Director of The Mill Architecture + Design, Shannon Battisson is the new ACT President of the Australian Institute of Architects. With over 14 years of experience, her projects span local Canberra projects, across Australia to Hong Kong and the USA. While born in Sydney, Shannon was “very much raised here” in Canberra and says she always knew she would settle here. The mother of two is looking forward to the challenge of juggling family life with her business and the role of ACT President of the Australian Institute of Architects alongside valuable downtime. “Both my husband and I go at a pretty hectic pace and our home is our retreat,” Shannon says. “I also take time out once or twice a year to go and immerse myself in architecture somewhere.”
SOLERI BELL
“I think it speaks to me about somebody who had a pure ideal and wanted to live by it. To find something in our life that we are passionate about and include in our day to day rather than a hobby.”
CAMERA
“I actually got into architecture through a love of photography. I would travel and come home from trips and mum would always lament I’d come home with buildings rather than photos of people.”
GUITAR
Shannon studied at the School of Music when younger, before architecture, and is traditionally a singer. “But I started learning guitar with my children and husband. I love the idea of starting something new … and loving learning it with my children”.
SCARF
This scarf was given to Shannon while in Palm Springs, USA last year by a complete stranger. She says it’s a reminder of a place she “adores” and “that the vast majority of people are kind, good and friendly”.
BOOKS
A big fan of books, architecture and photography books in particular, Shannon says they are often her souvenirs when she travels. “They have a deep meaning to me of the people I meet through them and the stories that you read.”
More my favourite things:
