The Australian Institute of Architects celebrated Queensland’s best architecture for 2024, at their annual State Awards ceremony on Friday night at Brisbane’s City Hall.
The State Awards jury, a collective of respected architects and design industry leaders from across Queensland, awarded more than 42 projects across 20 categories including public, residential, education, sustainable architecture and urban design.
Children and families emerged as the real winners of the evening. A standout theme of many of the successful projects were designs that were inclusive for a range of households – including young children and teenagers through to intergenerational families.
Transformative playground design earns top architecture award for Queensland
The Queensland Architecture Medallion, the highest honour of the evening, was awarded to Bradbury Park Playscape designed by Alcorn Middleton. The Playscape, located in Kedron on Brisbane’s northside, also won The FDG Stanley Award for Public Architecture, and The Karl Langer Award for Urban Design.
The Playscape provides opportunities for different modes of play with challenging high activity zones, social areas, and quiet hide-away spaces. The result is a playground that caters to young children, as well as teens – an age group often over-looked in the design of public spaces.
The jury described the project as a “delightful and democratic sculpture that invites visitors from afar, drawing them towards a myriad of enchanting spaces. By emphasising play for all ages and abilities, this project exemplifies the transformative power of architecture”.
Alcorn Middleton were commended by the jury for their exceptional merit in designing a public space that encourages community engagement across all levels. The jury stated “this project sets a new benchmark for public playgrounds, highlighting the significance of creativity and inclusivity in outdoor recreational spaces”.
Reshaping perceptions of social housing in Townsville and Eight Mile Plains
The Mari-Mari-Ba Affordable Housing and Bushland Communal Hub has won a slew of awards. The project, located in Eight Mile Plains on Brisbane’s southside, has received the State Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing, the Hayes & Scott Award for Small Project Architecture, and the inaugural Social Impact Prize – an initiative of the Queensland Awards Jury.
Designed by Deicke Richards, the project is an addition to the redevelopment of the former Joyce Wilding Hostel, a refuge for First Nations women and children. The jury stated, “Mari-Mari-Ba sets a precedent for supported emergency accommodation; demonstrating that facilities of this kind can deliver quality, economic design, and meaningful, empathetic outcomes for people in need”.
Mundingburra Housing by Counterpoint Architecture has received The Regional Project of the Year Prize, and a Commendation for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing. The social housing pilot project has provided eighteen new homes for the community of Townsville. The jury applauded the project for “achieving a remarkable feat by reshaping perceptions of social housing”.
The future of families in focus across Residential Architecture designs
Warwick Brick House designed by Marc & Co has earned The Robin Dods Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). Praised by the jury as “a testament to thoughtful design”, the new home for an elderly couple consolidates the master suite and living spaces on one level for seamless accessibility.
The Elina Mottram Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) was awarded to River Loop House by Vokes and Peters. The sensitive renovation to a modest mid-century home was described by the jury as “the flawless craft of masterful hands at the top of their game”.
Rivière designed by Bates Smart was recognised as an “outstanding addition to high-density apartment living in Kangaroo Point”, and received The Job & Froud Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing.
Verandah Terraces designed by Phorm architecture + design, won the EmAGN Project Award for the outstanding contributions of emerging architects to the project. The design also received a Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions), with the jury describing the project as “a successful reinterpretation of Queensland’s traditional verandah typology”.
Andrew Noonan Architect won The Harry Marks Award for Sustainable Architecture for their design of 39S House. The jury said that the project “transforms a traditional Workers Cottage to achieve the lowest whole-of-life carbon impact possible”.
STEAM Facilities lead the way in Educational Architecture
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Design, Mathematics (STEAM) facilities took a prominent position in the Educational Architecture category, showing a strong focus towards collaborative learning approaches between teachers and students.
The STEAM Precinct at Brisbane Grammar School, designed by Wilson Architects, was honoured with The Jennifer Taylor Award for Educational Architecture and received a Commendation for Interior Architecture. The jury noted, “by taking a holistic approach to multidisciplinary learning requirements, the architects have skillfully created evocative, adaptable, and dynamic learning spaces.”
Similarly in Mackay, the Whitsunday Anglican School’s STEAM Centre, designed by BSPN Architecture, was awarded the People’s Choice Prize and also received a Commendation for Educational Architecture.
Both projects were praised by the jury for cleverly infusing modern teaching spaces with existing campus facilities, serving as compelling examples of forward-thinking educational design.
The showcase continued with Award-Winning Projects and Professionals
The Warehouses by J.AR OFFICE earned the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture, and The Beatrice Hutton Award for Commercial Architecture. The jury acknowledged the project as a successful example of adaptive re-use. Five existing structures in Currumbin, have been repurposed through a process of “skillful edits, fabric retention and removal, and sensitive use of colour and materials”.
Speculative Architecture won the Art & Architecture Prize for their collaboration with Artist in Residence Taloi Havini on “The Local”, an exhibition for the Museum of Brisbane. The exhibition has been described by the jury as “an immersive experience that breaks away from the traditional gallery space”. Upper House by Koichi Takada Architects was awarded a Commendation for the same category, and also received the Award for Sustainable Architecture.
Marjorie Dixon and Leah Gallagher of KIN Architects were awarded the Queensland Emerging Architect Prize. The founders of KIN Architects were recognised by the jury for their immense contribution to the profession. “With an emphasis on giving back to the profession and the future generations of architects, both volunteer their time and expertise to countless initiatives.”
Ipswich Hospital Mental Health Acute Inpatient Services, designed by Hassell was praised by the jury for “upholding a new model of mental health care”. The holistic design earned The GHM Addison Award for Interior Architecture and the State Award for Public Architecture from the jury, for “providing comfort in a calm setting, promoting recovery and normalising mental health care”.
UQ Brisbane City, designed by BVN with Architectus Conrad Gargett, received accolades across three categories: The Don Roderick Award for Heritage Architecture, the State Award for Educational Architecture, and a Commendation for Interior Architecture.
Internationally recognised as one of the most influential houses of the 20th century, C House by Donovan Hill rounded out the named awards with The Robin Gibson Award for Enduring Architecture. The jury noted that “the C House’s impact on architectural discourse and practice cannot be overstated.”
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