Community Connection – the SA Architecture Awards 2020 state winners

This year’s South Australian Architecture Awards recognised projects that have a considerable impact on the communities they serve and demonstrate generosity toward the broader public.

Part of a national awards program run by the Australian Institute of Architects, the presentation was held virtually for the first time this year via a live YouTube stream on 2 July.

Sparkke at the Whitmore by Troppo Architects is this year’s recipient of the Keith Neighbour Award for Commercial Architecture and a Heritage Award. Jurors were particularly impressed with the outstanding architectural interpretation of the strongly held progressive values of this South Australian brand. Its ability to build on the original character of the site was well received with ‘new shop-front openings drawing visitors into the once secretive parlour rooms of the original hotel’ and ‘a transparent, airy, light filled beer hall frontage to the square.’

U City by Woods Bagot was presented the City of Adelaide Prize and an award for Public Architecture for integrating ‘small reminders of the site’s rich history layered throughout the building through material, form and motif’ and delivering ‘generous additions to the public realm at street level by re-establishing Penaluma Place.’

Winner of the Dr John Mayfield Award for Education Architecture, Pembroke Middle School Redevelopment by Grieve Gillett Andersen also received the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture. Its ambitious spaces were noted by the jury who recognised their nuance in connecting the site to its school community.

Interior Architecture was the hardest fought category this year with 16 entries. Fino Vino by studio-gram was named the Robert Dickson Award winner and lauded for the ‘duality between raw dilapidated tenancy and refined furnishings and interior find(ing) connection with the raw produce and fine food of the restaurant.’

Spinifex House by Khab Architects received the John S Chappel Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). This unexpected and well-considered house sits in a prominent beach-side streetscape in Adelaide’s west, typically dominated by bulky, larger houses.  Overshadowed by taller neighbours, buffeted by sea breeze and scorched by setting sun, the new house rises to all these challenges with an understated response that is a restrained and tasteful revisit of the modern Australian shack aesthetic.

SA Chapter President Tony Giannone noted the unique situation that this year presented to the SA Awards. He said: “With site visits replaced by online interviews, jurors rose to the challenge and were able to debate and remotely explore the merits of the entries. We have all had to adapt and be flexible to a different delivery mode for the Awards Program this year, however we’re confident in the process and proud to deliver the program despite this year’s extraordinary circumstances.”. He also noted that the Awards Program helps South Australia build on an already strong portfolio of work representative of our South Australian identity.

In total, the jury bestowed 39 honours with named award and award winners in each category now progressing to the National Architecture Awards announced in November.