WITH a significant portfolio of heritage conservation work under her belt, architect Wendy Jacobs has been named one of Zonta Ballarat\u2019s Great Women honourees for 2021.<\/p>\n
Having graduated initially from Melbourne University in heritage conservation in 1976, Ms Jacobs commenced the firm Jacobs Lewis Vines with university mates Nigel Lewis and Elisabeth Vines.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had done heritage studies as part of our course and been very interested in it,\u201d Jacobs said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNigel had landed one of the early heritage studies in Melbourne so we started working together and formed the firm, which was one of the earliest workers in the field for heritage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did the Ballarat heritage study in 1978 and that piqued my interest in Ballarat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having undertaken the first heritage review of the city, Ms Jacobs said she decided to move here in 1987 and start her own practice working with residential alterations and restorations around town.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved it, since then that\u2019s where I\u2019ve stayed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty proud of things like the reconstruction of the verandas both at the Ballarat Mechanics Institute and on the outside of the Gallery which are reconstructions of the originals, they were not in the street scape 30 years ago and have really added to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe project I\u2019ve enjoyed the most is Reid\u2019s Coffee Palace, which was amazing, I\u2019ve done a bit of repair work over the years and finally getting the money to restore the interior was breathtaking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although several Ballarat based projects stand out to her, Ms Jacobs said it\u2019s always interesting to work the life story of any building and the personalities that have been there.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis house of mine has a good feminist feel, it was the home of Joan Lazarus, who became Joan Rosanove, the first female QC in Victoria,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstanding the people who lived there is utterly fascinating as to why the house and the building has evolved to where it is, it\u2019s a reflection of the people.<\/p>\n
\u201cAppreciating and have a deeper understanding about what is significant is really important, not just what is pretty and what is in poor condition, sometimes that is more interesting to appreciate.<\/p>\n
Over her years as a working architect and conservation researcher, Ms Jacobs said in contrast to when she finished her degree, the industry has developed to become increasingly encouraging of females within the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cI followed what I was interested in and I was lucky to have been able to make choices about what work I took on and where I went and very supported,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s much better now, once people knew that you were doing the best you could and knew what you were talking about, they accepted you on the site and I\u2019ve had amazing contractors, builders and engineers who I\u2019ve had great working relationships with.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t made heaps of money but it\u2019s been really interesting and exciting, and the places I\u2019ve seen and the people along the way have been great, there\u2019s things much more important than a company car or a corner office.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WITH a significant portfolio of heritage conservation work under her belt, architect Wendy Jacobs has been named one of Zonta Ballarat\u2019s Great Women honourees for 2021. Having graduated initially from Melbourne University in heritage conservation in 1976, Ms Jacobs commenced the firm Jacobs Lewis Vines with university mates Nigel Lewis and Elisabeth Vines. \u201cWe had […]<\/p>\n