The Distinguished Fellow Award is without doubt one of the highest awards conferred by the New Zealand Institute of Architects: there could also be not more than 10 Distinguished Fellows at any time. Architects Lindley Naismith and Barry Dacombe joined this choose group on the annual New Zealand Structure Awards held at Te Pae in Christchurch on 20 November 2025.
Lindley Naismith
Equipped
Lindley Naismith has made an indelible mark on New Zealand structure via her award-winning apply, devoted mentorship and tireless advocacy for ladies within the career. After graduating with a Bachelor of Structure diploma from the College of Auckland in 1982 and registering in 1986, Naismith labored with main residential corporations Stephen Smythe Architects and Cook dinner Hitchcock Sargisson Architects. She established her personal apply in 1987 and later partnered with Jane Aimer to co-found Aimer Naismith Architects, which advanced into Scarlet Architects in 2002 — an award-winning studio greatest recognized for considerate residential design.Past her apply, Naismith has been a strong pressure for fairness {and professional} improvement inside structure. A basis member of Structure + Girls NZ (A+W NZ), she helped safe funding and sponsorships that enabled the publication of Elizabeth Cox’s Making Area: A Historical past of New Zealand Girls in Structure (2022).
Naismith’s long-standing service to Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects contains six years as Councillor (2004–2010), Auckland Department Committee member and Department Chair (2014–2016), the place she championed higher feminine and youth illustration. She convened the NZIA’s first all-women awards jury in 2002 and continues to function a mentor.
Her contributions prolong to academia as an Adjunct Professor, visitor critic and lecturer, and to civic advocacy via roles on the Auckland City Design Panel, Committee for Auckland and campaigns defending Auckland’s constructed setting.
Winner of the 2017 Structure + Girls NZ Munro Variety Award, Naismith exemplifies management, generosity and unwavering dedication to structure and her group.
Barry Dacombe
Equipped
Barry Dacombe’s lifelong dedication to New Zealand structure started in 1959 when, as an 18-year-old scholar, he joined the New Zealand Institute of Architects and rapidly grew to become the Canterbury Department’s scholar consultant. His early participation and presence on the Christchurch Atelier aided his research and connections with practitioners, and an opportunity dialogue with Miles Warren one night time led to his becoming a member of Warren and Mahoney — a partnership that may outline his profession. After incomes his Bachelor of Structure from the College of Auckland in 1966, Dacombe grew to become a registered architect and was admitted to the NZIA as an Affiliate in 1968, later attaining Fellowship in 1979.
Throughout the NZIA, Dacombe has served in quite a few management roles, together with Department Chair, Nationwide Government member, Vice President and member of the Skilled Companies Committee. His dedication prolonged nationally via his transformative work with the New Zealand Architects Cooperative Society (NZACS), which supplies skilled indemnity insurance coverage to architects. Becoming a member of its Board within the late Seventies, he oversaw the institution of Acanthus Insurance coverage Firm in 1982, grew membership from a number of dozen to greater than 700 corporations, and served as Chairman for 20 years. He would finally retire from the Board in 2021 after 41 years of service.
At Warren and Mahoney, Dacombe’s management helped information the apply via worldwide enlargement, partnership succession, a transition to collective management and towards an vital concentrate on environmental sustainability. As a Trustee and later as Chairman of The Warren Architects’ Training Charitable Belief, he oversaw greater than $2 million in help for architectural training, scholarships, publications, exhibitions and lectures — initiatives which have profoundly enriched New Zealand’s architectural tradition.
Dacombe’s profession exemplifies enduring service, management and generosity to the architectural career.
