Sydney architect and former City of Sydney councillor HY William Chan has been awarded the 2024 Obel Award Teaching Fellowship, an international award that recognises architectural contributions to social and ecological development.
The Obel Award Teaching Fellowship, created by the Henrik F. Obel Foundation in Denmark, celebrates forward-thinking practitioners who are redefining architecture's role in society.
The fellowship will enable Chan to join the School of Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in 2025. There, he will lead postgraduate design studios that encourage students to "balance long-term public needs with evidence-based aspirations in creating civic projects that serve the public interest," the foundation noted in its winners announcement.
In 2021, Chan was elected to the City of Sydney as the youngest-ever councillor in the council's 180-year history. During his tenure, he contributed to policymaking and provided guidance on significant urban renewal, infrastructure and social housing projects across Sydney. In 2022, he was elected as chair of the City of Sydney's Local Pedestrian, Cycling and Traffic Committee and deputy chair of the Transport, Heritage, Environment and Planning Committee.
In 2024, Chan ran for a second term on council; however, was not re-elected.
The foundation lauded Chan's skill in merging architectural expertise with civic leadership, stating that his contributions to city-making aligned with the 2024 fellowship theme: Seminal Solutions to the Challenges Facing Cities.
Chan stated that he views the fellowship as an opportunity to democratise city-making.
"Urban development in Australia has traditionally been shaped by systems that exclude marginalised voices. I am passionate about working with emerging designers to make these processes more inclusive, ensuring that younger and more diverse people have a meaningful role in shaping the future of our cities," he said.
The executive director of the Obel Award, Jesper Eis Eriksen, said the foundation looks forward to supporting HY William Chan as he shares his expertise and passion for sustainable city-making with the UTS School of Architecture student cohort.
"The Obel Award and its supporting programmes are dedicated to addressing the challenges of our built environment by contributing new ideas and knowledge. Sharing this with the next generation of changemakers is what the teaching fellowship programme is all about."
Alongside Chan, Sandhya Naidu Janardhan of India and Dele Adeyemo of Africa also received the fellowship. Janardhan will join the School of Environment and Architecture at the University of Mumbai, while Adeyemo will join the Department of Architecture and the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development at the University of Lagos.
