SA Architecture medal series
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The SA Architecture Medal was established in 2021 and celebrates one outstanding project from the SA Architecture Awards – the best of the best.
The SA Chapter is proud to present the Architecture Medal Series, which showcases the winning projects of each Awards program. Each film explores the working relationship between architect and client, and how a well-designed building can bring not only value, but joy to the communities using it.
2024 Architecture Medal
SUNKISSED HIGGINS
A love letter to Aussie beach culture, Sunkissed Higgins by RAD Studio is a sun-soaked coastal home that radiates nostalgia, warmth, and clever design. Honoured in the 2024 SA Architecture Awards, this project celebrates everything we remember from long summers by the sea—surfboards, sunrises, salty breezes, and neighbours yelling “Yew!”
This pastel-toned home reinterprets the 70s and 80s beach shack through contemporary design thinking. Located in Middleton, it embraces coastal living with playful charm, sustainable features, and social interaction at its heart. With smart solar orientation, repurposed materials, and a thermal mass stone floor, Higgins captures the spirit of its place—and its people.
The SA Chapter and the Institute recognises the Ngarrindjeri people as the traditional landowners of the Fleurieu Peninsula. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.
2024 Architecture Medal
EVERGREEN COMMUNITY PRECINCT
Co-winner of the prestigious 2024 South Australian Architecture Medal, Evergreen Community Precinct by Walter Brooke is a powerful architectural response to both place and purpose. Situated within Enfield Memorial Park, the precinct features a distinct circular form that resonates with the eternal cycle of life and the site’s geometric planning.
Designed to accommodate both funeral services and broader community use, the building seamlessly integrates crematoria facilities, multipurpose spaces, a play area, and café—all within a naturalistic, park-like setting. Its refined simplicity, curving forms, and transparent facade create a serene, connected environment that is inclusive, contemplative, and welcoming to all.
The SA Chapter and the Institute recognises the Kaurna people as the traditional landowners of the Adelaide Plains. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.
2023 Architecture Medal
MONARTO SAFARI PARK VISITOR CENTRE
Winner of the 2023 South Australian Architecture Medal, the Monarto Safari Park Visitor Centre by Intro Architecture in collaboration with studio gram is a powerful architectural expression of connection — to land, culture, and conservation.
Designed as the gateway to the park’s “Wild Africa” experience, the centre blends educational storytelling with a strong environmental ethos. Its striking dual-form structure — one grounded in rammed earth, the other elevated in weathering steel —symbolises the coming together of Indigenous and African cultural narratives.
The central heart space offers shelter, orientation, and a moment of awe, revealing glimpses of the surrounding savannah. More than just a visitor hub, the centre inspires guests to become conservation ambassadors and fosters a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of people, place, and wildlife.
The SA Chapter and the Institute recognises the Ngarrindjeri people as the traditional landowners of the Monarto region. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.
2022 Architecture Medal
Mount Gambier Regional Airport
Mount Gambier Regional Airport offers not only a modern air terminal but a community centre to the people of the Limestone Coast.Designed by Ashley Halliday Architects and built by Kennett Builders for the District Council of Grant, the building references the surrounding geological landscape – with timber for the local forestry industry and the central skylight recalling the sinkholes the area is known for.
The SA Chapter and the Institute recognises the Bungandidj people as the traditional land owners of the Mount Gambier region. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.
2021 Architecture Medal
Meals on Wheels SA Head Office
The Meals on Wheels SA Head Office represents a step forward for a nearly 70-year-old organisation, bringing together administrative, office and commercial kitchen functions together in a consolidated facility.
Designed by JPE Design Studio and built by Kennett Builders for Meals on Wheels SA, the project uses a refined materials palette of robust feature brickwork and bold transparent forms which frame the activity within to the street.
The SA Chapter and the Institute recognises the Kaurna people as the traditional land owners of the Adelaide Plains. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.
