Five regional projects received commendations at the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2015 Darling Downs/West Moreton Regional Architecture Awards and will now continue on to the QLD state chapter awards to be held in June.

In addition to the commendations, two prizes were also awarded at the presentation night held 20 March in Toowoomba.

The program’s top honour, the William Hodgen Award for Building of the Year went to James Cubitt Archtiects (JCA) for The Armitage Centre in Toowoomba, while the Regional Project of the Year went to local architects Sims White Architects and Kratzmann Architects for their St Joseph’s College New Junior Science Centre and GLA Block project.

Above: The Armitage Centre, Toowoomba by James Cubitt Architects (Photography by Roger De Souza)

Below: St Joseph’s College New Junior Science Centre and GLA Block, Rangeville by Sims White Architects and Kratzmann Architects (Photography by Dean Holland Take Better Photos)

Commenting on The Armitage Centre, the jury praised JCA for their sensitive and understated approach to the design of the heritage building.

“This inventive tilt-up concrete “black box” theatre sensitively embraces the existing adjacent church hall using its brick rear wall as both a container and a historical feature,” said the jury.

“The west facing tilt-up concrete and glass western portion designates the new building’s entry providing an understated backdrop to the heritage brick church hall. The new theatre enriches the current program of theater facilities and productions available at the Empire precinct, reinventing the architectural significance of the existing church hall.”

Simarly the St Joseph’s College New Junior Science Centre and GLA Block project was celebrated for its considered and refined approach to material and building detail.

“This exemplary structure is deftly detailed and memorable in experience within a limited budget,” said the jury.

“Subtly composed, refined and resolved to deliver a facility that sits seamlessly between an existing larger classroom block and detached residential neighbours. Spaces are enriched with sensitively considered materials and each moment is beautifully articulated.”

In addition to the two special honours, the jury awarded five Regional Commendations (listed below) with those projects now progressing to the Queensland State Architecture Awards to be announced on June 26 in Brisbane

Regional Commendations:

SABA Building, Toowoomba by Aspect Architects and Project Managers (Photography by Focal Point)

The Armitage Centre, Toowoomba by James Cubitt Architects (Photography by Roger De Souza)
Royal Flying Doctor Service – Charleville Base, Charleville by DM2 Architecture (Photography by Scott Burrows)

Hymba Yumba Community Hub, Springfield by Deicke Richards (Photography by Christopher Frederick Jones)

St Joseph’s College New Junior Science Centre and GLA Block, Rangeville by Sims White Architects and Kratzmann Architects (Photography by Dean Holland Take Better Photos)

Images source: AIA

Nathan Johnson

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