For the second year in a row, Western Australia’s buildings have failed to take out one prize at the Australian Institute of Architects' awards, leaving the general press to claim nothing worthwhile has been built in the state since the gold rush.

But, good projects and strong teams are suffering from the state’s “tall poppy mentality”, according to a leading architect.

Bret White, associate at Cox Howlett + Bailey Woodland, told Architecture & Design that WA projects of merit were being devalued by an “immature attitude” towards design in the state.

“There’s still a tall poppy feeling in WA,” White said.

Using The Bell Tower, designed by Willian Hames of Hames Sharley, as an example, White said that good design was given a hard time in WA.

“[The Bell Tower] was a media frenzy. It was a vision that was lost in the government process of trying to deliver it. And there was a degree of negativity in the Perth community — there’s conservatism in our perception of what it is worth spending money upon.”

However, White, whose firm was honoured with an award for public architecture at the Western Australian Architecture Awards earlier this year for its Manea Senior College, was unable to say if a WA project deserved to win a national award this year.

“It’s difficult to say if any of the WA projects put forward should have won. The work that is being done in the other states is of significant quality.”

One project of luxury apartments in Cottesloe (pictured below), designed by Dalkeith-based architect Blane Brackenridge, did achieve a commendation for residential architecture (multiple housing).

The pressure to build an icon on the scale of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge or Melbourne’s Federation Square was also undercutting the work of the architectural profession, White said.

“Perth has this expectation that we will need to build something with a monumental hurrah. And that’s not the way to do it. We need to slowly accumulate very high quality buildings that meet function, form, and are strategically placed with good design.”

Icons only happen with strong political leadership and great vision, he said, which is “nigh impossible” with WA’s current situation.

“We’re waiting and waiting and waiting and we’re kind of getting left behind. What we are not doing is taking smaller steps and getting good outcomes.”

Rod Mollett, WA chapter president for the Australian Institute of Architects, agreed that the general community lacks appreciation of good design.

There is a tendency for the general public and business community to “accept less” than if the state had a more developed design culture, he told Architecture & Design.

Poorly constructed budgets and underfunding has hindered WA’s capital works programme in the past, he said.

“It is also the prevailing opinion that the opportunity to improve our built environment and build social infrastructure with a lasting legacy was certainly lost during the ‘boom’. One can only hope that when the next period of substantial growth occurs our political masters will make more of the opportunities presented.”

The ability of WA architects was equal to any in Australia, he said, putting the ‘no win’ last week down to a “very high” overall standard and a record number of entries.