Caroline Pidcock

Biography

Pidcock is a campaigner for environmental and community issues. Her commitment led to her standing as an independent candidate for the Legislative Council in the 2007 NSW state election and appointment as an ambassador for the Al Gore Climate Change and 1 Million Women initiatives - a movement of women and girls fighting climate change by taking practical action.

More recently, Pidcock has been an active voice in the Millers Point Residents Action Group, campaigning to retain public housing in Millers Point and Dawes Point. She is also currently a member of the Sacred Heart Education Ministry and the South Australian Forestry Industry Advisory Boards. Previously she has also held Presidential roles with the NSW and National Councils of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council; Chaired the Carriageworks and Living Future Institute of Australia Boards; has been a member of the NSW Architects Registration and Bicycle NSW Boards; representative for the industry on the Australian Building Codes Board and held adjunct roles at multiple NSW based universities.

Pidcock’s sustained leadership in built environment sector led to her appointment as a Life Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in 2006.

In July 2011, Caroline was awarded the prestigious Marion Mahony Griffin Award by the Australian Institute of Architects in recognition of her contribution to architecture in NSW.

As part of the centenary of Canberra celebrations, Pidcock delivered the ‘Magic of Australia – with regards to the Griffins‘ lecture for the Walter Burley Griffin Society’s annual Marion Mahony Griffin Lecture.

Personal life

Caroline Pidcock was born in Grafton NSW, on the Clarence River. Her family moved to Mosman when she was three, and attended the Blessed Sacrament Clifton Gardens school throughout primary years, before attending high school at Kincoppal Rose Bay.

In November 2012, Pidcock married the former City of Sydney councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor, Architect and Planner, John McInerney; chair of the Millers Point Residents Action Group.

Education

Caroline Pidcock graduated from the University of Sydney in 1987 with a Bachelor of Architecture (Hons). She worked for Alex Popov while she was studying.

Career

Following her graduation, Pidcock worked in London with Jestico + Whiles , before returning to Australia to work briefly in the office of Connybeare Morrison, and then for two years with Grose Bradley before establishing Pidcock –Architecture and Sustainability in 1992.

Pidcock served as NSW Chapter President and national director of the Australian Institute of Architects for a period of three years, during which time she developed an effective profile with media and government to promote a wider interest in architecture, design and urban affairs.

In November 2009, Caroline was awarded a Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship to investigate the "The Architecture of Zero Emissions Housing" to investigate how this might impact the technical and design approaches of the practice. Extending the ideas of this research led her to the Living Building Challenge where she joined the Board, and in 2013 established and chaired the Living Futures Institute Australia (LFIA). As a result of her contribution, Caroline was recognised as a "Living Building Hero" by the International Living Future Institute in 2014.

In 2013, Smart Company named Caroline Pidcock one of five women set to disrupt the industries for her work to produce kit homes following the receipt of a Commercialisation Australia grant, in November 2013, to assist in the commercialisation of a new system in conjunction with Origination | &U.

Boards and Committees

Awards