Erin Hinton: a local architect to watch
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Chances are, you’ve seen architect Erin Hinton’s work around Canberra without knowing it.
Recent winner of the Australian Institute of Architects’ ACT ‘Emerging Architect’ Prize, Erin is a practicing architect, lecturer at the University of Canberra, curator of the Young.Hot.Canberra exhibition and PhD student.
Erin was honoured to win the accolade, even more so because her architecture business is one of many professional hats she wears.
“What I was most proud of was that I was the first full-time academic to receive the award. I was in the running with full-time architects, so I was very surprised and incredibly honored,” Erin explains.
“I think what set me apart was that I am a sole practitioner – so when the bigger projects come about I build a team that I think would be most appropriate for the particular job. It’s cool because it’s not something that’s done in Canberra and the outcome is something you wouldn’t expect.”
Palko Apartments, which Erin designed in collaboration with Nathan Gibson Judd Architects.
Erin runs her own collaborative practice, HINTON Architects. Her built works in Canberra include: Mocan and Green Grout (NewActon), ONA on the Lawns (Manuka), Palko Apartments (Braddon), Unit Concepts (Braddon), and Peppers Gallery Hotel (NewAction), just to name a few.
Erin’s current new and exciting project is the refurbishment of Ona Coffee House in Fyshwick.
“We are keeping the existing 30 chairs and getting 30 different designers from around Canberra on board to do something different and creative with each chair – it’s going to be really interesting,” Erin says.
When she’s not designing masterpieces, she’s teaching others how to do so. Erin convenes (and lectures in) both the Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Interior Architecture at the University of Canberra.
“Lecturing is my full-time job and everything else gets done after hours,” Erin explains.
But wait – there’s more. Erin is also completing a PhD in urban design, through which she is exploring the conditions of contemporary cities (using Canberra as a case study, of course).
“It’s really about looking at the city in a different way because I think when you look at things in a different way it allows you to see things and act on things in a different way. It’s not about copying what already exists, it’s about looking at it and seeing how you can make it different, ” Erin explains.
“The research part is my focus at the moment – it’s about seeing what’s available and what’s on the very edge of architecture that we’re not making the most of at the moment.”
Brooch, ‘Blurring Architecture 03’, which Erin designed in collaboration with Blanche Tilden for the Glass x Design Exhibition at the Canberra Glassworks.
And just in case all of that wasn’t already enough, Erin is also the curator of the Young.Hot.Canberra exhibition at the Gallery of Australian Design (which is set to re-emerge in 2017), and recently collaborated with glass artists Blanche Tilden to produce a series of works for the Glass x Design Exhibition at the Canberra Glassworks.
As the winner of the Emerging Architect Prize for the ACT, Erin has been invited (along with the 6 other state winners) to contest the National Emerging Architect Prize in April 2017.
Good luck, Erin – we know you will make Canberra proud.
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