Helen Fearn-Wannan is celebrating 10 years, no wait 15 years at Architecture & Access
Architecture & Access would like to congratulate and celebrate Helen’s contribution to the organisation, industry and the thousands of projects she has played a role in.
Helen was working part time in the disability sector with Scope Victoria when she started working for Architecture & Access starting in 2008. After 5 years of part-time consulting, Helen then joined the (smaller) team full-time. And just like that, it’s 15 years later….
Helen is a qualified occupational therapist and professional access consultant, working with people with disability and providing access consulting services.
A Unit Manager and Senior Access Consultant at Architecture & Access, Helen is hands-on leading specialist teams to deliver projects covering a full range of service types to ensure buildings are designed and constructed in line with the National Building Code and Disability Discrimination Act.
Helen works closely with clients to provide compliant, realistic solutions to access, advice to guide the design process in relation to access, and provides a full range of access consulting services.
For 10 years Helen has been instrumental in the growth and development of the Access Team at Architecture & Access and has supported the organisation to our current position as the largest Access Consulting business in Australia.
Helen has supported the learning and development of many of our Access Consultants, some of who are now moving into roles that support new people coming into the organisation.
“Helen is an absolute marvel! She is my mentor and my hero. She has taught me so much about access, and about how to communicate with clients, work colleagues and others regarding access, and how we can continue to move towards a kinder more empathetic world.”
Mary Younger, Senior Access Consultant and Architect
Helen is seen as a leader in the world of access consulting, especially in the area of Changing Places, where she continues to make a significant contribution. Helen is part of the Technical Advisory project team which has written the Specifications for Changing Places in Australia. Based on this design, accessible adult change facilities were included in the 2019 Building Code of Australia (BCA).
Helen has worked with many people who will benefit from these facilities. Including a lady she met with Cerebral Palsy, who journeyed from regional Victoria to Brisbane via air and went 15 hours without having access to a suitable sanitary facility. She was in excruciating pain by the time she reached her destination. Helen explained, “this is a common story for people with high physical support needs and show the importance of the new requirements”. Architecture & Access are proud to be involved with the Changing Places now installed at Melbourne & Brisbane airports. Changing Places facilities have been described as “life changing”.
Helen has provided many of us at Architecture & Access with significant support, encouragement, including morning teas and we are all very appreciative to work with her.
