2017 Think Brick Awards

The Crown Palladium in Melbourne was filled with members of the architectural community who attended a gala ceremony on Thursday, 10 August for the announcement of the 2017 Think Brick Award winners, which showcased the most innovative and creative uses of clay bricks, concrete masonry and roof tiles in Australian contemporary architecture.

From hundreds of entrants, this year’s five category winners were awarded the top honours based on the imaginative, creative and innovative ways in which they used clay brick, concrete masonry and roof tiles in built projects.

Elizabeth McIntyre, CEO of Think Brick Australia, said, “Once again the calibre of entries was inspiring. This year we saw some impressive innovation in the use of brick, masonry and roof tiles that really pushed the boundaries of contemporary architecture. We saw design that was unexpectedly delightful and playful, design that displayed sophisticated reimagining of classical shapes, and also projects that redefined the concept of a simple brick building.”

“One of the main trends we noted in the entries was an increase in the use of brick in interiors, particularly as a way to unify indoor and outdoor spaces. Among the entries there was also a real sense of using brick to create a sense of grounded-ness and permanence. We also saw more entries for multi-residential housing, reflecting the increase of apartment dwelling in our inner city areas, plus more use of concrete masonry in residential and commercial interiors,” added Ms McIntyre.

The 2017 Think Brick Award category winners were:

Barkers Road Townhouses by Kavellaris Urban Design – Winner of the Horbury Hunt Commercial Award

This row of luxurious townhouses boasts unique external facades and elaborate feature brickwork patterns within the interior of each home, including extensive feature brick corbelling and stack-bond brickwork.

House Au Yeung by Tribe Studio Architects – Winner of the Horbury Hunt Residential Award

This post-war bungalow has been adapted for modern times with a crafted brick “sunburst” and manipulation of levels allowing for the rear of the home to contrast effectively with the decorative brickwork of the front facade.

Crescent House by Deicke Richards – Winner of the Bruce Mackenzie Landscape Award

The architecture in this home explores the use of brick to connect the dwelling to the ground and provide crafted living spaces through a series of folded vertical and horizontal planes which extend into the landscape.

Perimeter House by MAKE Architecture – Winner of the Kevin Borland Masonry Award

This home features bricks in every aspect of its structure from its fireplaces to its perforated screens. The swooping planes, chunky masses and thick buttressing are all welded together through the visual oneness of masonry and brickwork.

Kempsey Crescent Head Surf Life Saving Club by Neeson Murcutt Architects – Winner of the Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award

Durable brick and roof tiles were required for this building due to its proximity to the beach. The roof is comprised of membrane ply and glazed ceramic tiles which are colour matched with the bricks to create a unified building.

Across the five categories, 21 finalists were selected with the above five winners each receiving a cash prize of $10,000 for demonstrating original and new designs in their particular category.

The winners were selected by a jury comprised of seven local and international architecture industry experts including:

• Ben Green, Director of Tzannes
• Debbie Ryan, Founding Owner of McBride Charles Ryan
• Emma Williamson, Director of Cox Architecture
• Alexis and Murat Sanal, Co-founders of SANALarc
• Cameron Bruhn, Editorial Director of Architecture Media
• Elizabeth  McIntyre, CEO Think Brick Australia

The Think Brick Awards gala dinner is a highlight in the architectural events calendar. This year it was held at the stunning Crown Palladium in Melbourne where guests enjoyed an incredible night of Awards, entertainment and fine food as well as a chance to meet with the industry best.

“The gala dinner was our biggest yet with the Australian architectural community celebrating our well-deserving winners, and not only recognising so many excellent examples of using brick in contemporary design and architecture, but also celebrating innovation, forward thinking and how far the industry has come,” said Ms McIntyre.

For more information about the award winners, please visit: thinkbrick.com.au/think-brick-awards