A finalist is Glenorchy Art and Sculpture park — GASP by Room11 Architects. Photographer: Jasmin Latona

The Dulux Colour Awardshas announced 111 projects as finalists from a record number of entries in the 26 years of the awards.

Dulux Colour Planning and Communication Manager, Andrea Lucena-Orr, who was part of an internal judging panel to select the finalists, said the projects were of a very high calibre and spectacularly showcased how vital colour is to the whole design process.

“This year, the bar has been raised to an all time high. Entries explored new avenues and expressions of colour in innovative, inspiring and original ways,” Lucena-Orr said.

“In the Student category, the balance of colour and the sheer amount of colour used is extremely creative. Multi Residential Exterior projects showed the use of streamlined colour in a functional sense and Multi Residential Interior entries cleverly used colour for way finding and safety pathways.

“There was a strong reference to the beautiful, natural use of earthy greens and golds to complement the surrounding environments within the Single Residential Exterior submissions. The Single Residential Interiors highlighted that colour blocking is prevalent in interior schemes this year.

“In the Commercial Interior entries, we saw a new trend of stripes being used extensively in bold, almost fluro colours. Coloured ceilings in deep bold hues were prevalent in Single Residential entries, with Commercial Exterior submissions also featuring strong saturated colours, used in both colour blocking and striping,” she added.

The award-winning architect, Peter Maddison, talented colour guru at Colourways, Kim Chadwick, creative stylist and founder of www.thedesignfiles.net, Lucy Feagins, along with New Zealand-based architect, Jeff Fearon, will now have the tough job of selecting winners.

Another finalist, RMIT University Building 22 by ARM Architecture. Photography: Andrew Ashton & John Gollings

With entries received from Australia and New Zealand, the impressive judging panel will select winners across eight categories - Commercial Interior, Commercial Exterior, Single Residential Interior, Multi Residential Interior, Single Residential Exterior, Multi Residential Exterior, Sustainable Interior, Student and an overall Grand Prix winner.

All Dulux Colour Awards entrants in the Residential Interior category and Commercial Interior category will be automatically entered into the relevant colour category of the Australian Interior Design Awards free of charge as part of Dulux's sponsorship of the awards.

Category winners will each receive a $1,500 cash prize and a trophy, except the student category winner who will receive $1,000 and a trophy, plus the opportunity to produce their own limited edition colour palette as part of the Designers for Dulux program. The overall Grand Prix winner will win $2,000 plus a trip to an international design fair including business class airfare and accommodation.

The 2012 Dulux Colour Awards winners will be announced at an invitation only gala function to be held at the Plaza Ballroom, Regent Theatre, Melbourne, on 28 March 2012.

To view the finalists, visit www.dulux.com.au/colourawards.

Architecture & Design Team

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