Wai-te-ata Press's 2009 Artist-in-Residence, Marian Macken, recently won the National Artist's Book Award at the biennial 2010 Libris Awards. Her architecturally-inspired entry, Mies van der Rohe : : built houses, was selected by Kirsty Grant, Senior Curator of Australian Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, from over 100 nationwide finalists.

Marian, from Brooklyn, NSW, is a professional architect currently working on a PhD by thesis and creative work at the Sydney College of the Arts. Her study, entitled 'The book as a folded model: an examination of bookworks in reference to models' examines bookworks in reference to architectural representation, specifically models.

It comprises of two inter-related research questions: What is the possible role of artists' books within design representation and teaching?; and What is offered to design and what is offered to artists' books by reading particular works as 'models' that have book-like structures and techniques?

Marian undertook a creative residency at the renowned Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts, London in 2008, and is currently extending her study while at the College studio in Tokyo.

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