The winners of this year’s ArchiTeam Awards have been announced, with 11 architecture firms in total taking out awards or commendations.
Representing a mixture of commercial, residential, unbuilt and community projects, the ArchiTeam Awards support the organisation's commitment to supporting and showcasing small and medium sized firms.
“Eighty five per cent of architects in Victoria work in small practices or are sole practitioners,” says Gray Smith, director and chairman of ArchiTeam.
“One of the many challenges facing architects in small practices is getting their names out into the public realm. The Architeam Awards aim to give them exposure and promote their contribution to the design community.”
Taking home the Commercial Architecture Award, as well as the ArchiTeam Medal, was The Studio by Brad Wray and Nick Russo (Branch Studio).
The Studio by Brad Wray and Nick Russo
Located in the middle of an apple orchard, the open and light-filled studio was created out of recycled corrugated iron and untreated plywood. It was designed to reflect the architects’ practice principles, while allowing them to immerse themselves in the stimulating country surrounds.
At the same time, Profile House by Anthony Clarke (BLOXAS) won the Residential (Alterations) Award.
Profile House by Anthony Clark. Image: Peter Bennetts
Using roughly-sawn Victorian Ash timber cladding to accentuate the building’s shape on the western elevation, the house injects character to the streetscape.
“The creation of extra floor area, the introduction of a more generous ceiling height and the integration of an external courtyard into the day-to-day functions of the house itself have created a house that feels more generous in size,” noted Butler.
The ArchiTeam Sustainability Medal sponsored by Bank MECU was awarded to Webb House by Barnaby Chiverton (Chiverton Architects), which was also highly commended under the Residential Award (alterations) category.
Webb House by Barnaby Chiverton (Chiverton Architects)
Praised for its use of recycled materials to impart a sense of warmth and casualness, the project features cost-effective materials and equipment, as well as passive sustainable design.
The judges for this year was editor of Houses magazine Katelin Butler, Bruce Eeles from Eeles Trelease Architects, and Dr Peter Raisbeck of the University of Melbourne.
All 2013 ArchiTeam Award submissions will be on display to the public from 20 November to 2 December at the No Vacancy Gallery at Melbourne’s QV building.
Full list of winners:
Residential award (new)
Rest House by Tim Spicer (Time Spicer Architects)
Commendation
The Knuckle House by John Doyle & Laura Martires (Index Architects)
Residential award (alterations)
Profile House by Anthony Clarke (BLOXAS)
Commendation
The Purple Rose of Cairo by Michael Roper (Architecture Architecture)
Webb House by Barnaby Chiverton (Chiverton Architects)
Unbuilt architecture award
Freefold Stool by Tobias Horrocks (fold theory)
Canopy House by Brad Wray and Nick Russo (Branch Studio)
Community architecture award
Annexe-Art Gallery of Ballarat by Nick Searle and Suzannah Waldron (Searle X Waldron Architecture)
Eco-Cubby by Ben Statkus (Statkus Architecture)
Commercial architecture award
The Studio by Brad Wray and Nick Russo (Branch Studio)
Commendation
G Lux Gallery by Robert Davidov (Davidov Partners Architects)
