National architecture award winners overcome building sector challenges

The 2024 National Architecture awards honoured world-class examples of sustainable design, heritage preservation, adaptive reuse, boundary-pushing use of materials and community-focused design.

By Craig Francis

| 8-11-2024 | Architecture And Design | 3 min read

Architects have created unexpectedly beautiful and sophisticated public buildings that transcend their practical purposes. (Image source: provided by National Architecture Awards)

Australia’s best new residential, community and commercial buildings were revealed Thursday night (7 November) at the Australian Institute of Architects 2024 National Architecture Awards held in Adelaide.

The 35 winning projects from each state and territory (and one international building) represent a new vanguard of Antipodean design.

Among the awarded projects were world-class examples of sustainable design, heritage preservation, pedagogical design, adaptive reuse, boundary-pushing use of materials and community-focused design.

National Architecture Awards Jury Chair, Stuart Tanner, explained the award-winning projects have common themes that unite them and have had to deal with a challenging industry environment.

“With building material costs skyrocketing, many architects have elevated low-cost materials to produce innovative and inspirational design outcomes in a time of economic hardship.

“In an increasingly divided Australia, this year’s winners show us architecture can be a vessel for social cohesion, with multiple examples of public buildings where thoughtful and welcoming design unites people, bringing disparate communities together,” he said.

“Many homes and public buildings in the awards either utilised cutting-edge or everyday materials in extremely innovative ways.

“While some buildings were constructed using unexpected, and highly sustainable materials such as Hempcrete; more commonplace products including terracotta and masonry were inventively and confidently applied by the architects throughout the winning projects resulting in unique, earthy and tactile spaces where one is enshrouded in the material.”

This year the jury comprised: Stuart Tanner LFRAIA (Jury Chair) | Immediate Past National President of the Australian Institute of Architects, Director of Tanner Architects; Yun Nie Chong RAIA | Founder and Architect, Nie And Co Architects; Paul Owen FRAIA | Founder and Architect, Owen Architecture; Jemima Retallack RAIA | Director, Retallack Thompson; Naomi Stead Hon. FRAIA | Professor, RMIT University.

The National Architecture Awards Winners

Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture

Spinifex Hill Project Space | Officer Woods | WA

Commercial Architecture

The Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture - T3 Collingwood | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects | VIC

National Award for Commercial Architecture - The Warehouses | J.AR OFFICE | QLD

National Award for Commercial Architecture - The Porter House Hotel | Candalepas Associates | NSW

National Award for Commercial Architecture - Sanders Place | NMBW, Openwork & Finding Infinity | VIC

Educational Architecture

The Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture - River’s Edge Building, University of Tasmania | Wardle | TAS

National Award for Educational Architecture - Clifton Hill Primary School | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects | VIC

National Award for Educational Architecture - The Cottage School | Taylor and Hinds Architects | TAS

Enduring Architecture

National Award for Enduring Architecture - C House | Donovan Hill | QLD

Heritage

The Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage - The Glass House | Cracknell & Lonergan Architects | NSW

National Award for Heritage - The Porter House Hotel | Candalepas Associates | NSW

Interior Architecture

The Emil Sodersten Award for Interior Architecture - Burnt Earth Beach House | Wardle | VIC

National Award for Interior Architecture - Geelong Arts Centre (Stage 3) | ARM Architecture | VIC

National Award for Interior Architecture - Cox Architecture Adelaide Studio | Cox Architecture | SA

International Architecture

The Jørn Utzon Award for International Architecture - The Embassy of Australia, Washington D.C. | Bates Smart | INT Public Architecture

Public Architecture

The Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture - Powerhouse Castle Hill | lahznimmo architects | NSW

National Award for Public Architecture - Spinifex Hill Project Space | Officer Woods | WA

National Award for Public Architecture - Parramatta Aquatic Centre | Grimshaw and Andrew Burges Architects with McGregor Coxall | NSW

National Award for Public Architecture - Berninneit Cultural and Community Centre | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects | VIC

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations & Additions)

The Eleanor Cullis-Hill Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) - High Street | Lineburg Wang | QLD

National Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (Alterations and Additions) - Aru House | Curious Practice | NSW

National Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (Alterations and Additions) -Mansard House | Studio Bright | VIC

Residential Architecture - Houses (New) - The Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (New) - Naples Street House | Edition Office | VIC

National Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (New) - Burnt Earth Beach House | Wardle | VIC

National Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (New) - Six Ways House | Kennedy Nolan | VIC

Residential Architecture - Houses (New)

The Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (New) - Naples Street House | Edition Office | VIC

National Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (New) - Burnt Earth Beach House | Wardle | VIC

National Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (New) - Six Ways House | Kennedy Nolan | VIC

Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing

The Frederick Romberg Award for Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing Ferrars & York | Six Degrees Architects | VIC

National Award for Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing Nungalinya | Incidental Architecture | NT

National Award for Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing Maggie Street | Curious Practice | NSW

Awabakal Country Small Project Architecture - The Nicholas Murcutt Award for Small Project Architecture - North Head Viewing Platforms | CHROFI and Bangawarra with National Parks and Wildlife Service | NSW

National Award for Small Project Architecture - Dwaarlindjirraap Suspension Bridge | iredale pedersen hook architects and ARUP | WA

National Award for Small Project Architecture - LESS | Pezo Von Ellrichshausen, Oculus, and Molonglo | ACT