Many of Canberra’s architectural best took home awards at the ACT Architecture Awards tonight, but there was one clear, overall winner of the night – sustainability.
This year’s Awards, hosted on Friday 3 June, celebrated the innovation of Canberra architecture, and highlighted key designs that were recognised as the “most prestigious and rigorous of its kind”.
Demonstrating the Australian Institute of Architects’ commitment to sustainable construction and design, the ACT President’s Medal was awarded to Dr Melinda Dodson, a well-known community advocate, researcher and architect.
For more than 25 years, Dr Dodson has been demonstrating her commitment to sustainable cities through public advocacy, research, industry leadership, and architectural practice.
Showcasing her ground-breaking sustainable building and construction is Dr Dodson’s Canberra Low Carbon Housing Challenge (CLCHC), which was the recipient of the Clem Cummings Medal. The CLCHC highlights low-carbon strategies and efficiencies that can be used to reduce not just the energy efficiency of the home, but the overall carbon emissions.
ACT President Jane Cassidy said, “The Canberra Low Carbon Housing Challenge team is to be commended for its public outreach through the competition, and digital face-to-face public exhibitions”.
“The team has achieved excellent results in its short life and has already developed an ambitious program of research projects, peer education and exhibitions to extend its reach from single housing to larger scale developments.”
“Melinda embodies what it is to be a professional who acts in the public interest to improve outcomes for the community with a passion for the delivery of inclusive sustainable built environments,” Ms Cassidy said.
“She strongly believes that architecture holds the key to solving many of the frustrations of our cities. Her research informs the development of strategies to improve housing choice and affordability and to reduce housing carbon emissions, set against the ACT 2045 net-zero targets.”
The pre-eminent award for architecture, the Canberra Medallion, is the highest honour at the Awards, and was this year presented to ANU’s Birch Building Refurbishment by Hassell.
The thoughtful reinterpretation of the 1968 heritage listed building was also awarded the J S Murdoch Award for Heritage, Enrico Taglietti Award for Educational Architecture, and the W Hayward Morris Award for Interior Architecture.
Noted for its resourceful standard roof inversion, light enhancing design, and connection between the dwelling and the south facing rear garden, Rob Henry Architect’s Blue Sky House was awarded the Robert Foster Award for Light in Architecture.
Canberra Daily recently featured Blue Sky House while it was just nominated for the award, and saw that a whole lot of time, love, and thoughtful planning went into the revitalisation.
The owners of the home said, “Rob nailed the brief. He has delivered, in a small space, something that is beautiful and incredibly functional for our family”.
“We love the light living room, we love the connection to the garden, and the kitchen is perfect. It’s not a big house, but all the spaces work. From the street, it is still the same cottage that drew us here, but inside, Rob has transformed it into something unexpected and special.”
The Derek Wrigley Award for Sustainable Architecture was awarded to The House with old Roots by The Mill: Architecture & Design, who were able to conceptualise functionality in a family home while achieving high levels of passive solar design.
The iconic Constitution Place building won the Sir John Overall Award for Urban Design, while its architectural firm, Bates Smart, took home two additional merits – the John Andrews Award for Commercial Architecture, and an Award for Interior Architecture.
These exceptional ACT architectural projects and firms now progress through to compete in the upcoming National Architecture Awards.
2022 ACT Architecture Award Winners
Canberra Medallion
▪ ANU Birch Building Refurbishment | Hassell | Canberra Medallion
Art in Architecture
▪ Secret Garden House | CCJ Architects | The Pamille Berg Award for Art in Architecture
Commercial Architecture
▪ Constitution Place | Bates Smart | The John Andrews Award for Commercial Architecture
Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture
▪ Finn Street House | Ben Walker Architects | Award
Educational Architecture
▪ ANU Birch Building Refurbishment | Hassell | The Enrico Taglietti Award for Educational Architecture
▪ Radford College – Morison Centre | Stewart Architecture | Award
Enduring Architecture
▪ Manning Clark House | Robin Boyd | The Sir Roy Grounds Award for Enduring Architecture
Heritage Architecture
▪ ANU Birch Building Refurbishment | Hassell | The J S Murdoch Award for Heritage
Interior Architecture
▪ 15 Moore Street – Refurbishment | Thorne Architecture | Commendation
Architecture
▪ Constitution Place | Bates Smart | Award
▪ Flow Yoga | Craig Tan Architects | Award
▪ BLOC Office | Mathieson Architects | Commendation
Light in Architecture
▪ Blue Sky House | Rob Henry Architects | The Robert Foster Award for Light in Architecture
Public Architecture
▪ National Jewish Memorial Centre | Philip Leeson Architects | Commendation
Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
▪ Secret Garden House | CCJ Architects | The Gene Willsford Award for Residential Architecture
▪ Ziwa House | de Rome Architects | Award
▪ Smitton House | COX Architecture | Commendation
Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
▪ Jingston House | Rob Henry Architects | The Malcolm Moir and Heather Sutherland Award for Residential Architecture
▪ McPhee Place House | Hugh Gordon Architects | Commendation
▪ SALO | Thursday Architecture | Commendation
Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
• Alexander & Albemarle | COX Architecture | The Sydney Ancher Award for Residential Architecture
• MICA | Stewart Architecture | Award
• Estate | Collins Pennington Architects | Award
• The Bradfield, Downer | AMC Architecture | Commendation
Sustainable Architecture
• The House with Old Roots | The Mill: Architecture + Design | The Derek Wrigley Award for Sustainable Architecture
Urban Design
▪ Constitution Place | Bates Smart | The Sir John Overall Award for Urban Design
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