Architect collaborations top 2020 New South Wales Architecture Awards

Winners of the 2020 New South Wales Architecture Awards have been announced, with a number of architect collaborations recognised amongst the top projects. 

In celebration of the state’s best architecture, a total of 41 awards, comprising named awards and architecture awards, and 32 commendations, were presented across 13 categories.

Held on the evening of Friday 3 July, the NSW Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects livestreamed the awards presentation, allowing the public to freely join what is normally a members-only event. 

The evening’s most recognised project was Phoenix Central Park by Durbach Block Jaggers with John Wardle Architects, taking out the NSW Architecture Medallion for its celebration of the union between architecture and artistic fields. The gallery and performance space, located in Chippendale, was also awarded the Sir Arthur G. Stephenson Award for Commercial Architecture and John Verge Award for Interior Architecture. 

Peter Poulet, chair of juries for this year’s NSW Architecture Awards, says Phoenix Central Park is an outstanding project showing the best of collaborative outcomes and is also recognised for its strong use of material and form. 

“Having been given an open invitation to design something exceptional, the architects have joined forces to seamlessly intersect design with the visual and performing arts. The single yet multifaceted and dynamic project creates an immersive experience for those inside while being a striking architectural marker on the outside,” says Poulet.  

The Lord Mayor’s Prize went to the CBD and South East Light Rail by the huge team of Grimshaw with ASPECT Studios in collaboration with the City of Sydney, on behalf of Transport for NSW, supported by Randwick City Council. The highly collaborative project is recognised as one of the most significant transformations in the history of the city centre. 

Another exemplary project was Verve Residences, a multi-residential Newcastle development by CKDS Architecture with Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects. The project was awarded the Aaron Bolot Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing, as well as the Blacket Prize for design excellence in a regional context. 

According to Carolyn Mitchell, jury chair for the Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing category, Verve Residences sets a new standard for urban architecture in Newcastle.

“Verve Residences is paving the way for more socially and environmentally aware residential design in Newcastle. There are certainly many lessons to be taken from how the architects have gone about creating meaningful engagement between residents, as well as the community it sits within,” says Mitchell. 

The prestigious Enduring Architecture Award this year has gone to Richard Leplastrier for his Palm Garden House project. Built in 1974, the design of the unique home in Sydney’s Northern Beaches is centred on its relationship to the landscape.  

“Palm Beach House has truly endured for the past 45 years and continues to sit harmoniously alongside nature. This simply expressed yet incredibly outstanding home is a hidden sanctuary that combines nature with domesticity and is something we should continue to look upon for inspiration and tranquillity,” says NSW Chapter President Kathlyn Loseby.

Marrickville Library by BVN received multiple awards, including the prestigious NSW Premier’s Prize, the Milo Dunphy Award for Sustainable Architecture, and an award for public architecture. The project represents a vision for the future of public architecture, as a facilitator of community engagement, a positive contributor to and representation of its contextual fabric, and a celebration of its historic and natural environment.

A new category in this year’s program was the People’s Choice Awards For Life in 2020, which was created by the NSW Chapter in response to the ways COVID-19 has altered our relationship to housing, workplaces and the public domain. This marked the first time the public was able to have its say.

The winners of the three categories, as voted by the public, are:

Isolation Oasis: Arkadia by DKO Architecture with Breathe Architecture and Oculus 

We Are In This Together: Marrickville Library by BVN

Post-iso Party: Bankwest Stadium by Populous

“We have been delighted with the number of entries which shows the public’s appetite for good design amongst the places we visit and inhabit,” adds Loseby.

Projects that received a named award or architecture award will now progress to compete in the National Architecture Awards program. The shortlist will be announced by the Australian Institute of Architects in the coming months. 

The full list of winners can be found below.

2020 NSW Architecture Awards and Prizes - Winners

NSW ARCHITECTURE MEDALLION

Phoenix Central Park | Durbach Block Jaggers with John Wardle Architects

COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE

Sir Arthur G. Stephenson Award for Commercial Architecture

Phoenix Central Park | Durbach Block Jaggers with John Wardle Architects

Architecture Awards

Bankwest Stadium | Populous

Daramu House | Tzannes

Commendations

44A Foveaux Street | Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects

Sixty Martin Place | Hassell

EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

William E Kemp Award for Educational Architecture

MLC School Senior Centre | BVN

Architecture Awards

Electrical Engineering Building | Hassell

University of New South Wales Sir John Clancy Auditorium | lahznimmo architects

Commendations

Bethlehem College Ashfield | Neeson Murcutt+ Neille

Meriden School – Lingwood Campus | Allen Jack+Cottier

HERITAGE

Greenway Award for Heritage

The Signal Box Restaurant | Derive Design

Architecture Award 

Level 5 Ballarat House | Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects

Commendations

Emanuel Synagogue | Lippmann Partnership

Wellington Street | SJB

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

John Verge Award for Interior Architecture

Phoenix Central Park | Durbach Block Jaggers with John Wardle Architects

Architecture Awards

Breezeway House | David Boyle Architect

Grant Pirrie House | Virginia Kerridge Architect

Hotel Rose Bay | Richards Stanisich

Commendations

AMP Angel Place Lobby Refurbishment | Hassell

Bismarck House | Andrew Burges Architects

CBA ‘Axle’ South Eveleigh | Woods Bagot with fjmt

Emanuel Synagogue | Lippmann Partnership

PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE

Sulman Medal for Public Architecture

Anzac Memorial Centenary Extension | Johnson Pilton Walker with the Government Architect NSW

Architecture Award 

Marrickville Library | BVN

Commendations

Metro North West | Hassell with Turpin Crawford Studio and McGregor Westlake Architecture

Warrumbungle National Park Visitor Centre | TKD Architects

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – HOUSES (ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS)

Hugh and Eva Buhrich Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)

Bismarck House | Andrew Burges Architects

Architecture Awards

Grant Pirrie House | Virginia Kerridge Architect

JJ house | Bokey Grant Architects

Redwood | Chenchow Little

Waterloo House | Anthony Gill Architects

Commendations

Courtyard House | Joe Agius Architect

Exoskeleton House | Takt Studio

House RV | Plus Minus Design

Lindfield House | Polly Harbison Design

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – HOUSES (NEW)

Wilkinson Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

Glebe House | Chenchow Little

Architecture Awards

Basin Beach House | Peter Stutchbury Architecture

Breezeway House | David Boyle Architect

East Street | Kerstin Thompson Architects

Palm Beach Blue | Benn + Penna Architecture

Commendations

Bendalong House | Madeleine Blanchfield Architects

One Wingadal Place | Collins and Turner with Temple and Stockwell

The Seed House | fitzpatrick+partners

Tree House | Matt Elkan Architect

Upside Down Akubra House | Alexander Symes Architect

Wallis Lake House | Matthew Woodward Architecture

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – MULTIPLE HOUSING

Aaron Bolot Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

Verve Residences | CKDS Architecture with Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects

Architecture Awards

537 Elizabeth Street | Woods Bagot

Boomerang Tower | Bates Smart

Studio Apartments| Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects

Waterloo Apartments | Chenchow Little

Commendations

Blackwattle Apartments | Turner

The Burcham | Allen Jack+Cottier

SMALL PROJECT ARCHITECTURE

Robert Woodward Award for Small Project Architecture

Marsden Park Amenities | CHROFI

Architecture Awards

Lawler Residence | Andrew Donaldson Architecture and Design

Sydney Park Amenities | Aileen Sage Architects with City of Sydney

Commendations

Summer Place | CHROFI

Wicks Park Amenities | Sam Crawford Architects

URBAN DESIGN

Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design

Metro North West | Hassell with Turpin Crawford Studio and McGregor Westlake Architecture

Architecture Awards

Anzac Memorial Centenary Extension | Johnson Pilton Walker with Government Architect NSW

CBD and South East Light Rail | Grimshaw with ASPECT Studios in collaboration with the City of

Sydney, on behalf of Transport for NSW, supported by Randwick City Council

University of New South Wales Science and Engineering Precinct | Grimshaw

Commendation

Sixty Martin Place | Hassell

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

Milo Dunphy Award for Sustainable Architecture

Marrickville Library | BVN

Architecture Awards

Arkadia | DKO Architecture with Breathe Architecture and Oculus

Warrumbungle National Park Visitor Centre | TKD Architects

Commendations

Axle South Eveleigh | fjmt

Daramu House | Tzannes

Wildlife Retreat at Taronga | Cox Architecture

COLORBOND® AWARD FOR STEEL ARCHITECTURE 

Bankwest Stadium | Populous

Commendation

Upside Down Akubra House | Alexander Symes Architect

Blacket Prize

Verve Residences | CKDS Architecture with Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects

Lord Mayor’s Prize

CBD and South East Light Rail | Grimshaw with ASPECT Studios in collaboration with the City of Sydney, on behalf of Transport for NSW, supported by Randwick City Council

NSW Premier’s Prize

Marrickville Library | BVN

ENDURING ARCHITECTURE AWARD

Palm Garden House | Richard Leplastrier

EMERGING ARCHITECT PRIZE

Matthias Hollenstein | Studio Hollenstein

NSW PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS FOR LIFE IN 2020

Isolation Oasis: Arkadia by DKO Architecture with Breathe Architecture and Oculus

We are in this together:  Marrickville Library by BVN

Post Iso Party: Bankwest Stadium by Populous

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