Brookfield Multiplex's $200 million Swanston Academic Building at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and senior project manager, Andrew Deveson, have both taken home prizes for the Australian Property Institute (API) Awards.

The Property Development Award, secured by the RMIT Swanston Academic Building, recognises development excellence in providing community benefits, innovations in community facility, and finance structuring and investment returns.

The building, designed by Lyons Architecture, was delivered 108 days early and $34 million under the budget. It features a stunning façade studded with angular sun shades that add to the reinvigoration of the RMIT precinct.

With a complex design and a form that is difficult but not disruptive, the building comprises 35,000 square metres of floor space over 12 levels. It houses 12 lecture theatres, 64 teaching spaces and 10 specialist learning venues – spaces with prolific finishes that contribute to the institute's learning environment.

Located in one of the busiest areas of the Melbourne CBD, the building has a 5 Star environmental design rating under the Greenstar Education Rating Scheme.

Andrew Deveson, senior project manager at Brookfield, won the firm’s second prize, the Young Achiever of the Year Award, which seeks to honour young individuals who are at the early stage of their professional career and displaying outstanding performance.

Over his six years at Brookfield, Deveson has worked on significant projects that form a combined value of over $600 million. He was the assistant project manager on the Southern Cross West Tower Project, and responsible for the delivery of the base building, which included management of design consultants and the achievement of the 5 Star Green Star Design Certification.

Deveson was also the project manager for the BER Schools Package 9, which comprises 22 school buildings in separate locations in Melbourne’s north east suburbs.

Regarded as one of Brookfield Multiplex’s future leaders, he is currently leading the delivery of the University of Melbourne’s $100 million Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning project.

Images: Lyon Architecture