Winners of the 2023 WA Architecture Awards announced

The Australian Institute of Architects’ annual WA Architecture Awards celebrates our state’s architects and their achievements, paying tribute to those who contribute considerably to our communities and built environment.

The cost in projects as part of the Awards reached a massive total of over $1.4 billion. An incredible feat given the vast majority of these projects were completed during COVID, considering all of the challenges the time presented and continues to present. This year also saw a sizeable jump in the number of entries, with 88 submissions across 10 major categories.

Australian Institute of Architects WA Chapter President, Sandy Anghie said, globally the built environment accounts for 39% of all carbon emissions, which makes this sector a prime target for getting on track to a zero carbon economy.

“This year sustainability was fundamental to the judging across all awards categories with every entry being assessed against criteria addressing sustainability.

“The 2023 Awards program showcased a great range of projects shaping our city and state. Key sectors represented ranged from multi and single residential dwellings harnessing the latest in sustainable practices, state-of-the-art State Government facilities, as well as hospitality and lifestyle destinations, all of which are considerate of the environment, heritage and location. Many of the big winners this year came from the education sector,” Ms Anghie said.

Winners were announced at the WA Architecture Awards celebration on Friday 9 June at Optus Stadium, with the most prestigious award – the George Temple Poole being bestowed upon Western Australia’s first large-scale, mass-engineered timber building – Boola Katitjin. Project architects, Lyons with Silver Thomas Hanley, Officer Woods, and The Fulcrum Agency produced the exciting and innovative new building for Murdoch University.

Chair of Juries, Chris Maher said the collaboration of the architects has resulted in the incredibly exciting and innovative outcome of Boola Katitjin.

“The Architects describe this building as having a ‘Warehouse for learning’ quality. Perhaps that’s true, especially if that warehouse has the DNA of a crafted and majestic medieval tithe barn. Lyons and their creative team have skilfully ensured that Boola Katitjin is more than a repository of knowledge, it’s a building that facilitates collaboration, a stimulating place of learning, teaching, and discovery, for students, teachers, staff, and visitors.

“Boola Katitjin demonstrates a leadership level of sustainability while enhancing the existing character and adding to the evolving future character of the Murdoch Campus,” Mr Maher said.

The extraordinary School of Design & The Built Environment, Curtin University by Wardle won not only the Award for Sustainable Architecture, but the Award for Interior Architecture and the Hillson Beasley Award for Educational Architecture. In a precinct that is more urban than the existing campus the building manages to make strong connections to nature with carefully curated distant views through neighbouring buildings and a courtyard composition bringing landscape up to and onto the building. The zinc façade veil provides passive solar shading, yet its beauty is in its precisely articulated folds. An exemplar in sustainable design achieving a 6 Star Green Star, Design and As Built V1.2 rating, the building is a testament to the skill of its creators.

Other accolades for the education sector include the exciting, responsive and engaging Curtin Exchange Precinct Stage 01 winning the John Septimus Roe Award for Urban Design by Christou Design Groupe with Wardle, Nettleton Tribe and Six Degrees.

The Brian Kidd Enabling Architecture Prize, promoting excellence in universally accessible and inclusive architecture and built environments was well earned and awarded to Emmanuel Christian Community School designed by Hantree + Associates Architects.

“There were some exceptional residential designs this year. With affordable housing currently in the spotlight, architects have a key role to play in helping to address the housing crisis. The winner of the top residential award, the Marshall Clifton Award for Residential Architecture, and also a Commendation for Sustainable Architecture and the Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture were all granted to Celilo Springs, by Western Architecture Studio of which Andrew Boyne is architect and owner. This house at just 125 sqm, which is half the size of the average Australian home, is a terrific example of a home that is both beautiful and sustainable.” Ms Anghie said.

The Harold Krantz Award for Multiple Residential Architecture was awarded to Clifton & Central by MJA Studio with CAPA Studio, an apartment development which has also created a neighbourhood hub.
The State Government entrants were strong contenders with Main Roads and Department of Transport Geraldton Office awarded the Ross Chisholm and Gil Nicol Award for Commercial Architecture. TAG Architects artfully designed the building to respond to the urban context and succeeded in the brief to bring both departments under the same roof accommodating larger staff numbers in a flexible work environment enabling seamless collaboration and interaction.

Airport Central Station took out a Public Architecture award by GHDWoodhead with Weston Williamson + Partners. A highly complex project with the delivery an achievement in itself. The public and functional benefits of this project are enormous. Open voids, expanses of glazing and vast volumes of space equate to a dramatic sense of arrival as you move up from the train platform, or down from the pedestrian link. Clever consideration for patron capacity increases and future proofing for new linkages and connections ensures this project will continue to be relevant into the future.

Ms Anghie congratulated Western Australia’s architects for their exceptional work across all award categories and for their wonderful contribution in shaping our city and state.

“All of the projects are worthy of celebration for the contribution they make to the people who occupy them, and to the communities in which they are located,” Ms Anghie said.

All Western Australian Named and Architecture Award winners will progress to the Australian Institute of Architects National Awards to be judged against the very best architectural works in the country.