International Awards recognise Australian talent abroad

The Australian Institute of Architects’ International Chapter have announced the winners of their 2015 International Architecture Awards.

Spanning the globe from New Zealand to Singapore to Denmark, the awarded and commended projects represent the excellent work of Australian architects abroad.

The jury, chaired by Grant Marani, were unanimous in awarding five projects and commending a further four from 26 entries. See full list of honours attached.

Pico Branch Library in Santa Monica by Koning Eizenberg Architecture received an International Award for Public Architecture for ‘a design process that encouraged public participation through a series of workshops, and a thoughtful preservation of existing green space and repurposing of underutilised areas, [that] has succeeded in reinvigorating the park, fostering a reconnection with institutional resources and overall community empowerment,’ the jury said.

Two projects were each honoured with an International Award for Residential Architecture, Vulkanen: Aarhus Student Housing by Terroir and CUBO Arkitekter in association (Denmark), and Seven Palms Sentosa Cove by Kerry Hill Architects (Singapore).

‘Terroir and CUBO Arkitekter have successfully formed an opportunity to create an architectural assemblage exploring prefabricated elements, rapid construction and a collaborative process in a consortium led by the contractor. Described by Terroir as an enjoyable process and typically Danish, this is a project where design and construction decisions were made communally,’ the jury noted.

‘Seven Palms Sentosa Cove by Kerry Hill Architects is a bespoke low rise apartment development in the tropical Singapore climate. The interior planning of the apartments incorporates wide sliding doors and operable partitions defined by Kerry Hill as ‘enfilade’, a term or spatial quality used in grand baroque palaces, providing a vista through an entire suite of rooms.’

Kerry Hill Architects also received an Award for Interior Architecture, with the jury impressed by the architect’s re-interpretation of a contemporary Japanese garden in the centre of the six-story lobby. ‘Exquisitely designed and detailed the Aman Hotel was by far the most sophisticated submission for this category.’

An International Award for Small Project Architecture went to Robert Grace Architecture’s Gloucestershire Garden Room which solves a 350 year problem for a Georgian Mansion – a place to view the heritage listed house and the expansive arboretum at the same time.

‘Beautifully detailed throughout, in very many ways, this is a remarkable piece of architecture.’

Projects that received an Award are now in the running for the 2015 Jørn Utzon Award for International Architecture to be announced at the National Architecture Awards in November.