Victorian architect Clare Cousins was today inaugurated as the 79th National President of the Australian Institute of Architects at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Melbourne.

As the Institute increases its advocacy activity in line with our new strategic plan, Cousins will continue to champion key Institute policies including affordable housing and sustainability.

‘I am passionate about the transformational role architects play in the life of our cities and communities as champions of innovation, quality and design that enhances sustainability and liveability.

‘Architects are ideally placed to help deliver solutions to challenges around housing affordability, without compromising on amenity. We want to work with government to implement here in Australia housing models from around the world that could play a vital role in providing more appropriate housing for Australians.

‘With a strong focus on the power of good design, architects can have a positive influence on the production of both new and retrofitted housing stock that is energy efficient, reducing the unnecessary burden of high running costs on Australian households,’ Cousins said.

Cousins takes the reins from Richard Kirk who becomes Immediate Past President.

‘I would like to thank Richard for the incredible counsel and leadership he provided during his tenure. The Institute has undergone great change over the past few years which culminated in the launch of our Strategy 2018-2020 at the end of last year.

‘Our new strategy provides a strong framework as we dive into the next 12 months with an ambitious program focused on advocacy and revitalising our offering of toolsets to assist members in their day-to-day practice,’ Cousins said.

Cousins established her Melbourne practice, Clare Cousins Architects, in 2005. She was elected to the Institute’s National Council in 2016 as a Nationally-elected Councillor and is the current Chair of the National Practice Committee.

Previously, she was a Victorian Chapter Councillor and has been an active member of the Victorian Small and Medium Practice Forums, Chair of the Member Services Committee (Victoria), Chair of the Architecture Australia Editorial Committee, Constructive Mentoring Program mentor (Victoria) and a juror at both state and national levels of the Australian Institute of Architects’ National Architecture Awards program.

For the first time, the Australian Institute of Architects has both a female National President and Chief Executive Officer – Jennifer Cunich. The Institute has stepped up to the gender equity challenge with five female Directors on the eight-person Board, and National Council with seven females out of sixteen member representatives.

Cousins will be succeeded by Nationally-elected Councillor and Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment at the University of NSW in Sydney, Helen Lochhead, who took on the role of President Elect at the AGM.

From a field of 174 entries, the jury for the Australian Institute of Architects’ Queensland Architecture Awards have shortlisted 76 entries from across the state.

The Awards have been running for over 30 years and provide architects, their clients and the built environment community an opportunity to celebrate exemplary design across all scales.

Forming part of the National Architecture Awards, the Queensland program is one of the few in the country to include a regional tier of judging.

This tier of judging has allowed our State Jury, led by Chair of Juries, John Thong FRAIA, to join some of our local members in each region to judge the entire field of entries. Projects this year have spanned as far north as Karumba, south as Currumbin, as far east as Stradbroke Island and Winton to the West. The commitment and dedication shown by all our jurors involved is certainly no small feat.

The 2018 Queensland Architecture Awards State Shortlist was announced on Thursday during the launch of a public exhibition of all entries at at 1 William St in Brisbane.

Viewing the exhibition and the State Shortlist you will find a strong representation of work both within Brisbane and throughout our varied regions. This gives a wonderful insight into the diverse quality of work currently conducted by architects throughout Queensland.

All aspects of architecture have been covered from smaller installations of 1.6m2 up to the larger scale commercial building at a total of 127,000m2 and everything in between.

Projects shortlisted now move to State judging with the results to be announced at a dedicated event at the QT Hotel on the Gold Coast, Friday 8 June.

The Exhibition will remain on public display at 1 William St (during office hours) until Friday 25 May. No bookings required. More information is available at http://www.architecture.com.au/events/state-territory/queensland-chapter/queensland-awards/events#Exhibition%20of%20Entries

Projects shortlisted for the State Awards are:

The University of Newcastle’s NeW Space building in the epicentre of Newcastle has emerged with a swathe of honours from the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2018 Newcastle Architecture Awards.

The result of a successful collaboration between Melbourne practice Lyons and locally-based EJE Architecture, the building was recognised not only with the most prestigious award presented, the Newcastle Jury Prize, but also Awards in the Educational Architecture, Interior Architecture and Urban Design categories.

The jury was highly impressed by this ‘vertical university campus’ observing that it is ‘an exemplar of design for ‘new generation’ learning, urban renewal, and of civic place making, drawing together a complex brief of interlocking educational and public spaces’. They also noted that ‘the University’s strategy of buying prime urban sites in the civic heart of Newcastle has been suitably matched and rewarded by the architects’ detailed site analysis, historical and cultural research and embrace of innovation in education at a global level’.

The city of Maitland also featured in the awards with Jury Chair, Sam Crawford, observing that ‘it was especially exciting to witness councils like Maitland City Council actively and imaginatively pursuing meaningful improvements to their town’. A new grandstand at Maitland No.1 Sportsground, a collaborative effort between the Maitland City Council, NSW Government Architect’s Office and CKDS, was recognised with the Award for Public Architecture. Another civic project, the refurbishment of the Auditorium of the Maitland Town Hall was recognised with a Commendation in the Heritage category.

The best new house in the Newcastle region was awarded to Brass House by Anthrosite, a house intimately situated within its context of the Glenrock State Conservation Area, while the Award for Alterations & Additions went to Welsh + Major for their subtle but meaningful improvements to the Blue House, formerly a 2000 Menkens Award-winning project.

Three Piece House by Sydney-based TRIAS picked up both the Award for Sustainable Architecture and a Commendation in the Residential Architecture – Houses (New) category, and the tiny elevated platform of the North Avoca Studio by Matt Thitchener Architect was the recipient of both the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture and a Commendation in the Small Project Architecture category.

With a record number of entries, this year’s program showcased the breadth of work undertaken with the increased number of entries in the Educational, Multiple Housing, and Public Architecture categories reflecting the Hunter’s growth, changing demographics and community needs.

‘Architects are contributing to providing better environments in Newcastle across all spheres – and Newcastle seems to have an abundance of refreshingly down to earth, friendly, welcoming architects and supportive, happy, enlightened clients who are immensely proud of their projects’, said Mr Crawford. ‘All of this bodes well for the future’.

The award winners were announced at a presentation held at the Merewether Surfhouse on Friday 23 March. Awarded projects are now eligible for the NSW Architecture Awards which will be announced on Friday 6 July.

Full list of winners:

Newcastle Jury Prize
NeW Space, University of Newcastle by Lyons + EJE Architecture

Public Architecture
Award – Maitland No.1 Sportsground by Maitland City Council in association with the NSW Government Architect’s Office and CKDS
Commendation – Opal Hillside by dwp | design worldwide partnership

Educational Architecture
Award – NeW Space, University of Newcastle by Lyons + EJE Architecture
Award – St Patrick’s Primary School, Lochinvar – Stage 1 by SHAC

Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
Award – Brass House by Anthrosite
Commendation – Three Piece House by TRIAS
Commendation – Light House by Jodie Dixon Architect

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations & Additions)
Award – The Blue House by Welsh + Major
Commendation – Hund Haus by Jodie Dixon Architect
Commendation – Eighty-Four Gordon by SDA

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Commendation – Corlette Street by CKDS Architecture
Commendation – Capri by SDA

Commercial Architecture
Commendation – Newcastle Private Hospital Kingston Extension by dwp | design worldwide partnership
Commendation – Nelson Bay Golf Club by EJE Architecture

Heritage
Award – King Street Adaptive Reuse by CKDS Architecture
Commendation – Maitland Town Hall – Auditorium Refurbishment by Maitland City Council and the NSW Government Architect’s Office

Interior Architecture
Award – NeW Space, University of Newcastle by Lyons + EJE Architecture
Commendation – Lyons House by EDH Group Pty Ltd – Architects
Commendation – MJH Group Workplace by SDA

Urban Design
Award – NeW Space, University of Newcastle by Lyons + EJE Architecture

Small Project Architecture
Award – Islington Park by Curious Practice
Commendation – North Avoca Studio by Matt Thitchener Architect

Sustainable Architecture
Award – Three Piece House by TRIAS

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture
North Avoca Studio by Matt Thitchener Architect

More projects than ever before are competing for honours in this year’s Victorian Architecture Awards with the Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Chapter today revealing the list of 268 entries.

Victorian Chapter President Amy Muir said the Institute was delighted at the strong response to the awards program which is without par in Australia.

‘We have received a record number of entries in this year’s Victorian Architecture Awards in what promises to be an extremely competitive field,’ Ms Muir said.

‘The projects entered cover a broad spectrum of architectural practice, from schools, universities, health and public infrastructure facilities to private residential dwellings. The diverse range of projects and approaches to design allows for a rich assessment process by the jurors.

‘The highly respected jurors and rigorous selection and judging process make these awards the most prestigious in the country for architectural excellence.

‘The awards program provides an unrivalled opportunity to celebrate achievement, quality design outcomes and commitment across the profession.

‘Importantly, the Presentation to Juries which forms an important part of the awards program offers the public a unique chance to engage directly with architects as they present their awards entries to the juries. This opportunity allows the public to gain a better understanding of the role of the architect and the contribution they are making to shape our cities, towns and communities.’

This year’s Presentation to Juries events will take place across three days to allow for this year’s record-breaking number of entries, coinciding once again with Melbourne Design Week (MDW) and will be a stand-out feature of the Design Week program. They will be held on the evening of Friday 23rd March, a full day on Saturday 24th March and on the afternoon of Sunday 25th March and entry is free to members of the public who are welcome to attend.

Entries have been received across 13 national award categories ranging from residential to public, commercial and educational architecture, with a further three state-specific prizes. The winners will be announced on 29 June 2018 and will progress to compete in the National Architecture Awards program.

The full program of presentations is available online here: http://architecture.com.au/events/state-territory/victorian-chapter/victorian-awards.

The NSW Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects has announced the winners in its revamped 2018 NSW Student Architecture Awards, recognising the best student work completed in the last year from the four accredited schools of architecture in NSW.

Seven students from the universities of Newcastle, Sydney and the University of Technology Sydney received medals from a competitive field of 39 entries.

NSW Chapter President and 2018 Jury Chair, Andrew Nimmo said the awards showcased the best in emerging young architectural talent across the state.

‘The architectural awards program presented by the Australian Institute of Architects is the most rigorous and prestigious architectural awards process in Australia,’ Mr Nimmo said.

‘For any architectural practice, whether large or small, established or emerging; it is a great honour to receive an Institute award and they are highly coveted. We want the NSW Student Architecture Awards to be similarly regarded and to become the benchmark of design excellence recognition in NSW.

‘The calibre of projects entered was of the highest order and point to a pipeline of innovative talent coming through our architectural schools. We were particularly pleased to see a strong gender balance among the winning students, something the Institute it working hard to foster and strengthen in the profession moving forward.’

The NSW Graduate Medal, which is for a design project carried out in the final year of the Master of Architecture degree, was awarded to Andrew Hannah-Davies of the University of Newcastle for his project ‘Beneath the Surface: Taking the Waters in Moree’. The project proposes the redevelopment of existing facilities and the surrounding landscape of the famous healing waters of the Moree Artesian Baths and Swimming Pool. The jury recognised that this project ‘takes us on a social, physical and ethereal journey of healing. It is an imaginative, passionate, response in its use of iconography, collective memory, physicality, materiality, form and landscape’.

The NSW Undergraduate Medal, which is for a design project carried out in the final year of the undergraduate degree, was awarded to Connie He of the University of Sydney for her project ‘Between Anchors’. The project, a space for discussion, display and performances, is situated in Sydney’s Domain. The jury recognised that she has re-imagined this site as a ‘landscape for discussion, display and performance by celebrating the non-linear and favouring playful discovery’ remarking that she ‘skilfully addresses a spatially complex brief with elegance and rigour’.

The NSW Architectural Communication Award, which acknowledges excellence in architectural communication and celebrates the power of well-presented architectural design, was awarded to Brennan Clody, also of the University of Sydney. His project, ‘Jazz Garden’ was acknowledged by the jury as a ‘very complete and consistent presentation; from verbal presentation through to sketches, drawings, model and delightful black and white vignettes that captured the poetics of space’.

The NSW Architectural Technologies Award, which acknowledges excellence in innovation for the integration of technology, structure and/or construction was awarded to Melinda Barbagallo and Francesca Capicchioni of the University of Technology Sydney for their project Reh-zophora. Their project, a facility at the mouth of the Proserpine River adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, targets the problem of eutrophication through the extraction, treatment and repurposing of algae for food and medicine was acknowledged by the jury as ‘embracing technological innovation as a means of shifting society towards more sustaining and sustainable futures […] an alluring project that skilfully synthesises conceptual and technical ambitions in an articulate and refined architectural proposition’.

The awards were presented on Friday 2 March and an exhibition of the works submitted will be held at the NSW Chapter premises, Tusculum, from 5-16 March.

Full list of winners:

NSW Graduate Medal
Beneath the Surface: Taking the Waters in Moree, Andrew Hannah-Davies | The University of Newcastle
Beneath The Surface, Taking in the Waters in Moree by Andrew Hannah-Davies takes us on a social, physical and ethereal journey of healing. It is a bold demolition of the old, cleansing away the negative karma of the past via the acknowledgement of that past, and a poetic reconstruction of the new. It is an imaginative, passionate, response in its use of iconography, collective memory, physicality, materiality, form and landscape. It creates a highly transcendent, experiential narrative through the use of drawings, models, animation and text that communicates the author’s intensity of feeling and conceptual framework. Social injustice and commentary are not the sole generator of the project but so too is a desire to demonstrate how the built environment has the potential to create new relationships, foster community and rejuvenate society spiritually as well as physically.

NSW Undergraduate Medal
Between Anchors, Connie He | The University of Sydney
Between Anchors is a project rich in complexities which are distilled into an architectural proposition of captivating beauty. It has reimagined The Domain as a landscape for discussion, display and performance by celebrating the non-linear and favouring playful discovery. Through rigorous analysis and explorations of threshold, boundary, programme and materiality, a choreographed landscape unfolds to reveal a collection of analytical and interpretive architectural encounters. Stumble upon performers and be entertained on warm concrete bleachers in the winter sun. Take to the stage at Threshold 2.6.1F and become a lunchtime comedian. Meander through the Permanent Art Space and be mesmerised by shifting skies rolling over the truncated volumes of the galleries. Careful consideration of siting in conjunction with programmatic and spatial intersections generates a taxonomy of architectural propositions which encapsulate the nuances of site and public experience. The proposal has not been overwhelmed by the openended parameters of site; instead Between Anchors introduces a built scale most suitable for the given programme. Its strength lies not in its monumentality but in its ability to entertain and entice patrons through subtlety and the unexpected. Between Anchors skilfully addresses a spatially complex brief with elegance and rigour – a well deserved NSW Undergraduate Medal winner.

NSW Undergraduate Medal – Commendation
Bodies/Ground, Miriam Osburn | The University of Sydney
The jury was greatly impressed by Osburn’s intricate approach to the design and to the site. Masterful consideration was given to both the spatial experience of the user as well as the balance between program requirements and impact to the site and broader surroundings. Her understated approach to the design of this public building enthralled the judges, while her communication and presentation of her design and its ideas were very clear and captivating. Well done.

NSW Undergraduate Medal – Commendation
Jazz Garden, Brennan Clody | The University of Sydney
The Jazz Garden demonstrates an architectural language that is sophisticated and well researched. Various influences are drawn into the research process, including; Jørn Utzon’s Kingo Houses, the structure and counterpoint of Jazz, and the performance potential, both symbolic and actual, of architecture itself. Through various forms of mapping, the research has taken a journey along an abstract narrative that has informed the final outcome and form, without losing sight of the starting point. In the final proposal we can see; the ghost of Utzon in the approach to materiality and sensitive treatment of site, the spirit of Jazz in the playful disruption of elements, and the hand of the designer in the well-mannered realization of the whole.

NSW Architectural Communication Award
Jazz Garden, Brennan Clody | The University of Sydney
A complex and layered design process was communicated in a remarkably simple and unpretentious manner that allowed the depth of thought and resolution in the design to shine through. This was a very complete and consistent presentation; from verbal presentation through to sketches, drawings, model and delightful black and white vignettes that captured the poetics of space. The drawings were textured and nuanced, with careful consideration of what to show, and what to leave out. The design process was well described and was pulled together as a narrative with minimal but relevant text. The verbal presentation in particular was professional and wellrehearsed, showing us the importance of using the ‘performance’ to capture the jury’s attention.

NSW Architectural Technologies Award
Reh-zophora, Melinda Barbagallo & Francesca Capicchioni | University of Technology Sydney
Reh-zophora by Melinda Barbagallo and Francesca Capicchioni embraces technological innovation as a means to shift society towards more sustaining and sustainable futures. Located at the mouth of the Prosperine River adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, the project targets the problem of eutrophication through the extraction, treatment and repurposing of algae for food and medicine. Through a detailed investigation of systems for harvesting and filtering algae, and an interrogation of the aesthetic opportunities of their display, technology and architecture are combined in a performative landscape of mechanical pillars. A complex system of column typologies and variations address the various functional requirements of algae treatment, water catchment and bird habitat, while simultaneously offering diverse experiences for human habitation. The manipulation of the ground plane as a (literally) fluid terrain variously expands and contracts the territory available for occupation by different species throughout the day. The deliberate blurring of technological and natural landscapes is echoed in the overlaying of finely detailed technical drawings with washes of muted colour. This is an alluring project, that skillfully synthesises conceptual and technical ambitions in an articulate and refined architectural proposition.

NSW UNIVERSITY PRIZES:

The University of New South Wales
James Masman – Graduate of the Year (Master’s program)
William Maynard – Graduate of the Year (Bachelor’s program)
Mengying Li – History & Theory Prize
Jason Cheung – Construction & Practice Prize

The University of Technology Sydney
Eric Ye – Graduate of the Year (Master’s program)
Michael Northey – Graduate of the Year (Bachelor’s program)
Michael Bennett – History & Theory Prize
Rhiannon Brownbill – Construction & Practice Prize

The University of Newcastle
Andrew Hannah Davies – Graduate of the Year (Master’s Program)
Arhem Ashton – Graduate of the Year (Bachelor’s Program)
Eliza Maartensz – History & Theory Prize
Sabrina Wan Muhammad Kamal – Construction & Practice Prize

The University of Sydney
Kingsley May – Graduate of the Year (Master’s program)
Luke Hannaford – Graduate of the Year (Bachelor’s program)
Ben Charlton – History & Theory Prize
Emily Flanagan – Construction & Practice Prize

2018 NSW Student Architecture Awards Jury:

Andrew Nimmo (Jury Chair) – NSW Chapter President
Ceridwen Owen – University of Tasmania
Michael Wiener – Mirvac Design
Emmy Omagari – Bates Smart
Phuong Le – co-chair of the NSW Emerging Architects + Graduates Network

2018 NSW Student Architecture Awards – Program Partners

NSW Graduate Medal: Mirvac Design
NSW Undergraduate Medal: Bates Smart
NSW Architectural Communication Award: Rothelowman
NSW Architectural Technologies Award: Turner
NSW University Prizes: Crone (UTS); EJE Architecture (University of Newcastle); FJMT (UNSW); Jacobs (University of Sydney)

The Australian Institute of Architects’ Dulux Study Tour winners have been announced this morning in Melbourne. The five winners from around Australia will embark on a 10-day tour of Europe and the United Kingdom in May this year visiting the cities of London, Berlin and Milan.

Kim Bridgland (Edition Office, Victoria), Leah Gallagher (Kin Architects, Queensland), Jason Licht (Cumulus Studio, Tasmania), Joseph O’Meara (BVN, NSW) and Dirk Yates (m3architecture, Queensland) have been selected from a wide group of entrants.

National President and Jury Chair, Richard Kirk, congratulated the recipients on their success from such a competitive field of over 60 applicants.

‘The jury was impressed by the depth of skill, and dedication to their profession by all who submitted and strongly encourages those eligible members not successful this year to apply in the future.

‘The award acknowledges the activities and achievements across the criteria of individual contribution to architectural practice, education, design excellence and community involvement and is one of our most coveted awards that celebrates the importance of experiencing architecture first hand by our most promising practitioners.

‘Thanks are due to Dulux for their generous support, and my fellow Jurors Jennifer Cunich, Richard Hansen, Adam Pustola, Natalie Ruuska and Ksenia Totoeva for their guidance and insightful contribution to the selection process,’ Richard Kirk said.

The Australian Institute of Architects Dulux Study Tour offers the winners a unique and exciting architectural experience. Participants visit a variety of architectural projects, partake in site tours, galleries and networking opportunities with international architects and design professions.

‘During the Tour, recipients are immersed in architecture in every sense, from visits to global architectural firms to tours of iconic projects,’ Richard Hanson, General Manager, Dulux Trade noted about the tour which is now in its eleventh year.

‘The tour is aimed at gaining unique access and exposure to the top architectural practices in the cities visited. This year the tour will take in London, Berlin and for the first time Milan. We trust this year’s tour will provide an incredible experience for the participants and continues our long-term investment, in partnership with the Institute, in the strength and health of architecture in Australia,’ he said.

For more information about the Prize visit http://wp.architecture.com.au/duluxstudytourblog/.