Tasmanian Architecture Awards 2019 winners

Projects with a strong community focus have dominated the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2019 Tasmanian Architecture Awards.

This year’s winners were announced at a ceremony at the Odeon Theatre in Hobart, with 17 awards and commendations handed out from a field of 37 entries, featuring everything from luxury tourist accommodation and cruise ship shelters to an outdoor community hub and an innovative health centre.

The Devonport Living City Stage 1 project – which encompasses a range of community facilities including a library, a function and arts centre, a food hall and council offices – proved to be an important and successful project for the north west of Tasmania. The practice team responsible – a mix of local and interstate architects – Lyons, with Maddison Architects and Birrelli, took home two pinnacle named awards – the Alan C Walker Award for Public Architecture and the Dirk Bolt Award for Urban Design.

Liminal Architecture with DesignInc scooped two awards for their Glenorchy Health Centre – an Award for Public Architecture and a Commendation for Sustainable Architecture – with the glistening brick-clad building (featuring custom, glazed carbon-neutral bricks) providing vital services to the northern suburbs. Field Labs won an Award for Public Architecture for the new Domain Community Hub, which delivers locals with communal pizza ovens and a family-friendly play space in the surrounds of the Queen’s Domain.

The awards jury chair, Neal Mackintosh, of JAWS Architects, described the 2019 entrants and winners as reflecting the quality Tasmanian architects bring to their craft – whatever the size and scope of the project.

“As usual, a high level of inventiveness is evident, with Tasmanian architects stretching lean budgets to produce spatially rich and engaging buildings.”

The prestigious John Lee Archer Triennial Prize for the best public and commercial architecture of the past three years went to Taylor and Hinds Architects with the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania for their wukalina walk standing camp, krakani lumi.

Other award winners included Cumulus Studio, who were awarded the Alexander North Award for Interior Architecture for their Japanese restaurant fit-out, Kosaten Launceston, and were also awarded a Commendation for Small Project Architecture for the TasPorts Cruise Ship Shelter; Liminal Architecture, who were awarded the Colin Philp Award for Commercial Architecture for the luxurious and inventive Freycinet Lodge Coastal Pavilions; and Core Collective Architects with Christopher Clinton Architect, for their rethinking of the popular sushi restaurant, SUSH.

Launceston-based firm, Philip M Dingemanse, took out two awards for their mountain-bike rider accommodation, Dales of Derby, including a named award – the Barry McNeill Award for Sustainable Architecture – and an Award for Commercial Architecture.

Residential architecture also shone, and featured Bence Mulcahy’s Mount Stuart Greenhouse – a delicate steel extension to a heritage home – which scooped three awards, including two pinnacle named awards – the Roy Sharrington Smith Award for Heritage and the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture – and an Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions).

The two residential named awards went to workbylizandalex, who were awarded the Edith Emery Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions), and Topology Studio, who won the Esmond Dorney Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New).

The Award for Enduring Architecture went to the Jim Moon’s house for his family, Bornholm, and Evan Davies was awarded the SWT Blythe Student Prize for his project, Inspiring Insight, with Hamish Saul receiving a SWT Blythe Commendation for his project, Bird Hide. The 2019 President’s Prize was presented to Eric Richardson.

Award winners are included in a special lift-out in the Sunday Tasmanian on Sunday 7 July and all entries are on show at Hobart’s Brooke Street Pier until 14 July. Tasmanians are invited to vote for their favourite project in the annual people’s choice prize at the exhibition or online at: architecture.com.au/tasawards

Full list of winners:

 Commercial Architecture

The Colin Philp Award – Freycinet Lodge Coastal Pavilions by Liminal Architecture

Award – Dales Of Derby by Philip M Dingemanse

 Heritage

The Roy Sharrington Smith Award – Mount Stuart Greenhouse by Bence Mulcahy

 Interior Architecture

The Alexander North Award –  Kosaten Launceston by Cumulus Studio

 Public Architecture

The Alan C Walker Award – Devonport Living City Stage 1 Lyons with Maddison Architects and Birrelli

Award – Glenorchy Health Centre by Liminal Architecture with DesignInc

Award – Domain Community Hub by Field Labs

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations & Additions)

The Edith Emery Award – #TheBaeTAS by workbylizandalex

Award – Mount Stuart Greenhouse by Bence Mulcahy

Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

The Esmond Dorney Award –  House at Otago Bay by Topology Studio

Small Project Architecture

Commendation – TasPorts Cruise Ship Shelter by Cumulus Studio

Sustainable Architecture

The Barry McNeill Award – Dales Of Derby by Philip M Dingemanse

Commendation – Glenorchy Health Centre by Liminal Architecture with DesignInc

Urban Design

The Dirk Bolt Award – Devonport Living City Stage 1 by Lyons with Maddison Architects and Birrelli

Commendation – SUSH by Core Collective Architects with Christopher Clinton Architect

Enduring Architecture

Award – Bornholm by Jim Moon

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture

Award – Mount Stuart Greenhouse by Bence Mulcahy

Chapter Prizes

The John Lee Archer Triennial Prize – krakani lumi by Taylor and Hinds Architects with the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania

President’s Prize – Eric Richardson

SWT Blythe Student Prize – Inspiring Insight by Evan Davies

SWT Blythe Commendation – Bird Hide by Hamish Sau