ARCH wins international recognition for sustainable architecture

Leading Australian architecture practice ARCH was recently honoured at the 2024 BUILD Awards for Sustainable Building, winning top recognition in two categories. ARCH was named the Best Specialist Sustainable Community Architecture Practice 2024, and also received the Sustainable Building Community Impact Excellence Award 2024.

Given by the UK-based industry magazine BUILD, the awards honour businesses making significant contributions through innovative sustainability initiatives. The detailed evaluation process for the awards by a panel of experts involved assessing the environmental impact, level of innovation, and overall contributions to sustainability to ensure the awards reflect true excellence in sustainable architecture.

ARCH’s recognition highlights the practice’s commitment to sustainable building practices that positively impact both the environment and communities.

For many decades, ARCH has embraced the evolution of the sustainability sector, marked by advancements such as achieving net zero for operations, delivering regenerative design to built outcomes, and a growing emphasis on the circular economy. As a pioneer within this field, ARCH is dedicated to shaping the future of sustainable architecture through cutting-edge practices and innovative solutions.

“ARCH is more than an architecture firm; we are storytellers, problem solvers, and community builders. Our work goes beyond compliance with green standards; we set new benchmarks in sustainable architecture that encompass environmental, social, and economic dimensions,” said Michael Hegarty, principal architect and CEO of ARCH.

ARCH embeds the essence and analysis of each specific place into conceptual narratives for every project, ensuring that each design tells a unique story that resonates with the culture, history, and aspirations of the communities it serves. This is based on thorough analytics of the site and listening to a broad range of stakeholders, developed through a storytelling approach that not only enhances the aesthetic and functional qualities of the designs but also fosters deep connections with the environment and the people who inhabit it. This helps ARCH create spaces that communities connect with in the long term and places that people really love.

These two major awards serve as a testament to ARCH's unwavering dedication to sustainable practices and its significant role in advancing community-focused architecture since its foundation in 1958.

Image: Emma Cross Photography