A space age airport, cutting-edge medical centre, cubist coastal cabana and a locally designed high school to be constructed in Uganda are among 19 outstanding projects competing in this year’s coveted Australian Institute of Architects’ NSW Country Division Awards.
Spanning seven categories from heritage, commercial and residential works to visionary design, these extraordinary projects showcase world class examples of how architecture is connecting people in NSW to their local environment through leading design.
The entrants come from coastal, bush, arid and even Flame Zone environments.
They range from small-scale ‘poetic’ beachside renovations to major rural capital works bridging low impact design and high-utility planning.
Whether a soaring kite-like roof for the local marine rescue, an aged care facility made to look like residential living, or simply a beach block add-on, all share a commitment to excellence and sustainable living.
NSW Chapter President, Shaun Carter, said the awards, now in their 52nd year, are an important way to showcase outstanding architecture outside the main city and metropolitan centres.
‘Architecture of the highest quality, that embodies best practice design and spatial planning, can strengthen communities,’ Mr Carter said.
‘The NSW Country Division Awards are an opportunity to celebrate and highlight the significant contribution architects make outside the major population centres. These architects work in their local communities adding to the intellectual, cultural and economic life of the region. It is fundamental that regional economies have access to these high quality professional skills like architecture, spatial planning and problem solving.
‘The nominated projects display a high degree of commitment to sustainability and local environmental amenity – critical factors in architecture, especially in Australia’s majestic regional, rural and remote areas.’
The award winners will be announced at the NSW Country Division’s Annual Conference on 29 September 2016.
Winners of the seven categories will be decided by a panel of expert judges from the industry, with a final category to be decided by members of the public who can show their support for a local, or favourite, project by voting in the People’s Choice Award before 5pm on 22 September 2016.
View all the entries and cast your vote here.
Since its inception in 1960, the NSW Country Division has provided continuous representation and service to NSW regional architects of the Australian Institute of Architects outside the metropolitan areas of Sydney and Newcastle.