A library and cultural hub for architecture, an adaptive reuse project and an R&D facility for bees were some of the top winners at the 2016 Australian Institute of Architects’ NSW Graduate and Student Architecture Awards announced recently at a special event in Sydney.

Attended by more than 160 people, the event saw some of the best projects and emerging architectural talent from NSW’s four major schools of architecture being honoured, with awards given out across four categories – Digital Innovation in Architecture, Structural Innovation in Architecture, the First Degree Design Award, and NSW Design Medal.

The four participating universities included University of New South Wales (UNSW), University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, and University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

The NSW Design Medal, the most prestigious honour of the night, went to Hope Dryden and Robin Lloyd for their project Ligo, a library and cultural hub for architecture transformed from the Australian Institute of Architects’ NSW Chapter offices. The project takes inspiration from the intersection between the traditional contents of libraries - liber (books), and the physical matter from which books are made - lignum (pulped wood).

‘Legible Surface’, which explored alternative approaches to adaptive reuse of existing buildings won the runners-up medal for Thomas Trudea and James Vlismas who presented a design proposal for White Bay Power Station.

A special High Commendation went to Cameron White for his project Tocal Apiary, which proposed an architectural addition to the Tocal Agricultural College campus for a new type of research and education facility focused on bees and honey production.

These Masters students will now compete for a travel bursary with Bangladeshi architects in Australia to travel with award-winning architect Rafiq Azam to see the works of legendary architects such as Louis Kahn, Paul Rudolf and Mazharul Islam in Bangladesh.

The Awards are supported by Mirvac Design (Principal Sponsor), alongside fellow sponsors Bates Smart, Crone, FJMT, Jacobs, Lendlease Design and Turner.

The awards jury comprised of Alex Kibble (Jury Chair, TKD Architects), Michael Zanardo (Studio Zanardo), Penny Fuller (Silvester Fuller), Dr Ceridwen Owen (University of Tasmania), and Assoc. Professor Chris Knapp (Bond University).

An exhibition of student and graduate work is on display at the NSW Chapter offices, Tusculum, 3 Manning Street, Potts Point in Sydney until Friday 10 June.

WINNERS OF NSW GRADUATE AND STUDENT ARCHITECTURE AWARDS 2016

NSW DESIGN MEDAL

Ligo by Hope Dryden and Robin Lloyd, University of Sydney

RUNNERS-UP

  • Legible Surface by Thomas Trudea and James Vlismas, University of Technology Sydney

HIGH COMMENDATION

  • Tocal Apiary by Cameron White, University of Newcastle

FIRST DEGREE DESIGN AWARD

Span by Jeffrey Tighe and Zoe Horn, University of Technology Sydney

RUNNER-UP

  • Systematic Indeterminacy by Sarah Mae-Siew Yap, Sydney University

STRUCTURAL INNOVATION IN ARCHITECTURE AWARD

Dopplegänger by a group submission of 21 students from University of Technology Sydney: Jeffrey Tighe, Marson Bowen, Lorraine Chan, Lewis Chen, Shahar Cohen, Liam Corr, David De Boos, Huijie Gu, Zhaoying He, Adam Hoh, Erik Jorgensen, Andrea Lam, Pareena Leretsurawat, Minchao Liu, Rachael O’Toole, Zhi Guo Teoh, Anderson Trieu, Gabrielle Veringa, Lauren Watson, Calum York and Wanqing Zhao.

RUNNERS-UP

  • Folder Hypars by Zaever Mand and William Marshall, Sydney University

DIGITAL INNOVATION IN ARCHITECTURE AWARD

Aqua Culture by Dane Voorderhake, Rose Peppitt, Matthew Sikora, Emerson Reece and Stella Groenewoud, University of Technology Sydney

RUNNERS-UP

  • Inexcess by Victor Martinez-Contreras, Amelia Davies and Yna Yin, University of Technology Sydney

COMMENDATION

  • Breeding Apartments by Adrian Taylor, Connor Blampied and Stewart Cowan, University of Technology Sydney
  • Sky Circulation Generator by Anycie Coorey, Boris Nikolov and Rochelle Green, University of Technology Sydney

MASTERS GRADUATE OF THE YEAR PRIZE

Chloe Yuen, University of Technology Sydney
Luen Samonte, University of New South Wales
James Moulder, Sydney University
Julie Hanna, Newcastle University

FIRST DEGREE GRADUATE OF THE YEAR PRIZE

(Awarded to the most outstanding student graduating from the first degree Bachelor program of each NSW School of Architecture)

Lindsay Mulligan, University of Technology Sydney
Tany Tan, University of New South Wales
Sarah Mae-Siew Yap, Sydney University
Kaitlyn Dunst, Newcastle University

CONSTRUCTION AND PRACTICE PRIZE

(Awarded to the student who receives the highest aggregate marks in the discipline areas of Construction and Practice of each NSW School of Architecture)

April Cheung-Baker, University of Technology Sydney
Caleb Burke, University of New South Wales
Tany Tan, University of New South Wales
Isobel James, Sydney University
Anne Robson, University of Newcastle

HISTORY AND THEORY PRIZE

(Awarded to the student who receives the highest aggregate marks in the disciplines of History and Theory of each NSW School of Architecture)

Adam Natoli , University of Technology Sydney
Sebastian Tsang, University of New South Wales
Robin Lloyd, Sydney University
Nicola Traise, University of Newcastle

Image: The NSW Design Medal was awarded to Hope Dryden and Robin Lloyd for their project Ligo