The Australian Institute of Architects is pleased with the high number of quality entries it received for this year’s Newcastle Architecture Awards and believes it reinforces the strength of the Newcastle architectural community.
The winners of the second Newcastle Architecture Awards since the chapter closure in 2015, were announced at the Merewether Surfhouse on 9 March, with the top honour going to a complex alteration of a modest four-unit, beachside structure by Genton Architecture.
The jury recognised the ‘enigmatic and innovative’ 43 Ocean Street North Avoca project with both the Award for Excellence and Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing, signalling that it will be a strong contender at the NSW Architecture Awards which will be announced in July.
Jurors commended the architects for overcoming the challenges of building within tight foreshore exclusion zones and designing for multiple generations of a single family to share the space successfully.
A project from SHAC was also a dual winner on the night, the ‘delightfully small’ MA House took out the Small Project Architecture and Residential Architecture – Houses (New) categories.
The jury was impressed with how well the house fulfilled the brief for ‘a home that is small, enforces simple, compact, minimal living, has less space for less stuff and celebrates the sun, the shade, the light and the dark’.
The Educational Architecture category had joint winners with both Primary Building – Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College by SHAC and The Junction Public School by DWP|Suters being awarded for their ‘quality, clever planning and flexibility in providing opportunity for play and learning.’
The award winners and commended projects were announced at a presentation held at the Merewether Surfhouse this evening. Awarded projects are now eligible for the NSW Architecture Awards which will be announced on Saturday 1 July.
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
WINNER
43 Ocean Street North Avoca by Genton Architecture
Photography by Rodrigo Vargas
COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE
AWARD
25 Watt Street by EJE Architecture
Photography by Murray McKean
EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
AWARDS
Primary Building - Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College by SHAC
Photography by Chris Burgess
The Junction Public School by DWP|Suters
Photography by Richard Glover
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
AWARD
John Hunter Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Refurbishment by EJE Architecture
Photography by Murray McKean
COMMENDATION
- 25 Watt Street by EJE Architecture
PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE
AWARD
St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Belmont by Killen + Doran Architects
Photography by Murray McKean
COMMENDATION
- Kilpatrick Court, Toronto by Jackson Teece
SMALL PROJECT ARCHITECTURE
AWARD
MA House by SHAC
Photography by Alexander McIntyre
COMMENDATIONS
- SHAC Offices Adaptive Reuse by SHAC
- Innovation Hub by SDA
URBAN DESIGN
COMMENDATION
- 18 Honeysuckle Drive by DWP|Suters
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE - HOUSES (ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS)
AWARD
Bull Street Residence by Studio Dot
Photography by Damien Furey
COMMENDATION
- 'Allagai' - Crowe Residence by True North Architects
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE - HOUSES (NEW)
AWARD
MA House by SHAC
Photography by Alexander McIntyre
COMMENDATION
- Lake House Warners Bay by SDA
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE - MULTIPLE HOUSING
AWARD
43 Ocean Street North Avoca by Genton Architecture
Photography by Rodrigo Vargas
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
AWARD
'Allagai' - Crowe Residence by True North Architects
Photography by Brigid Arnott
COMMENDATION
- St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Belmont by Killen + Doran Architects
AWARD FOR STEEL ARCHITECTURE
AWARD
Battlesticks at Scratchleys by EJE Architecture
Image: EJE Architecture
