Sydney’s Prince Alfred Pool + Park Upgrade – ‘a rare synthesis of art and landscape, urban design and architecture’ – has won both the Sulman Medal for Public Architecture and the Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design at this year’s Australian Institute of Architects’ NSW Architecture Awards.

Presented at the historic Jones Bay Wharf on Thursday 26 June, a total of forty-two awards, nine prizes and eighteen commendations were given to recognise the very best in NSW architecture.

The Prince Alfred Pool + Park Upgrade by Neeson Murcutt Architects in association with City of Sydney was also the joint winner of the City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize along with Environa Studio’s The Wayside Chapel.

In awarding the Sulman Medal to Prince Alfred Pool + Park Upgrade, the jury noted that ‘the juxtaposition of built form and landscape, of privacy and openness, the use of natural light and air, the selection of materials, colour, graphics and planting, make this project a delight in every detail’.

Prince Alfred Pool + Park Upgrade’s successful transformation of the public domain secured its place as joint winner of the City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize and was noted ‘a wonderful memorial to the late Nick Murcutt’.

The Wayside Chapel by Environa Studio also received the Milo Dunphy Award for Sustainable Architecture for ‘encompassing the true nature of sustainability’. The jury noted that ‘what makes this building stand out has been the additional emphasis on less mainstream aspects of sustainability’ including ‘a green roof to grow fruit and vegetable crops for the onsite café and the use of colours and materials to influence occupant mood and wellbeing – all based on solid research’.

Lippmann Partnership/Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners’ 8 Chifley Square – ‘a building that makes its mark clearly and unambiguously within the Sydney skyline’ – received the Sir Arthur G. Stephenson Award for Commercial Architecture along with commendations in the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture and Sustainable Architecture categories.

The interiors for the Sydney Commonwealth Parliament Offices by Architectus + Ingenhoven were recognised with the John Verge Award for Interior Architecture for being ‘seamlessly
integrated within the curves and sinuous forms of 1 Bligh Street, Sydney’ – the multi-award winning building designed by the same practices 2011.

Johnson Pilton Walker’s White Bay Cruise Terminal received the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture for their ‘minimal intervention’ to the existing site which allows for ‘the facilitation of new uses over time’ while still speaking ‘eloquently of its industrial maritime history’ – a ‘befitting landing point for the thousands of visitors who arrive in Sydney by ship’.

The new home for the Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Eternity Playhouse by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects – ‘a skilful refurbishment and adaptation of the heritage-listed 1887 Burton Street Tabernacle’ – received the Greenway Award for Heritage Architecture; while the ‘discreet and deceptively complex’ Foley Park Amenities by Stanic Harding, situated in Glebe, was recognised with the Robert Woodward Award for Small Project Architecture.

Griffith House by Popov Bass Architects was this year’s recipient of the Wilkinson Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) for its ‘delightful sequence of spaces’ and masterful use of light throughout which is ‘even more greatly appreciated when the house as “art gallery” is recognised’.

This year a new named award in residential architecture was established to recognise the importance of alterations and additions, especially for small practices, and was named in acknowledgment of the mid-20th century partnership of Hugh and Eva Buhrich and their contribution to the profession – the refined and crafted architecture of Hugh, as well as the sustained promotion of architecture undertaken by Eva.

Stone House by CHROFI was the inaugural winner of the Hugh and Eva Buhrich Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations & Additions) for its ‘succinct transformation of a small dwelling’ west of Byron Bay which has lessons for residential architecture in the ‘richness of its humble, well lit, textural spaces which are conducive to closeness and conversation’ for those fortunate enough to experience it.

The Aaron Bolot Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing went to Bates Smart’s Gantry located in Camperdown, which the jury noted as ‘an exemplary response to the challenge of designing a large urban renewal project with significant site, environmental and cost constraints’ and an excellent ‘demonstration of the singular contribution good architects can bring to citymaking within a commercial framework’, particularly when they are involved in the entire development process of a project.

CB Alexander College, Tocal built in 1964 with a design that ‘fused the traditional elements of collegiate architecture – the cloister, the great hall, the chapel and refectory – with motifs drawn from Asian architecture’ by Ian McKay and Philip Cox, architects in association, was presented with the Award for Enduring Architecture. The jury noted that the project survives in its entirety and that the ‘buildings continue to be both appreciated and immaculately maintained’ or ‘seamlessly extended’.

An ‘exemplary project demonstrating a clear concept, an understanding of place, and the successful integration of art, architecture and landscape’ located in Harden, Garangula Gallery by Fender Katsalidis Mirams Architects, was honoured with the Blacket Prize for Regional Architecture; while The Boilerhouse by Tanner Kibble Denton Architects – a new student centre for the University of Western Sydney’s Parramatta campus which is an ‘intelligent and thoughtful’ reuse and adaptation of the 1894 heritage site – received this year’s NSW Premier’s Prize.

Shaun Carter of inner-west firm Carterwilliamson Architects was announced as the recipient of this year’s Emerging Architect Prize for his ‘advancement of the architectural profession within the public arena’ and Steve Kennedy of Kennedy Associates Architects received the NSW President’s Prize for his ‘sustained contribution to the betterment of the profession in NSW’.

Design Director for the City of Sydney, Bridget Smyth, was the recipient of the Marion Mahony Griffin Prize for her ‘strong leadership in the transformation of Sydney and the shaping of the city’s sustainable future’.

Janne Ryan from ABC Radio National’s By Design program was the recipient of the Adrian Ashton Prize for Writing and Criticism and Ben Wollen was awarded this year’s David Lindner Prize for his proposed research project Conflicts on the periphery – an investigation into the urban renewal of post-bushfire affected areas.

Almost 200 entries were submitted for this year’s NSW Architecture Awards from across the state and the named award and architecture award winners will now progress to the Australian Institute of Architects’ National Architecture Awards to be announced on Thursday 6 November 2014 in Darwin.

An exhibition of the award-winning projects from NSW will be on show to the general public at Tusculum (3 Manning Street, Potts Point) from Monday 30 June.

NSW Architecture Awards 2014 Winners

PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE

Sulman Medal
Prince Alfred Park + Pool Upgrade – Neeson Murcutt Architects in association with City of Sydney

Architecture Awards
Australian Plantbank – BVN Donovan Hill
Cranbrook Junior School – Tzannes Associates
North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club – Durbach Block Jaggers in association with Peter Colquhoun
OLMC Parramatta Janet Woods Building – Tzannes Associates
White Bay Cruise Terminal – Johnson Pilton Walker

Commendations
The Wayside Chapel – Environa Studio
UTS Great Hall and Balcony Room – DRAW

URBAN ARCHITECTURE

Lloyd Rees Award
Prince Alfred Park + Pool Upgrade – Neeson Murcutt Architects in association with City of Sydney

COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE

Sir Arthur G Stephenson Award
8 Chifley Square – Lippmann Partnership/Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners

Architecture Awards
Lune de Sang Sheds – CHROFI
Qantas Headquarters Redevelopment – Architectus

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

John Verge Award
Sydney Commonwealth Parliament Offices – Architectus + Ingenhoven

Architecture Awards
Ansarada – Those Architects
Garangula Gallery – Fender Katsalidis Mirams Architects
Herbert Smith Freehills Workplace – BVN Donovan Hill
Point Piper Apartment – CO-AP (Architects)

Commendation
Virgin Australia Sydney Lounge – Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

Milo Dunphy Award
The Wayside Chapel – Environa Studio

Architecture Awards
Alexandria Courtyard House – Matthew Pullinger Architect
Australian Plantbank – BVN Donovan Hill
Outpost 742713 9 – Drew Heath Architects
White Bay Cruise Terminal – Johnson Pilton Walker

Commendations
8 Chifley Square – Lippmann Partnership/Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners
Yatte Yattah House – Tzannes Associates

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – HOUSES (NEW)

Wilkinson Award
Griffith House – Popov Bass Architects

Architecture Awards
Dogtrot House – Dunn & Hillam Architects
Hunters Hill House – Arkhefield
Invisible House – Peter Stutchbury Architecture
K House – Chenchow Little
Ozone House – Matt Elkan Architect

Commendations
House Maher – Tribe Studio Architects

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – HOUSES (ALTERATIONS & ADDITIONS)

Hugh and Eva Buhrich Award
Stone House – CHROFI

Architecture Awards
A Balmain Pair – Benn & Penna Architecture
Birchgrove House – Candalepas Associates
Piebenga-Franklyn Residence – David Boyle Architect
Tamarama Semi-D – David Langston-Jones

Commendations
3×2 House – Panovscott
Light Cannon House – Carterwilliamson Architects

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – MULTIPLE HOUSING

Aaron Bolot Award
Gantry – Bates Smart

Architecture Awards
Coast – SJB
UNSW Kensington Colleges – Bates Smart

Commendations
Attica Newtown – Candalepas Associates
Imperial – Stanisic Architects
One Central Park – PTW Architects + Atelier Jean Nouvel
Washington Park_Meridian & Monte – Turner

SMALL PROJECT ARCHITECTURE

Robert Woodward Award
Foley Park Amenities – Stanic Harding

Architecture Awards
Balmain Apartment – Durbach Block Jaggers
The Garden Project – Welsh + Major Architects

Commendations
Somersby Pavilion – Matthew Woodward Architecture
The Pod – Takt | Studio for Architecture

HERITAGE

Greenway Award
Eternity Playhouse – Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects (Creative Adaptation)

HERITAGE – CREATIVE ADAPTATION

Commendation
Paramount Pictures Building – Fox Johnston

HERITAGE – CONSERVATION

Architecture Awards
Former Police Station, 127-129 George St, The Rocks – Welsh + Major Architects with Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Yarrangobilly Caves House 1917 Wing – Architectural Projects

Commendation
Female Orphan School, UWS Parramatta – Tanner Kibble Denton Architects

AWARD FOR ENDURING ARCHITECTURE

CB Alexander College, Tocal – Ian McKay and Phillip Cox, architects in association

COLORBOND® AWARD FOR STEEL ARCHITECTURE

White Bay Cruise Terminal – Johnson Pilton Walker

Commendations
8 Chifley Square – Lippmann Partnership/Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners
Lemur Forest Adventure – Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects

BLACKET PRIZE

Garangula Gallery – Fender Katsalidis Mirams Architects

NSW PREMIER’S PRIZE

The Boilerhouse – Tanner Kibble Denton Architects

CITY OF SYDNEY LORD MAYOR’S PRIZE (*JOINT WINNER*)

Prince Alfred Park + Pool Upgrade – Neeson Murcutt Architects in association with City of Sydney
The Wayside Chapel – Environa Studio

NSW PRESIDENT’S PRIZE

Steve Kennedy – Kennedy Associates Architects

EMERGING ARCHITECT PRIZE (SPONSORED BY AWS)

Shaun Carter – Carterwilliamson Architects

MARION MAHONY GRIFFIN PRIZE

Bridget Smyth – City of Sydney

ADRIAN ASHTON PRIZE FOR WRITING AND CRITICISM (SPONSORED BY BATES SMART)

Janne Ryan – ABC Radio National’s By Design

DAVID LINDNER PRIZE

Ben Wollen