Empire tops ACT Architecture Awards

A contemporary extension to an inner-south bungalow has won the Territory’s top architecture award at the 2019 ACT Architecture Awards tonight.

Austin Maynard Architects were presented the prestigious Canberra Medallion by the Minister for Planning and Land Management Mick Gentleman for the Empire house. This project also took out the top honour for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) winning the Gene Willsford Award.

Australian Institute of Architects ACT Jury Chair, Sarah Truscott, said Empire was a refreshing experiment in quality over quantity where the owners and architects have worked together to retain the heritage of the existing home, with an over-riding emphasis on craftsmanship and detailing to create compact, contemporary additions.

‘Empire is located on a road that forms a key part of Burley Griffin’s masterplan. The architects have shown respect for Canberra’s built heritage by preserving the best of this home and creating smart additional living spaces inside and out for all seasons.’

Edgeworth Apartments won the Sydney Ancher Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing for Cox Architecture and the Concrete House by Rob Henry Architects won the Malcolm Moir and Heather Sutherland Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New).

ACT Chapter President, Philip Leeson, said, ’This year’s awards saw 37 entries ranging from small alterations and additions to large public commercial buildings and institutions. Each year our awards showcase the extraordinary talent of the architecture profession and the outstanding buildings it produces and this year is no exception. The architects and their projects recognised by this year’s jury will enter the canon of great architecture that has contributed to the city of Canberra that we love.’

ANU’s Hanna Neumann Building by Clarke Keller and dwp|design worldwide partnership received the Enrico Taglietti Award for Educational Architecture. The building also won the W Hayward Morris Award for Interior Architecture and the Pamille Berg Award for Art in Architecture.

‘This new building brings together ANU’s Mathematical Sciences Institute and Computer Science in a new teaching and research hub. Embedded coding in the façade and interior details create a series of mathematical puzzles for students to decipher as they work their way up the building with the most complex on the top level,’ Ms Truscott said.

Wybalena Grove in Cook designed by Michael Dysart in 1974 and established by the Cook Aranda Housing Cooperative received the Sir Roy Grounds Award for Enduring Architecture, which is for buildings older than 25 years.

The Emerging Architect Prize was awarded to Will Gardner from Guida Moseley Brown Architects. The President’s Medal was awarded to Paul Barnett of Paul Barnett Design Group. The Clem Cummings Award, which recognises the contributions by non-architects and architects to architecture and the public interest, was awarded to Jenny Edwards of Light House Architecture & Science.

A total of 30 Named Awards, Awards and Commendations were presented on the night. Named Award and Award winners will now progress to the National Architecture Awards to be announced on Thursday 7 November 2019.

Full list of winners:

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)

The Gene Willsford Award – Empire by Austin Maynard Architects
Award – Yarralumla Shed by Gerard O’Connell

Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

The Malcolm Moir and Heather Sutherland Award – Concrete House by Rob Henry Architects
Award – Red Hill House by Mathieson Architects
Award – Courtyard House by Rob Henry Architects
Commendation – Carwoola House by de Rome Architects

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

The Sydney Ancher Award – Edgeworth Apartments by Cox Architecture
Commendation – Shophouse by JUDD.studio
Commendation – Warehouse by JUDD.studio

Commercial Architecture

Commendation – Manuka Oval Media and Function Centre

Interior Architecture

The W Hayward Morris Award – ANU Hanna Neumann Building by Clarke Keller and dwp|design worldwide partnership
Commendation – Denman Village Shops by AMC Architecture

Educational Architecture

The Enrico Taglietti Award – ANU Hanna Neumann Building by Clarke Keller and dwp|design worldwide partnership
Award – CGGS Early Learning Centre by Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn

Public Architecture

Commendation – Cricket ACT by Clarke Keller

Small Project Architecture

The Cynthia Breheny Award – Charly_Demonstrator by Stack Space

Sustainable Architecture

The Derek Wrigley Award – CGGS Early Learning Centre by Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn
Award – Courtyard House by Rob Henry Architects

Enduring Architecture

The Sir Roy Grounds Award – Wybalena Grove (1974) by Michael Dysart

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture

Award – Shophouse by JUDD.studio

Chapter Awards and Prizes

Canberra Medallion – Empire by Austin Maynard Architects
The Pamille Berg Award for Art in Architecture –ANU Hanna Neumann Building by Clarke Keller and dwp|design worldwide partnership
The Robert Foster Award for Light in Architecture – Red Hill House by Mathieson Architects
Architectural Professional Practice Award – Eric Martin, Eric Martin & Associates
President’s Medal – Paul Barnett, Paul Barnett Design Group
Clem Cummings Medal – Jenny Edwards, Lighthouse Architecture & Science
Emerging Architect Prize – Will Gardner, Guida Moseley Brown Architects
ACT Chapter Student Medallion – Byron Kelly, University of Canberra
Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn Graduate Prize – Mark Bersolto, University of Canberra
John Redmond Prize – Justin Williams, University of Canberra

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