National Architecture Awards

THE ONLINE ENTRY SYSTEM
The awards process is an opportunity for public and peer recognition of your work, and provides the Institute with a valuable mechanism to promote architects and architecture in Australia and internationally. The 2013 Awards program is now closed for entry. Entrants are still able to access their existing entries via the below link.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS YOUR ENTRY

Please note only members of the Australian Institute of Architects are elgible to enter. If you are not a member, you can find out more information about becoming a member HERE.

REVIEW OF PROJECT ATTRIBUTIONS
The project attribution for all projects entered in the 2013 Architecture Awards is listed HERE. Entrants, Institute members and members of the public are invited to review the accuracy of these attributions. The project and practice names listed on the website will be used in all published material regarding the entry, including State and National Awards Presentation, certificates, and publications. It is important the names are listed correctly and that the attribution has been agreed by all parties involved in the project. Please identify any problems by Friday 26 April 2013.

2013 KEY AWARDS DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Find out when entries open and close in your area - as well as your local presentation nights for 2013. Download the 2013 calendar HERE.

AWARDS ENTRY HANDBOOK - a step by step guide to entering the awards
The Awards Entry Handbook should be used as your guide to entering the Awards, please ensure you are familiar with this document before you enter the Awards. Download your copy of the 2013 Awards Entry Handbook HERE.

AWARDS POLICY
Entrants should read through the Awards section of the Institute's Awards, Prizes and Honours Policy before submitting their entry. Download a copy of the policy HERE.

CONTACTS
We are here to help. If you have any queries or aer having technical issues, please contact the local Chapter in which your project is being entered. Those entering in the International Category can contact the National Office in Canberra on 02 6121 2000 or awards@architecture.com.au.

AWARDS JURORS HANDBOOK
The Awards Jury Handbook is a guide for all Jury members. Download your copy of the 2013 Awards Jurors Handbook HERE.

IMPORTANT policy changes to the 2013 awards program
A number of policy changes have been implemented for the 2013 National Awards program. Please see the changes below:
The main proposed changes and updates to the program are across the following:

• Sustainability


• Small Project Architecture


• Enduring Architecture


• Allocations of projects by juries Sustainability

Sustainability
Much has changed in the field of sustainable design since the introduction of the original Sustainable Architecture Award. Now there is a much greater awareness in the community regarding the value of environmental sustainability and the issue of climate change, however there is still little understanding of the significance and value of design in addressing this challenge.
Australian architects have in many cases been international leaders in designing responsive, responsible, and delightful works of architecture that do “more with less”. The Sustainable Architecture Award is intended to support, encourage and celebrate this significant phenomenon. While for many projects there is an understandable preoccupation with technical performance measured through rating tools, this award recognises the value of creative and intelligent thinking to achieve enduring and meaningful value through design.
The award will also recognise integrated design thinking not only for individual works of architecture, but also in the broader ecological context. The award criteria are deliberately open ended to allow the jury to recognise exemplary contributions to sustainable architecture.
The award will no longer be entered directly, and juries will consider all entries on the basis of submitted descriptions of the value the project has generated in each of the environmental, social and economic domains.
While no detailed performance data is required to be submitted; the jury may call for additional information from entrants.
In addition to the above changes, the award has been elevated to a Named award, and will be referred to as the David Oppenheim Award for Sustainable Architecture at the National level.
Specific changes to this prize can be viewed in the entry handbook and policy.

Small Project Architecture
To recognise the contributions of small projects within Australian design the Small Project Architecture category has been elevated to a Named Award and will be recognised as the Nicholas Murcutt Small Project Architecture Award at a Naitonal level.

Enduring Architecture
The Enduring Architecture Award has been extended to allow buildings from 25 years and beyond to be entered. The requirement that a building must be less than 50 years of age has been removed.

Allocations of projects by juries
There have been some modifications to the allocation of projects by juries. The updated policy now states that:
Juries may choose to consider projects in categories other than the category the project was originally entered in, subject to the following:

• the project must meet the entry requirements of the other category, as set out in 13.3.5 Award Categories


• where the project is deemed not to meet the entry requirements for a category in which it is entered, it may be removed from that category and considered in one other category, for which it does meet the entry requirements


• the project must not be considered in more categories than it was originally entered in, unless one or more of the other categories has 5 or less eligible entries


• the National Jury may not consider a Chapter winner in the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture category in any other category at National level, unless it is also a winner at Chapter level in that other category

About the Architecture Awards

The National Architecture Awards have been held annually since 1981. These Awards are the most prestigious in the design and construction industry, and have had a significant influence on trends in architectural design. The Institute is pleased to have Principal Corporate Partner BlueScope Steel and Supporting Corporate Partners Dulux, Autodesk, Kingspan, AWS and Diversified Exhibitions as sponsors of the National Architecture Awards.

Entries close after a three to four month period, at which time the judging process in each state/territory begins. Selected buildings are visited by local jury members in accordance with the award's conditions of entry. Selected projects of excellence then become the State finalists and/or award recipients.

In early July, all winning entries are forwarded to the National Office and the recipients of Chapter Awards come under the close scrutiny of the national jury. The national jury consists of five members: four prominent architects and one non-architect of national prominence.

In judging the projects, the overall quality of the work is considered. Issues include:
- how well the project meets its original intentions
- the client’s satisfaction with the project
- environmental performance and use of energy
- contribution to the advancement of architecture.

The jury imposes strict criteria for each of the nine national categories and applies these in the preliminary judging process and when it visits the short-listed projects across Australia. The cycle culminates in a celebratory national awards' dinner each year.

Peter Johnson Architectural Archive

The Peter Johnson Architectural Archive, held in the National Gallery of Australia Research Library, is the archive of entries to the Institutes Architecture Awards. Entry folders have been deposited annually since 1986 and a few have been collected prior to 1986. Additions to the collection are always welcome.

The Archive is rapidly developing into an extraordinary source of information for the study of contemporary Australian architecture.

The Archive is available to the public for research. Arrangements must be made in advance through the National Gallery of Australia Research Library.

Details of the NGARL access policy and a reader’s ticket application form are available on the Gallery’s web-site:
www.nga.gov.au/Menus/resrch.html

Those not eligible for a permanent reader’s ticket may make an appointment to use the Archive under the Library of Last Resort principle.

T: +61 2 6240 6530
F: +61 2 6273 2155
E: RLR@nga.gov.au
P: National Gallery of Australia Research Library
GPO Box 1150 + Canberra ACT 2601 + Australia