A primary school project in Rockhampton delivered under the Federal Government’s BER program has claimed top honours in the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2011 Central Queensland Regional Architecture Awards.

The Parkhurst State School by architectural practice Arkhefield was awarded the J. W. Wilson Building of the Year Award.

Parkhurst State School by Arkhefield

Announcing this year’s winners, Queensland State Awards jury director Malcolm Middleton said: “This surprising project delivers a dramatic new front door to an existing low key primary school by redefining the image and ethos of the school through a bold but simple use of form and colour.

“The covered veranda reinterprets the climatically successful forms of the tropical north and carries this concept through to the enhanced internal spaces of the auditorium and resource centre. Material selections are confident and simple and are enhanced by opposing skillion roof forms that come together to reinforce the entry points of the project.

“The project successfully demonstrates the role of a confident design, engaged contractor and enthusiastic client to extract the most from the problematic BERS delivery system.”

The architectural projects that vied for top honours ranged from multi-million dollar public buildings to modestly budgeted residential houses — located from Mackay to Bundaberg and from Heron Island to Hamilton Island.

Five projects were awarded regional commendations. Of the Regional Commendation winners, the jury said:

House of the Year - Solis: Renato D’Ettorre Architects

Solis by Renato D'Ettore Architects. Photography: Mads Mogensen

“This project is a continuation of the new levels of design engagement occurring on Hamilton Island. The house is a rare combination of a challenging tropical environment, panoramic steep site with uninterrupted views, an appropriate budget and a desire to create an oasis for resort style living and emotional recharge for an international business owner. The confident and thoughtful result is a modernist highly crafted living environment with inbuilt climatic flexibility and a slowly unfolding richness of space, place, material and detail. It has begun to weather and integrate fully into the landscape and will develop a unique patina over time.”

Heron Island Research Centre — dm2architecture

“This remote location project is a rebuild and expansion of facilities completed only four years earlier and destroyed by fire. The revisiting of the site and facilities enabled a post occupancy evaluation to be put into practice resulting in enhanced amenity and a markedly different approach to the architectural form. The revised cluster of buildings uses the original footings to create a lightweight podium that links the cluster of labs. The project explores a new expression of lightweight materiality through the extensive use of incombustible polycarbonate to walls and covered walkways. This selection significantly reduces the energy load whilst lifting the internal light levels to the working areas. The final grouping of residential buildings utilises strong simple forms to create visual interest and variety.”

Rockhampton School of Arts: Riddel Architecture

“This important building has been rescued from potential destruction due to failing foundations and the resultant lack of occupation. The project team successfully stabilised and repositioned the masonry structure and adapted the simple and well proportioned internal spaces for new administrative functions ensuring the building remains relevant in its central city position. The upper level balcony engages comfortably with the street and has scope for further enhancement with appropriate lighting.”

Yaamba Road Pedestrian Overpass: Thomson Adsett + Studio 39

“This infrastructure project demonstrates the value of early project involvement of architects allowing the form and urban integration of a traditionally engineering led structure to evolve into a piece of resolved built form. The simple arch engages confidently with the harsh setting it spans whilst enhancing the visual experience for both pedestrians within it and highway users under it. The architectural expression is most successful on the entry stairs and the overall result an enhanced urban experience.”

Architecture & Design Team

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