From the Pilbara to Darwin, the Daintree and a remote bay on Tasmania’s Bruny Island, the winners of this year’s Australian Institute of Architects’ National Architecture Awards show that some of the most exceptional architectural contributions are coming increasingly from our regions.
A greater number of emerging practices also featured among the 44 projects earning a place on the 2017 winners list announced in Canberra tonight.
Jury chair and Immediate Past President Ken Maher said the Awards play a significant role in illuminating the value architects bring to our clients and community, as well as stimulating debate and defining values within the profession.
‘The jury gave preference to projects demonstrating the contribution architecture can make to the public good; projects that were inventive in their responses to context, site and program; and those that celebrated an understanding of materials and making,’ Maher said.
This year’s jury had the daunting task of awarding projects from the largest field of entries received in the almost four decades since the national awards program began, with a total of 983 entries received and 72 shortlisted for national honours.
Despite this, Maher observed that the jury’s experience was that ‘truly exceptional work speaks so powerfully that little debate is necessary – just an unspoken shared sense of joy and admiration.’
‘Public architecture projects were strong, particularly in their contribution to community and their social and cultural benefits, where design invention has expanded the brief and delivered extraordinary value,’ Maher noted.
The East Pilbara Arts Centre by Officer Woods Architects won the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture with its ‘masterstroke building-within-a-building concept’ that quadrupled the client’s original brief for a five-hundred-square-metre arts centre and enabled ‘a group of remote Indigenous artists to make a substantial and tangible contribution to a town centre, thereby exemplifying reconciliation in this country.’
Perched on a remote site on Tasmania’s Bruny Island, the historic 1830s Captain Kelly’s Cottage by John Wardle Architects won the Eleanor Cullis-Hill Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) and a National Commendation for Heritage in what the jury described as ‘a labour of love and passion’ to bring the residence ‘from an advanced state of decay to a rebirth where old and new lend each other fresh beauty.’
The hotly contested Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) was won by Durbach Block Jaggers Architects for Tamarama House with what the jury described as sublime detailing and beautifully sculpted spaces.
In a very strong showing, four projects received accolades in the Educational Architecture category this year. The East Sydney Early Learning Centre by Andrew Burges Architects in association with the City of Sydney won The Daryl Jackson Award, with National Awards going to Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub by Six Degrees Architects, which also won the Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage, St Joseph’s Nudgee College Hanly Learning Centre by m3architecture and the UQ Forgan Smith Building – TC Beirne School of Law and Walter Harrison Library Refurbishment by BVN, the latter also receiving a National Award for Interior Architecture.
In total, the national jury presented 35 awards and 13 commendations across the 14 categories.
Full list of winners:
Commercial Architecture
The Harry Seidler Award – The EY Centre by fjmt (NSW)
National Award – Willinga Park by Cox Architecture (ACT)
National Commendation – NewActon Nishi by Fender Katsalidis Architects (ACT)
Educational Architecture
The Daryl Jackson Award – East Sydney Early Learning Centre by Andrew Burges Architects in association with the City of Sydney (NSW)
National Award – Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub by Six Degrees Architects (Vic)
National Award – St Joseph’s Nudgee College Hanly Learning Centre by m3architecture (Qld)
National Award – UQ Forgan Smith Building – TC Beirne School of Law and Walter Harrison Library Refurbishment by BVN (Qld)
Enduring Architecture
National Award – 17 Wylde Street by Aaron M Bolot (NSW)
Heritage
The Lachlan Macquarie Award – Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub by Six Degrees Architects (Vic)
National Award – Juanita Nielsen Community Centre by Neeson Murcutt Architects Pty Ltd in association with City of Sydney (NSW)
National Award – 100 Harris Street by SJB (NSW)
National Commendation – Captain Kelly’s Cottage by John Wardle Architects (Tas)
National Commendation – Embassy of Sweden by Guida Moseley Brown Architects (ACT)
Interior Architecture
The Emil Sodersten Award – Indigo Slam by Smart Design Studio (NSW)
National Award – UQ Forgan Smith Building – TC Beirne School of Law and Walter Harrison Library Refurbishment by BVN (Qld)
National Commendation – Canberra Airport – International by Guida Moseley Brown Architects (ACT)
National Commendation – The Gipson Commons, St Michael’s Grammar School by Architectus (Vic)
International Architecture
The Jørn Utzon Award – Amanemu by Kerry Hill Architects (Japan)
Australian Award – SkyVille @ Dawson by WOHA (Singapore)
Public Architecture
The Sir Zelman Cowen Award – East Pilbara Arts Centre by Officer Woods Architects (WA)
National Award – Juanita Nielsen Community Centre by Neeson Murcutt Architects Pty Ltd in association with City of Sydney (NSW)
National Award – The Globe by Brian Hooper Architect and m3architecture (architects in association) (Qld)
National Award – Sunshine Coast University Hospital by Architectus Brisbane and HDR Rice Daubney as Sunshine Coast Architects (Qld)
National Commendation – Act for Kids Child and Family Centre of Excellence by m3architecture (Qld)
Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations & Additions)
The Eleanor Cullis-Hill Award – Captain Kelly’s Cottage by John Wardle Architects (Tas)
National Award – Annandale House by Welsh + Major Architects (NSW)
National Award – Burleigh Street House by ME (Qld)
National Award – Jac by panovscott (NSW)
National Commendation – Dornoch Terrace House by James Russell Architect (Qld)
Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
The Robin Boyd Award – Tamarama House by Durbach Block Jaggers Architects (NSW)
National Award – Cape Tribulation House by m3architecture (Qld)
National Award – Coogee House by Chenchow Little (NSW)
National Award – Mitti Street House by James Russell Architect (Qld)
National Commendation – Dark Horse by Architecture Architecture (Vic)
National Commendation – Rose House by Baracco+Wright Architects (Vic)
Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
The Frederick Romberg Award – Tropology for DHA by Troppo Architects (NT)
National Award – Crown 515 by Smart Design Studio (NSW)
National Commendation – RMIT Bundoora West Student Accommodation by Richard Middleton Architects (RMA) (Vic)
Small Project Architecture
The Nicholas Murcutt Award – Lizard Log Amenities by CHROFI (NSW)
National Award – North Bondi Amenities by Sam Crawford Architects with Lymesmith (NSW)
National Commendation – The Piano Mill by Conrad Gargett (Qld)
Sustainable Architecture
The David Oppenheim Award – Central Park Sydney by Tzannes and Cox Richardson and Foster + Partners (NSW)
National Award – 88 Angel St by Steele Associates Architects (NSW)
National Commendation – Gen Y Demonstration Housing Project by David Barr Architect (WA)
National Commendation – Mt Alvernia College Anthony and La Verna Buildings by m3architecture (Qld)
Urban Design
The Walter Burley Griffin Award – Frank Bartlett Library and Moe Service Centre by fjmt (Vic)
National Award – The Goods Line by ASPECT Studios with CHROFI (NSW)
COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture
The COLORBOND® Award – Arts West, University of Melbourne by ARM + Architectus (Vic)
People’s Choice Award
Winner – Tent House by Sparks Architects (Qld)
2017 National Jury
Ken Maher (Chair) – Immediate Past President of the Australian Institute of Architects; Fellow, HASSELL; Honorary Professor, UNSW Sydney
Lawrence Nield – Northern Territory Government Architect; Professor of Architecture, University of Newcastle
Sue Dugdale – Director, Susan Dugdale and Associates
Peter Maddison – Director, Maddison Architects; Host, Grand Designs Australia
Melissa Bright – Founding Director, MAKE architecture
The 2017 National Architecture Awards are proudly supported by Principal Partner BlueScope; Major Partner Brickworks; Supporting Corporate Partners AWS, Bondor, Dulux and Smeg; Insurance Partner Planned Cover; and Media Partners Architecture Media and The Australian WISH.