Community-centred projects have won the top honours at the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2013 NSW Architecture Awards, with the Waterloo Youth Family Community Centre taking home the Institute’s most prestigious award, the Sulman Medal for Public Architecture.

Designed by Collins and Turner (with City of Sydney), the youth centre is home to WEAVE (Working to Educate, Advocate, Voice and Empower), a local association that aims to support young people in Waterloo.

WEAVE's staff initially operated out of the boot of a car, then from a public toilet block on the site before the City of Sydney commissioned this facility. The slab and walls of the original amenities block remain in Collin and Turner's design of the new centre.

Praised for its exemplary convergence of public leadership, community initiative and design talent, the project also received an Architecture Award for Sustainable Architecture.

Waterloo Youth Family Community Centre. Photography by Richard Glover.

During the ceremony, which was held at the historic Jones Bay Wharf, Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp’s (fjmt) Darling Quarter swept the floor by winning several major awards: the Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design, the Sir Arthur G. Stephenson Award for Commercial Architecture, the Milo Dunphy Award for Sustainable Architecture and the inaugural City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize.

While Darling Quarter is mainly home to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the Urban Design jury also noted that this urban project has significantly revitalised Darling Harbour in Sydney. They say that Darling Quarter has set a new benchmark in intelligent place making by transforming the public domain through delivering a series of defined public spaces.

This includes a pedestrian linkage from the city, a generous public promenade and parkland, and a dynamic playground.

Darling Quarter. Photography by Florian Groehn.

City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, in awarding her inaugural prize, adds that the project “revives the quarter with urbanity, flair and credibility, and provides an exemplary integration of work and recreation spaces”.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales Forecourt Upgrade by Johnson Pilton Walker was chosen by the Small Project Architecture jury to receive the Robert Woodward Award.

Combining discrete landscape adjustments with a sculptural ramp, the upgrade has effectively resolved the problem of providing equitable access to the Gallery.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales Forecourt Upgrade. Photography by Brett Boardman.

The NSW Premier’s Prize went to Martian Embassy by LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture) – the home of not-for-profit creative writing centre, the Sydney Story Factory.

It was commended for demonstrating the possibility of creating more with less while providing a space that inspires and engages the next generation of creative writers and thinkers.

Martian Embassy. Photography by Peter Murphy.

Out of the 170 entries received from across New South Wales, a total of 27 awards, 8 prizes and 14 commendations were presented during the Awards Ceremony. All named award and architecture award winners will now progress to the AIA’s National Architecture Awards to be announced on Thursday 7 November 2013 at the Sydney Opera House.

Full list of winners:

Public Architecture

Sulman Medal

Waterloo Youth Family Community Centre by Collins and Turner with City of Sydney

Commendation

Museum of Contemporary Art Redevelopment by Architect Marshall in association with the Government Architect’s Office

Urban Design

Lloyd Rees Award

Darling Darling Quarter – Francis‐Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt) with Aspect Studios and Lend Lease

Architecture Award

Pitt Street Mall Public Domain Upgrade – Tony Caro Architecture

Commercial Architecture

Sir Arthur G. Stephenson Award

Darling Quarter – Francis‐Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt)

Interior Architecture

John Verge Award

The Kinghorn Cancer Centre – BVN Donovan Hill

Architecture Award

Lilyfield Warehouse– Virginia Kerridge Architect

Commendations

85 Castlereagh St Sky Lobby & Entry – John Wardle Architects and Westfield Design and Construction

Woods Bagot Sydney Studio – Woods Bagot

Sustainable Architecture

Milo Dunphy Award

Darling Quarter –Francis‐Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt) with Aspect Studios, Lend Lease, E.G.O. Group and Davenport Campbell

Architecture Awards

Waterloo Youth Family Community Centre –Collins and Turner with City of Sydney

Cowshed House – Carterwilliamson Architects

Residential Architecture – Houses

Wilkinson Award

Tír na nÓg – Drew Heath Architects (Alterations & Additions)

ALTERATIONS & ADDITIONS

Architecture Awards

Cowshed House– Carterwilliamson Architects

Balmain House – Fox Johnston

Commendations

Bellevue Hill Residence – Tzannes Associates

Lavender Bay Boatshed – Stephen Collier Architects

NEW

Architecture Awards

St Albans House – Rory Brooks Architects

Flipped House – Marsh Cashman Koolloos Architects

Stewart House – Chenchow Little Architects

Gordons Bay Residence – Madeleine Blanchfield Architects

Commendation

Angophora House – Richard Cole Architecture

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

Aaron Bolot Award

29–35 Prince Street Cronulla – Candalepas Associates

Architecture Awards

Iglu Central – Bates Smart

Silk Apartments – Tony Caro Architecture

Telopea Social Housing – Turner

Commendations

Little Bay – Francis‐Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt)

The Majestic – Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects

Small Project Architecture

Robert Woodward Award

Art Gallery of NSW Forecourt Upgrade – Johnson Pilton Walker

Architecture Award

Yurong Public Amenities – Government Architect’s Office

Commendations

Cook Park Amenities – Fox Johnston

Martian Embassy – LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture)

Crescent House – Andrew Burns Architect

Heritage

Greenway Award

Gowings and State Theatre Buildings Restoration and Hotel Conversion – Woodhead and Graham Brooks and Associates, Sydney

(Creative Adaptation)

CREATIVE ADAPTATION

Commendations

The Majestic – Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects

Lavender Bay Boatshed – Stephen Collier Architects

CONSERVATION

Architecture Awards

Hyde Park Barracks – Reconstruction of Gate Lodge Domes –Clive Lucas Stapleton & Partners

Conservation of the Convict Superintendent’s House Cockatoo Island –Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

Award For Enduring Architecture

The AMP Building Sydney Cove – PTW Architects

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture

Iglu Central –Bates Smart

Commendation

Cowshed House –Carterwilliamson Architects

Blacket Prize

Charles Sturt University National Life Sciences Hub– BVN Donovan Hill

NSW Premier’s Prize

Martian Embassy – LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture)

City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize

Darling Quarter –Francis‐Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt) with Aspect Studios and Lend Lease

NSW President’s Prize

Sean O’Toole – UrbanGrowth NSW

Emerging Architect Prize

Andrew Burns – Andrew Burns Architect

SPONSORED BY GEBERIT

Marion Mahony Griffin Prize

Helen Lochhead –Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

Adrian Ashton Prize For Writing And Criticism

Laura Harding – Architecture Australia/Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects

SPONSORED BY BATES SMART

David Lindner Prize

Nathan Etherington – Scale Architecture/University of Sydney

Geraldine Chua

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