Victorian Architecture Awards 2021 winners

The winners of the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2021 Victorian Architecture Awards from a shortlist of 117 entries across 14 categories are being announced tonight via a special online broadcast.

Chair of Juries, Rosemary Burne, said all winning projects demonstrate responses to the wider issues of our time, such as urban integration, placemaking, sustainability, universal access, health and wellbeing, and new technologies.

“We are delighted to take the opportunity during these difficult times to celebrate a rapidly evolving practice of architecture that seeks to better support the communities we serve,” Ms Burne said.

“As our cities become denser and the nature of work changes, projects in the commercial category were consistently optimistic and future-focused, often with elements of fun, freshness and flexibility.

“Similarly, in the always highly competitive residential field, we saw architectural responses evolving to adapt to our ‘new normal.’ Accessibility emerged as a real concern, as well as integration of sustainability-focussed technologies that have until recently been the preserve of larger building typologies.”

Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University was the most awarded project of the night winning the Victorian Architecture Medal, as well as The Melbourne Prize, the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture and an Architecture Award in both the Sustainability and Educational Architecture categories.

The jury held this project up as it provides an optimistic vision of the future and a powerful reminder of “the fundamental role of architects in creating humanist structures that last for generations.”

“Data- and research-led, Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University has created a future-focused, sustainable education machine that never forgets human scale or human experience.”

Congratulating all winners, Victorian Chapter President Bill Krotiris, said: “A key theme among this year’s award-winners was excellence at the precinct-scale, underscoring that great architecture is about people and the creation of places that best enhance their daily lives”.

“With a COVID lens, it was not surprising to see how outdoor social gathering areas, trees, plants and play areas were also valued by the public.”

Highlighting this point, Carrum Station and Foreshore Precinct by COX Architecture won The Joseph Reed Award for Urban Design for what the Jury described as, “an extraordinary offer of civic generosity, elevating the commuter experience through the gift of a panoramic Port Phillip Bay view.”

Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects won The Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award for Commercial Architecture for Collins Arch, which was also awarded a commendation in the Urban Design category in recognition of what the Jury called “the rarity in the Australian context of truly integrated mixed-use buildings within a singular form and applauds the ambition of the project as well as the skilful handling and resolution of the complex programmatic constraints.”

Continuing the celebration of place-making, Springvale Community Hub by Lyons won The William Wardell Award for Public Architecture for a project the Jury says “embodies the spirit of public architecture” that “balances charming Australian irreverence with evident respect for the importance of representing people and place.”

“The design concept incorporates strong cultural narratives that are advanced with enthusiasm – even joy – in the resultant architectural form,” notes the Jury.

Demonstrating once again that the best architecture is not confined to Melbourne, Geelong College Junior School by John Wardle Architects won both the Regional Prize and The Henry Bastow Award for Educational Architecture. The Jury considers this project sets “an exemplary precedent for regional architecture through its rich story-telling and sensitive design focused on student scale.”

Burwood Brickworks by NH Architecture has set a new standard by delivering the world’s first Living Building Challenge (LBC) certified retail building. The project received The Allan and Beth Coldicutt Award for Sustainable Architecture along with commendations in both the Interior and Commercial award categories. The jury said the project, “evidences that net-positive sustainable building practice is not only possible in shopping centres, but increases return on investment, presenting a compelling argument for a new sustainable benchmark in retail design.”

Studio Bright triumphed in the fiercely contested residential space winning The Harold Desbrowe-Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) for 8 Yard House which the Jury applauded for being “acutely attuned to the patterns of family activity, offering a multitude of functions and spatial moods that promote genuine interactivity.” The jury was thoroughly impressed “by the depth of design thinking evidenced, and its effective translation into a built form that celebrates everyday family life.”

This year’s Victorian Emerging Architect Prize was jointly awarded to Jacqui Alexander and Ben Sheridan for demonstrating “the remarkable contributions emerging architects make to the culture of architecture in Australia.”

The jury recognised that “Jacqui has made a significant contribution to education as a Director of the Bachelor of Architecture Programme at Monash University. Whilst Ben has shared his experience of practice through teaching positions at the University of Melbourne and involvement with the Robin Boyd Foundation.

“Jacqui and Ben have demonstrated design excellence through their sustained contribution to numerous award-winning projects in senior roles at Australia’s leading architectural offices and more recently as Alexander Sheridan Architecture.”

The full list of 2021 Victorian Architecture Awards Winners is included below. The Victorian winners will now progress to compete in the National Architecture Awards program, recognised as the most prestigious and rigorous of its kind.

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COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture (VIC) Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University

Commendation Divided House by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

Commercial Architecture

The Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award for Commercial Architecture Collins Arch by Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects

Architecture Award Wangaratta Street by MAArchitects

Commendation 35 Collins Street by Grimshaw

Commendation Cannons House by NH Architecture

Commendation Burwood Brickworks by NH Architecture

Educational Architecture

The Henry Bastow Award for Educational Architecture Geelong College Junior School by John Wardle Architects

Architecture Award Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University

Architecture Award Penleigh Essendon Grammar School Music House by McBride Charles Ryan

Architecture Award Research Primary School by Kennedy Nolan

Commendation St Leonard’s College Redevelopment by ARM Architecture

Commendation Stawell Secondary College by Workshop Architecture

Enduring Architecture

Enduring Architecture Award Olympic Swimming Pool by Kevin Borland, John and Phyllis Murphy and Peter McIntyre, with engineer Bill Irwin

Heritage Architecture

The John George Knight Award for Heritage Bendigo Former Mining Exchange by Williams Boag Architects

Architecture Award Church on Napier by Kerstin Thompson Architects and James Stockwell Architects

Commendation d’Estaville by NTF Architecture

Commendation Hawthorn House by Kennedy Nolan

Interior Architecture

The Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture Divided House by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

Architecture Award ACMI Renewal by BKK Architects and Razorfish

Architecture Award Olderfleet by Grimshaw with Carr

Commendation Burwood Brickworks by NH Architecture, in partnership with Russell & George on the interior design

Commendation Eastbourne by Eastop Architects

Commendation Monash University Building 28 by Kennedy Nolan

Melbourne Prize

Melbourne Prize Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University

Public Architecture

The William Wardell Award for Public Architecture Springvale Community Hub by Lyons

Architecture Award Carrum Station and Foreshore Precinct by COX Architecture with Rush Wright Associates

Commendation Nunawading Community Hub by fjmt

Commendation Prahran Square by Lyons

Regional Prize

Regional Prize Geelong College Junior School by John Wardle Architects

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)

The John and Phyllis Murphy Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) Elwood Bungalow by Rob Kennon Architects

Architecture Award Fitzroy Bridge House by Matt Gibson Architecture & Design

Architecture Award Milkbar House by Kennedy Nolan

Architecture Award Vivarium by Architecture architecture

Commendation Northcote Terrace by Lovell Burton Architecture

Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

The Harold Desbrowe-Annear Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) 8 Yard House by Studio Bright

Architecture Award Divided House by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

Commendation Garden House by Austin Maynard Architects

Commendation Kyneton House by Edition Office

Commendation Limestone House by John Wardle Architects

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing 

The Best Overend Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing Project 100, Trinity College Student Accommodation by Hayball

Architecture Award La Trobe University Student Accommodation by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

Architecture Award Leith Park Independent Living by MGS Architects

Architecture Award The Lothian by Kennedy Nolan

Commendation 122 Roseneath St by Fieldwork

Commendation Rushall Park Independent Living by MGS Architects

Small Project Architecture

The Kevin Borland Award for Small Project Architecture NGV Triennial 2020 Outdoor Pavilions by BoardGrove Architects

Architecture Award Jackalope Pavilion by March Studio

Commendation Conservatory Adaptation by Architecture Associates

Sustainable Architecture

The Allan and Beth Coldicutt Award for Sustainable Architecture Burwood Brickworks by NH Architecture, in partnership with Russell & George on the interior design and Wurundjeri-willam artist Mandy Nicholson for the ceiling mural and façade artwork

Architecture Award Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University

Commendation Ona Coffee by Breathe

Commendation PICAC Narre Warren by FMSA Architecture

Urban Design 

The Joseph Reed Award for Urban Design Carrum Station and Foreshore Precinct by COX Architecture with Rush Wright Associates

Architecture Award Springvale Community Hub by Lyons with Rush Wright Associates

Commendation Collins Arch by Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects

Commendation Prahran Square by Lyons

Victorian Architecture Medal

Victorian Architecture Medal Monash Woodside Building for Technology and Design by Grimshaw in collaboration with Monash University

Bates Smart Award for Architecture in Media

National Award Architectural Drawings: Collecting in Australia by Miles Lewis

National Award Architects After Architecture: Alternative Pathways for Practice by Rory Hyde, Harriet Harriss, Roberta Marcaccio

State Award Inflection Journal Volume 7 Boundaries by Han Jiang, Louis O’Connor, Arinah Rizal