Bradbury Park Playscape, a public architecture project designed by Alcorn Middleton for the Brisbane City Council, has won four accolades at the 2024 Greater Brisbane Regional Architecture Awards.

The annual awards program honours and celebrates outstanding projects by Brisbane architects, spanning multiple sectors including education, commercial, heritage and residential design.

Bradbury Park Playscape was awarded the John Dalton Award for Building of the Year, the Greater Brisbane People’s Choice Award, and two Commendations (for Public Architecture and Urban Design).

Bradbury Park Playscape

Bradbury Park Playscape | Photographer credit: Christopher Frederick Jones

Located in Kedron on Brisbane’s northside, the playscape has been designed as an inclusive space that enhances community wellbeing but turns a particular spotlight on innovative play for teens – an aspect often overlooked in the design of public spaces. A mix of high-level activity zones, quiet hideaway spaces and social areas provides children with opportunities to challenge themselves.

Building of the Year jury members praised the architects’ “pioneering approach to playground planning” and their ability to “reimagine the traditional park and playground typology”. The Brisbane City Council described the design as “… a new benchmark for both government and private industry in the provision of innovative play for older children”.

Kangaroo Point House by NIELSEN JENKINS won the Greater Brisbane House of the Year award as well as high praise from the jury. “The house sinks into the landscape, with the new lower spaces slightly below street level, creating a constant connection to an enveloping garden that provides separation and privacy,” the jury noted.

Kangaroo Point House

Kangaroo Point House | Photographer credit: Shantanu Starick

The architects successfully delivered on the clients’ brief to feel more engaged with the streetscape/ community. “The reaction of first-time visitors is my favourite. The house is relatively unremarkable from the street, and doesn’t give any clue to the unexpected fabulousness behind the front door,” the homeowner said.

The Greenhouse, designed by Blight Rayner Architecture, and Rivière, designed by Bates Smart, each took home the 2024 Lord Mayor’s Brisbane Buildings that Breathe Architecture Commendation, which recognises outstanding achievement in architecture for buildings that demonstrate strong alignment with the Brisbane City Council's New World City Design.

The Greenhouse

The Greenhouse | Photographer credit: Christopher Frederick Jones

Located in the West Village precinct, The Greenhouse is an 8-level office building originally intended as apartments. “Architects and structural engineers creatively addressed the redesign challenges, adapting existing foundations to the new program and adding a well-designed façade out of simple components articulated in response to the orientation, views, and privacy of the adjacent neighbouring residential apartments,” the jury said.

Rivière, a new multi-residential complex in Kangaroo Point, was praised by the jury for clever features such as true cross-ventilated circulatory spaces “… rare at this scale of development in Queensland”.

Rivière

Rivière | Photographer credit: Cieran Murphy

All Commended projects have now been shortlisted for the Australian Institute of Architects’ Queensland Architecture Awards. The state awards will be judged and awarded in June 2024.

Winning Projects: Category | Project | Architect

The John Dalton Award for Building of the Year | Bradbury Park Playscape | Alcorn Middleton

2024 Lord Mayor’s Brisbane Buildings that Breathe Architecture Commendation

The Greenhouse | Blight Rayner Architecture
Rivière | Bates Smart

Greater Brisbane House of the Year Award | Kangaroo Point House | NIELSEN JENKINS

Greater Brisbane People’s Choice Award | Bradbury Park Playscape | Alcorn Middleton

Commendation – Educational Architecture

UQ Brisbane City | BVN
All Hallows’ School, The Potter Building Adaptive Re-Use Project | Fulton Trotter Architects
New Farm State School | BVN
STEAM Precinct Brisbane Grammar School | Wilson Architects
CHAC Primary Administration | Reddog Architects in association with Blueline Architecture

Commendation – Commercial Architecture

The Belvedere | KP Architects
The Greenhouse | Blight Rayner Architecture
11 Logan Road | KIRK

Commendation — Heritage Architecture

Catherine's House | Architectus Conrad Gargett
UQ Brisbane City | BVN

Commendation — Public Architecture

Bradbury Park Playscape | Alcorn Middleton
Redlands Satellite Hospital | Fulton Trotter Architects with Architectus Conrad Gargett
Catherine's House | Architectus Conrad Gargett

Commendation — Urban Design Architecture

Bradbury Park Playscape | Alcorn Middleton

Commendation — Small Architecture

Kaggarabah - Bushland Communal Hub | Deicke Richards

Commendation — Interior Architecture

11 Logan Road | KIRK
UQ Brisbane City | BVN
Aidan’s Place | Blight Rayner Architecture
Hassell Studio Brisbane | Hassell
Law Society House | BVN
Australian Retirement Trust Workplace | Cox Architecture
STEAM Precinct Brisbane Grammar School | Wilson Architects

Commendation — Residential Architecture Houses (Alterations and Additions)

High Street | Lineburg Wang
Sidney House | OH Architecture
Little Green Cabin | Cloud Dwellers
Verandah Terraces | Phorm architecture + design
39S House | Andrew Noonan Architect
Surrey Hills Garden Terrace | Kieron Gait Architects
View Street Renovations and Extensions | Jim Gall Architects Pty Ltd and Five Mile Radius
River Loop House | Vokes and Peters
Auchenflower Cottage + Tower | Bligh Graham Architects
Kangaroo Point House | NIELSEN JENKINS

Commendation — Residential Architecture (Multiple Housing)

Kaggarabah - Affordable Housing | Deicke Richards
VIDA | Hollindale Mainwaring Architecture
Rivière | Bates Smart
Canvas | bureau^proberts
Upper House | Koichi Takada Architects
Sunnyside | Push Architecture

Commendation — Residential Architecture (Houses - New)

Wellington | Base Architecture
Warwick Brick House | Marc & Co
Hopewell Street Residence | W.I.M Architects
East Room House | Loucas Zahos Architects

Top image: Bradbury Park Playscape | Photographer credit: Christopher Frederick Jones

Branko Miletic

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