In recognition of a lifelong contribution to architecture, the Australian Institute of Architects has this year awarded its most prestigious honour, the Gold Medal, to ‘Renaissance man’, Mr Donald (Don) Robert Watson.

The Queensland architect is described by the Jury as ‘a perfect antidote’ to much that has been difficult in 2020, and someone who ‘shines as a man of genuine achievement, architectural intelligence, altruism and modesty’.

The Jury’s unanimous decision applauded Don’s comprehensive contribution to architecture since he graduated from The University of Queensland (UQ) in 1970 and his remarkable prowess across the diverse areas of architectural agency, traversing a multitude of scales, typologies, and public and private commissions.

It is a fitting acknowledgment for a career spanning more than 50 years of celebrated architectural practice, which has influenced informed, contextually responsive architecture.