A multi-residential building designed for the Elders of a displaced Western Australian Indigenous community has emerged as the biggest winner at the 2015 Sustainability Awards, taking home the program’s highest honour, the Best of the Best prize.

The Walumba Elders Centre by iredale pedersen hook architects (IPHA) was announced the winner of ninth annual Sustainability Awards at a gala dinner held in Sydney on 8 October, edging ahead of a formidable field of sustainable projects and products from Australia’s leading design and building industry professionals.

The Walumba Elders Centre, which also received the Multi-Density Residential Category Award, was commended by the judges for its multifaceted approach to sustainable design, one that moved beyond the common considerations of energy performance and third-party certifications to a platform of environmental sensitivity that surpassed the other competitors.

“Though there were many candidates for the overall award, the Walumba Elders Centre stole the show as it demonstrates the skills and understanding required to design truly sustainable buildings,” says the Jury.

“Where some buildings achieved great energy performance or high results through certification programs, this project illustrated sensitivity to people and culture, a respect for environment and building response and delivered it with ingenuity rather than a large budget.”

“Furthermore, the fact that this project was delivered on a very tight budget to a remote location is testament to the designers understanding of the triple bottom line of sustainability for which they must be commended.”

A total of twelve prizes were handed out on the night including 10 Category Awards, one Highly Commended award and the Best of the Best prize.

Click on the images or title of the category winners below for more information and jury citations. Alternatively, scroll to the bottom to read more about the Walumba Elders Centre.

Photography by Peter Bennetts

LARGE COMMERCIAL - WINNER

Western Business Accelerator and Centre for Excellence by Six Degrees

Photography by Alice Hutchison

MULTI-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL - WINNER

Walumba Elders Centre by iredale pedersen hook architects

Photography by Peter Bennetts

OFFICE FITOUT - WINNER

Oxigen Halifax Studio by Oxigen

Photography by Dan Schultz

PUBLIC BUILDING & URBAN DESIGN - WINNER

UTS Thomas Street Building by Steensen Varming

Photography by Darren Bradley

SINGLE DWELLING (ALTERATIONS & ADDITIONS) - WINNER

Rant Home Studio by Borgelt & Craig Architects

Photography by Paul Dielemans

SINGLE DWELLING (NEW) - WINNER

Carbon Positive House by ArchiBlox

Photography by Tom Ross

SMALL COMMERCIAL- WINNER

Earth Kids Childcare by Truebolt

Photography by Todd Salter

BEST OF THE BEST

Walumba Elders Centre by iredale pedersen hook architects

Photography by Peter Bennetts

The project was first conceived as a new residence for the Elders of WA’s Giga people whose home town of Warmun was devastated by a catastrophic one in 300 year flood event in 2011.

From there, IPHA’s deep respect for Giga people blossomed, and together with their understanding of the Australian landscape, a project that is practical, sustainable and responsive to the cultural requirements of its users ensued.

The Walumba Elders Centre incorporates a myriad of passive and active sustainable design considerations, from high levels of insulation and solar hot water systems to breeze paths and passive shading elements, but more importantly for the judges, it also engrains the cultural and social needs of the Giga people within the building’s very fabric.

“Here is a building which does all of the important things really well and is the epitome of sustainability,” comments the jury.

“Not only does it sit comfortably in its environment with a very appropriate climatic design response, it is clearly responsive to the often complex cultural requirements of its users.”

The project was handpicked by the judges from the 10 category prize-winners, all of which were praised by the judges for their laudable efforts in pursuing a more sustainable Australian built environment.

Nathan Johnson

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