New centres helping young Australians scoop major NSW Architecture Awards
Two new nationally-important inner-city centres designed to help young Australians improve their quality of life have received top honours at NSW's key annual architecture and design awards in Sydney tonight (Friday 1 July).
Above: The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Redfern by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer. Image: Brett Boardman. Below: the BMRI Youth Mental Health Building at Camperdown by BVN Architecture. Image: John Gollings. This year's top award at the Australian Institute of Architects' 2011 NSW Architecture Awards was presented to the Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI) - Youth Mental Health The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence at inner city Redfern by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer was awarded the top honour for recent urban design projects, the Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design, as well as a commendation for public architecture. Presenting awards at a special ceremony at the Sydney Hilton, this year's awards jury said the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence "provides an important community hub for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal users alike". They added that it "comprised a naturally-ventilated sports hall, gymnasium, weights room, kiosk and adjacent 25-metre swimming pool, all of which are accessible by the general public at all times".
This year's top commercial architecture award, the Sir Arthur G. Stephenson Award for Commercial Architecture, was presented to a "fine addition to the city" located in the retail heart of Sydney, 420 George Street by Bates Smart. The jury said it was an "intelligent and well executed response to a complex site and program". A wide range of residential projects received top honours this year. The State's major award for residential work, the Wilkinson Award for Residential Architecture, was presented for the first time to mck architects for their DPR House at Darling Point, described by the jury as a "bold, energetic and exemplary work" that "demonstrates how planning constraints can contribute to the shaping of the process, which results in a bold approach to design". The 2011 Aaron Bolot Award for Multiple Housing was presented to Waterloo Street by Candalepas Associates, who also picked up an Architecture Award for their Francis Street Bondi apartments. |
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Top row: Skylight House, Chenchow Little Architects, image John Gollings; Castlecrag House, Neeson Murcutt Architects, image. Brett Boardman; Small House, Domenic Alvaro. Image: Trevor Mein; Francis Street, Candalepas Associates, image Brett Boardman. Bottom row: Garden House, Durbach Bloch Jaggers Architects, image Peter Bennetts; Waterloo Street, Candalepas Associates, image Brett Boardman. The restoration of the oldest church building in Sydney, the St.James Church in King St, designed by convict architect Francis Greenway with recent work by Design 5 - Architects Pty Ltd, was awarded this year's Greenway Award for Heritage, with the jury saying works carried out between 2008 and 2010 showed "consummate care by the architect, the engineer and the builder in conserving the original structure and fabric of the building, improving its strength, performance and waterproofing". This year's Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture was presented to The Hangar at Cessnock Airport by Peter Stutchbury Architecture, designed to house a small fleet of former military aircraft for tourist flights over the Hunter Valley. It was one of several regional projects receiving awards and commendations this year, including the Hall and Library at St Joseph's Primary School, Wingham by Austin McFarland Architects, recipient of the Blacket Prize for Regional Architecture; the Maitland Regional Art Gallery by Paul Berkemeier; The RoyalNewcastle in Newcastle by Tzannes Associates; and Milson Island Sport and Recreation Centre by Allen Jack and Cottier. NSW Government Architect Peter Mould was awarded the 2011 President's Prize, with NSW President Matthew Pullinger saying: "This prize is foremost about celebrating a highly committed and talented advocate, but it is also an unconditional endorsement of the position of the NSW Government Architect at a moment when fearless design advice to government is so important. Peter Mould is a quiet achiever. In his role as Government Architect he has been a tireless advocate for design excellence."Other major residential winners included the Garden House by Durbach Block Jaggers, the Skylight House by Chenchow Little Architects, the Castlecrag House by Neeson Murcutt Architects, and the Small House in Surry Hills by Domenic Alvaro, which also took out the top award for Small Project Architecture. The 2011 Aaron Bolot Award for Multiple Housing was presented to Waterloo Street by Candalepas Associates, who also picked up an Architecture Award for their Francis Street Bondi apartments. This year’s Milo Dunphy Award for Sustainable Architecture was presented to Elamang Ave by Luigi Rosselli Architects, with the Enduring Architecture Award for projects of 25 years or more going to the iconic Magney House at Bingie Bingie on the NSW south coast by Glenn Murcutt.
above left: St James Church redevelopment by Design 5 - Architects Pty Ltd. Image: Christopher Shain.
Above left: The Hangar by Peter Stutchbury. Image: Michael Nicholson.
Trish Croaker, National Media Advisor, Australian Institute of Architects The Australian Institute of Architects is the peak body for the architectural profession, |
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Building in Camperdown by BVN Architecture - the recipient of the State's major public building award, the Sulman Award for Public Architecture. 
