Australian architecture firms have taken on the world and triumphed at the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards winning eight out of thirty-three categories.

• The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne by Billard Leece Partnership and Bates Smart took out the Completed Building – Health category.
• Martin no.38, Singapore by Kerry Hill Architects has won the Completed Building – Housing category.
• Common Ground, Sydney by HASSELL received a High Commendation in the Completed Building – Housing category.
• Darling Quarter, Sydney by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (FJMT) was awarded the top prize in the Completed Building – Offices category.
• The Shearer’s Quarters, Tasmania by John Wardle Architects won the ‘World’s Best Villa’ Award in the Completed Building – Villa category.
• Perry Park, Sydney by HASSELL won the Future Projects – Competition Entries category.
• Man-Built Dongqian Lake Concept Design, China by HASSELL took top honours in the Future Projects – Experimental category.
• Tianjin Binhai New District, China by HASSELLreceived the ‘World’s Best Future Infrastructure Project’ Award in the Future Projects – Infrastructure category.

Institute CEO David Parken congratulated all winning, commended and shortlisted projects and commented that ‘it is wonderful to see this worldwide recognition of Australian Architects for their design talent across such a broad range of building types and locations’.

‘The challenge to do more with less while incorporating sustainable design principles is a universal one which I believe has been successfully addressed by the Australian winners.’

Shortlisted in 24 of the 33 categories, Australia was well represented at WAF, the world’s largest festival dedicated to celebrating and sharing architectural excellence from across the globe, being held in Singapore this week (3-5 October).

Thirty-two Australian-based firms were shortlisted for the 2012 WAF Awards. Of the 301 shortlisted entries from around the world, a staggering 50 were by Australian-based firms, highlighting Australia’s exceptional presence on the world architecture stage.

In celebration of this immense Australian talent, the Australian Institute of Architects in collaboration with Creative Agent, Lindy Johnson and Filmmaker, Alex Chomicz have produced two unique short films. The films were launched at a special event hosted by the Institute in Singapore on Thursday 4 October. In addition to acknowledging the WAF short listed architects, the event recognise the finalists in the 2012 Australian Architecture Awards International Category, of which the winner will be announced at the Institute’s 2012 National Awards, taking place in Perth on 1 November. The finalists include

The Institute would like to thank sponsors SPACE and moooi for their generous support in celebrating Australian architecture abroad.

With a spotlight on the southern hemisphere, the selection of WAF short listed architects share their passion, energy and fresh approach in the two short films revealing how climatic and cultural similarities make them leaders in sustainable design in the thriving Asia Pacific marketplace.

‘I think one of the key attributes that we can bring to the rest of the world and to Asia is the fact that we are leaders in sustainable design and we’ve actually got proven experience in that’ –Ninotschka Titchkosky, BVN Architecture.

‘We’ve got a free spirit that allows us to merge ideas from very many sectors and bring it all together…look at the cultures deeply and intimately because we relate to them on a very personal level and then cause change through that collaboration’–Nik Karalis, Woods Bagot.

‘The influences come from all sorts of places and if you look at the individual architects working in Australia they’re all different. Everybody here is virtually an immigrant…if they’re not an immigrant, they’re a son or a daughter or a granddaughter of an immigrant’ – Nonda Katsalidis, Fender Katsalidis Architect.