."

"This incredible opportunity allows me to expand the scope of my practice and document the future of sustainable architecture and the built environment within Australia," Tylee added. Her past photography commissions include the Naples Street House by Edition Office, winner of the Australian Institute of Architects 2024 Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture, Sawmill Treehouse by Robbie Walker, and Ground House 107R by David Fewson.

Powerhouse has awarded their First Nations Right of Reply Photography Commission to Guwa-Koa, Gungarri, and Kuku Yalanji photographer Jo-Anne Driessens, who will undertake a body of work that responds to the Powerhouse Collection with the intent to Indigenise, counter and investigate narratives of the applied arts and sciences through a First Nations lens.