This year we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Glasgow Institute of Architects and I am delighted to have been elected as president of such a great Institution. As a result of the hard work and dedication of the numerous past presidents and council members we can celebrate our achievements during our long history. Thank you to all of them.

The GIA is continuously growing and changing and I am very proud to have such a dedicated, reliable, hardworking and passionate team and we plan to make sure we can make the GIA an organisation that is transparent, democratic and most of all, truly represents the variety and richness of architecture and architects in our chapter. We want to keep improving the things that we are well known for such as the Design Awards, Student Awards, the Glasgow Urban Design Panel, our great CPD series and building visits as well some of our more innovative new projects such as PaperCUT. We will also work to improve some of our own processes and efficiency such as the newly reformed Conservation and Sustainability Committee and the RIAS Liaison Committee.

As a woman myself, I want to make sure that women have a bigger voice in our profession, that our work is recognised and celebrated to ensure we have true equality for future generations.

I hope my passion for architecture in both my work in practice and as an educator in university, can create further connections between education and the profession. Over the years, the GIA has been kindly supported by many private practices, without their support and generosity none of our activities would be possible, thank you to all of them. On a personal note, I would like to thank my own practice, Holmes Miller who have continuously supported my predecessor and I, enabling us to have such active roles in the GIA.

Over the next 2 years I look forward to working with other industry related professionals, institutions, local councils and the RIAS to help bring focus to the incredible emerging talent that is all around us. Viva la GIA!

Isabel Garriga is a Mackintosh School of Architecture graduate & has extensive experience practicing in Spain and the UK. At Gordon Murray + Alan Dunlop Architects she was involved in a wide variety of award winning projects such as the Sentinel Office and the Scottish Crime Campus. Since joining Holmes Miller in 2011, her portfolio include works such as master planning in China or custodial projects like HMP & YOI Grampian and the new Women’s National Facility in Cornton Vale.

Isabel is a Studio Design Tutor at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, she has been a Glasgow Institute of Architects Council member since 2012 and the Convener of the Architecture People and Places and the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design Committees until 2017 and held the position of GIA Vice-President prior to be elected to GIA President.