Two projects have taken out top honours in the 30th Australian Institute of Architects’ 2013 Gold Coast/Northern Rivers Regional Architecture Awards announced on Saturday 20 April.

Gold Coast University Hospital Mental Health Unit by PDT, STH and HASSELL (Joint venture) received a Regional Commendation and the Building of the Year Award.

‘A thoroughly engaging and considered response to an overwhelmingly complex program, that sets new benchmarks in healthcare and user needs,’ the jury commented.

The jury awarded the House of the Year Award to dm2architecture for their Binna Burra Sky Lodges project.

‘The architect has carefully crafted a complex brief into a thoughtful, contextual, sustainable and wonderful piece of conceptually rich architecture and legacy for its national park setting,’ the jury said.

Eighteen projects were entered in the awards including a hotel, surf training centre and a school chapel among others in commercial, interior, public, residential – houses, residential – multiple housing, small project architecture and urban design categories.

In total the jury awarded eight Regional Commendations in addition to the Building of the Year and House of the Year Awards.

 

Regional Commendations:

Architectural Project	Architectural Practice	Architectural Category	Location
Binna Burra Sky Lodges	dm2architecture	Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing	Binna Burra
South Stradbroke Island ‘Main Hut’	W.I.M Architects	Residential Architecture – Houses	South Stradbroke Island
Promenade Residence	BGD Architects	Residential Architecture – Houses	Isle of Capri
Sebring Residence	Paul Uhlmann Architects	Residential Architecture – Houses	Mermaid Beach
Gold Coast University Hospital Mental Health Unit	PDT, STH and HASSELL (Joint venture)	Public Architecture	Southport
Saint Stephen’s College Senior Technology Building	Burling Brown Architects	Interior Architecture	Upper Coomera
Surfing Australia High Performance Centre HPC	PENTARCHI & PHORM Architecture + Design	Commercial Architecture	Casuarina
Soul	DBI Design	Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing and Urban Design	Surfers Paradise

 

Gold Coast/Northern Rivers Regional Jury Coordinator, David Brown, Executive Development Manager at Sunland Group, was joined on the jury by Matt Cooper, Principal at Aspect Architecture; Finn Jones, Principal Architect and Urban Designer at the Gold Coast City Council; Alison McDonald, Lecturer at Griffith University;Paul Robertson, Principal at Paul Robertson Architect; Zac Tooth, Principal at ZT A+B; lay juror Shannon Willoughby, Journalist at Gold Coast Bulletin and lay juror Peter Scott, Presenter on ABC Coast FM.

Winners of Regional Commendations will now progress to the coveted Queensland Architecture Awards to be announced in Brisbane on 21 June.

JURY CITATIONS

Binna Burra Sky Lodges – dm2architecture 
The architect has carefully crafted a complex brief into a thoughtful, contextual, sustainable and wonderful piece of conceptually rich architecture and legacy for its national park setting.

South Stradbroke Island ‘Main Hut’ – W.I.M Architects 
This holiday home mediates necessity and utility with simplicity and joy, whilst carefully allowing for the rich meaning of its site and tapestry of generations to continue.

Promenade Residence – BGD Architects 
The residence is an elegant neighbour that beautifully and precisely resolves the family home for a perfect suburban waterfront living arrangement.

Sebring Residence – Paul Uhlmann Architects 
A bold ambitious and extravagant residence of carefully articulated spaces and surprisingly delicate details provides for each member of the family including the beloved puppies.

Gold Coast University Hospital Mental Health Unit – PDT, STH and HASSELL (Joint venture)
A thoroughly engaging and considered response to an overwhelmingly complex program, that sets new benchmarks in healthcare and user needs.

Saint Stephen’s College Senior Technology Building – Burling Brown Architects 
The architect has created an innovative and dynamic learning and teaching environment that skilfully caters for student needs and expands the knowledge base of architectural response to pedagogy.

Surfing Australia High Performance Centre HPC – PENTARCHI & PHORM Architecture + Design 
A conceptually rich and resolved project that efficiently and economically responds to current and future user needs.

Soul – DBI Design
This large scale urban intervention has positively and dramatically affected the public realm of Surfers Paradise and the city skyline.

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Australian Institute of Architects
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