Thirty-eight local projects have been honoured by the Australian Institute of Architects at the 2015 Brisbane Regional Architecture Awards.

The jury handed out 45 Regional commendations and two special awards at the event held on May 8 at the Queensland University of Technology, including the John Dalton Award for Building of the Year and the House of the Year.

The Building of the Year was awarded to Conrad Gargett Lyons’ $1.5 billion Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital project, which officially opened in December 2014.

Praising the project, the jury says that the architects’ had helped established a new benchmark in paediatric healthcare for the state.

“Centred around the metaphor of a living tree with trunks/atria and branches/spaces, the internal spaces of this state of the art children’s hospital achieves sensory stimulation for its patients through the use of colour, light, materials and integrated art features which distract the users from the intended functional purpose for their visit,” the jury says.  

“Exemplary in its unwavering philosophy of integrating art into every aspect of its fabric, function and ethos, this building is a gallery, a canvas, and a theatre, whose focus is to bring delight and diversion to the lives of sick children and the people who care for them.”


Photography by Christopher Frederick Jones.

The 2015 House of the Year goes to Jule House by Claire Humphreys + Kevin O’Brien Architects and was chosen by the jury for its mysterious and cosy response to the existing landscape.


Photography by Misho Baranovic.

“A cave-like entry stair that gives a surprising arrival up into this courtyard house, while an even more mysterious upper attic storey is hidden in plain sight,” say the Jury.

“The client lives at the mid-level in cosy angular spaces that unfold into the forest floor garden and embrace the central courtyard tree.”

Winners of Regional Commendations will now progress to the Queensland State Architecture Awards to be announced on 26 June.

Full list of Regional Commendations:

Public Architecture

Urban Design

Educational Architecture

Commercial Architecture

Interior Architecture

Residential Architecture - Houses (New)

Residential Architecture - Houses (Alterations and Additions)

Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing

Small Project Architecture

Heritage

The AIA Prize for Art & Architecture (QLD)