Community-oriented projects dominated the Australian Institute of Architects’ (AIA) 2014 National Architecture Awards, announced Thursday November 6 at the Darwin Convention Centre.

A total of 43 awards and commendations were presented to 36 projects across the 12 national categories, with each state represented in the program. The jury, led by Immediate Past President Paul Berkemeier, was particularly impressed with the volume and calibre of public buildings in this year’s crop.

“It is encouraging that so many projects embodied best practice with informed clients, effective procurement methods, appropriate funding models and intelligent architecture. This provides us with great optimism for the future of our public spaces – an area that has so often delivered dispiriting outcomes,” said Berkemeier.

NAMED CATEGORY AWARDS (full list of awards and commendations at bottom):

Taking home the most awards of the night is the UQ Advanced Engineering Building by Richard Kirk Architect HASSELL Joint Venture, which won the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture.

The building, which features an open structure to allow a high level of visibility of processes and equipment to visitors and staff, also won the Emil Sodersten Award for Interior Architecture, and an Award for Sustainable Architecture.

UQ Advanced Engineering Building. Photography by Peter Bennetts

“The architects have taken an extremely complex program – including teaching spaces, a 500-seat auditorium, laboratories, research facilities and office spaces – and resolved a building that is not only exciting to inhabit, but also a delightful space to occupy,” the jury praised.

Another big winner for the night was Breathe Architecture, which received two Named Awards – one in Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing and the other for Sustainability – for its Melbourne project The Commons, which also topped the recent 2014 Sustainability Awards in Sydney.

 

The Commons. Photography by Michael Downes

The success of Australian architecture in public spaces is also noted overseas, with the Jorn Utzon Award for International Architecture going to Denton Corker Marshall for the Stonehenge Exhibition + Visitor Centre in the UK.

Stonehenge Exhibition + Visitor Centre. Photography by James Davies

To find out more about each Named Award winner and their jury citations, please click through on their names in the full list of winners below:

Commercial Architecture

The Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture

White Bay Cruise Terminal – Johnson Pilton Walker (NSW)

National Awards for Commercial Architecture

8 Chifley Square – Lippmann Partnership/Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners (NSW)

Bread in Common – spaceagency (WA)

National Commendation for Commercial Architecture

Prahran Hotel – Techne Architects (Vic)

Enduring Architecture

The National Enduring Architecture Award

CB Alexander College, Tocal – Ian McKay and Philip Cox, Architects in Association (NSW)

Heritage

The Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage

Eternity Playhouse – Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects (NSW)

National Commendation for Heritage

Former Police Station, 127-129 George Street, The Rocks – Welsh + Major Architects with Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (NSW)

Interior Architecture

The Emil Sodersten Award for Interior Architecture

UQ Advanced Engineering Building – Richard Kirk Architect HASSELL Joint Venture (Qld)

National Awards for Interior Architecture

Bread in Common – spaceagency (WA)

Garangula Gallery – Fender Katsalidis Mirams Architects (NSW)

Hotel Hotel – March Studio (ACT)

Sustainable Industries Education Centre – MPH Architects + Architectus in association (SA)

International Architecture

The Jørn Utzon Award for International Architecture

Stonehenge Exhibition + Visitor Centre – Denton Corker Marshall (United Kingdom)

Award for International Architecture

Shelter@Rainforest – Marra + Yeh Architects (East Malaysia)

Public Architecture

The Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture

UQ Advanced Engineering Building – Richard Kirk Architect HASSELL Joint Venture (Qld)

National Awards for Public Architecture

Australian PlantBank – BVN Donovan Hill (NSW)

Dallas Brooks Community Primary School – McBride Charles Ryan (Vic)

Dandenong Mental Health Facility – Bates Smart Whitefield McQueen Irwin Alsop Joint Venture (Vic)

Prince Alfred Park + Pool Upgrade – Neeson Murcutt Architects in association with City of Sydney (NSW)

UTAS Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies – John Wardle Architects + Terroir, in Association (Tas)

National Commendations for Public Architecture

North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club – Durbach Block Jaggers in association with Peter Colquhoun (NSW)

South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute – Woods Bagot (SA)

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)

The Australian Institute of Architects Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)

Bellevue Terrace Alterations + Additions – Philip Stejskal Architecture (WA)

National Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)

West End Tower – Owen and Vokes and Peters (Qld)

National Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)

Strohmayr House – Troppo Architects (NT)

Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

The Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

House at Hanging Rock – Kerstin Thompson Architects (Vic)

National Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

Oxlade Drive House – James Russell Architect (Qld)

National Commendations for Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

Hover House – Bower Architecture (Vic)

Southern Outlet House – Philip M Dingemanse (Tas)

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

The Frederick Romberg Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

The Commons – Breathe Architecture (Vic)

National Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

UNSW Kensington Colleges – Bates Smart (NSW)

National Commendation for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

Gantry – Bates Smart (NSW)

Small Project Architecture

The Nicholas Murcutt Award for Small Project Architecture

Bicheno Surf Life Saving Club + Boathouse – Birrelli art + design + architecture (Tas)

National Awards for Small Project Architecture

Balmain Apartment – Durbach Block Jaggers (NSW)

Kew Studio – Sean Godsell Architects (Vic)

National Commendation for Small Project Architecture

Studio 217 – Amalie Wright & Richard Buchanan (Qld)

Sustainable Architecture

The David Oppenheim Award for Sustainable Architecture

The Commons – Breathe Architecture (Vic)

National Awards for Sustainable Architecture

Australian PlantBank – BVN Donovan Hill (NSW)

The Wayside Chapel – environa studio (NSW)

UQ Advanced Engineering Building – Richard Kirk Architect HASSELL Joint Venture (Qld)

Urban Design

The Walter Burley Griffin Award for Urban Design

Prince Alfred Park + Pool Upgrade – Neeson Murcutt Architects in association with City of Sydney (NSW)

National Award for Urban Design

GASP! Stage 02 – Room 11 (Tas)

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture

The National COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture

White Bay Cruise Terminal – Johnson Pilton Walker (NSW)