Archinect - News

Australian architects declare climate and biodiversity emergency

2019-07-31T16:30:00-04:00

For everyone working in the construction industry, meeting the needs of our society without breaching the earth’s ecological boundaries will demand a paradigm shift in our behaviour. Together with our clients, we will need to commission and design buildings, cities and infrastructures as indivisible components of a larger, constantly regenerating and self-sustaining system.

Australian architects are joining an international declaration recognizing the existence of a global environmental and biodiversity climate emergency.

Stating that "the research and technology exist for us to begin that transformation now, but what has been lacking is collective will," the architects seek to "advocate for faster change in our industry towards regenerative design practices," "establish climate and biodiversity mitigation principles as the key measure of our industry’s success," and "upgrade existing buildings for extended use as a more carbon efficient alternative to demolition," among other goals.

The founding signatories include: ARM Architecture, Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Taylor and Hinds Architects, and Woods Bagot.

The Australian rally comes as the Royal Institute of British Architects also joins the international declaration. In June, the American Institute of Architects passed its own resolution calling for "urgent and sustained climate action."

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Take a look at the 2016 Australian National Architecture Award recipients

2016-11-04T18:29:00-04:00

The Australian Institute of Architects celebrated the winners of the 2016 National Architecture Awards during an evening award ceremony in Sydney...Starting out with nearly 900 entries, 79 were shortlisted. The expert jury then gave honors to 40 projects based throughout Australia, with several of the winners receiving multiple recognitions.

Here are some of this year's winners:

EDUCATIONAL: The Daryl Jackson Award – University of Queensland Oral Health Centre (QLD) by Cox Rayner Architects with Hames Sharley and Conrad Gargett Riddel.

INTERIOR: The Emil Sodersten Award – Canberra Airport Hotel (ACT) by Bates Smart.

INTERNATIONAL: The Jørn Utzon Award – Australian Pavilion, Venice (Italy) by Denton Corker Marshall.

PUBLIC: The Sir Zelman Cowen Award – Geelong Library & Heritage Centre (VIC) by ARM Architecture.

RESIDENTIAL - HOUSES (NEW): The Robin Boyd Award – Indigo Slam (NSW) by Smart Design Studio.

SUSTAINABLE: The David Oppenheim Award – Tonsley Main Assembly Building and Pods (SA) by Woods Bagot and Tridente Architects.

(cover image) RESIDENTIAL - Houses (Alterations and Additions): The Eleanor Cullis-Hill Award – Jenny's House (TAS) by Rosevear Stephenson.

Find the full list of winners on Bustler.

Previously on Archinect:

Ashton Raggatt McDougall wins 2016 Australian Gold Medal

Peter Stutchbury receives 2015 Gold Medal in A...

Sydney Architect petitioning against the illegal use of the title ‘architect’ in Australia

2016-09-14T14:19:00-04:00

Sydney architect Robert Harwood is apparently fed up with being compared on price point and capability to building practitioners who aren’t registered architects. The director of Harwood Architects and founder of My Architect is petitioning the Australian Institute of Architects CEO Jennifer Cunich to do more to protect the architecture profession from non-architects passing off their work and capability as that of an architect.

"Harwood is particularly concerned with non-architects using the title ‘architect’ in their name or the words ‘architectural services’ in advertising."

Ashton Raggatt McDougall wins 2016 Australian Gold Medal

2016-04-29T18:21:00-04:00

Stephen Ashton, Howard Raggatt, and Ian McDougall have left a lasting impression in the Australian contemporary architecture scene since they founded Ashton Raggatt McDougall in 1988. Since then, ARM has built projects that the Australian Institute of Architects describes as “some of the most extraordinary [if not sometimes controversial] buildings in the short post-colonial history of [the] country.”

ARM's contentious body of work recently earned them the 2016 Gold Medal in the Australian Achievement in Architecture Awards. Here's a glimpse of their work:

Photos by John Gollings.

Find out more on Bustler.

Peter Stutchbury receives 2015 Gold Medal in Australia Achievement in Architecture Awards

2015-03-20T12:49:00-04:00

Peter Stutchbury's 34 years of architectural practice reached a milestone in winning the 2015 Gold Medal in the Australia Achievement in Architecture Awards during a March 19 evening ceremony at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. Organized by the Australian Institute of Architects, the national awards recognize respected practitioners, up-and-coming architects, academics, and students for their exemplary contribution to the profession in various disciplines.

Like a token of national pride, the achievement award recognizes the recipient's ongoing contribution to advancing architecture through practice, teaching, and participation in professional activities and organizations.

The jury described Stutchbury as "mastering the art of creating architecture that speaks of the place it inhabits – buildings that are environmentally sustainable, culturally specific and locally embedded."

More about Stutchbury below:

‘Since establishing his own practice in 1981, Stutchbury and his firm have rece...

Winners of the 2014 Australian National Architecture Awards

2014-11-07T18:17:00-05:00

Some great-looking projects in Australia were announced as the winners of the 2014 National Architecture Awards on November 6 at the Darwin Convention Centre. Organized by the Australian Institute of Architects, this year's results were geared toward community-based projects. Out of 153 qualified projects, 43 awards and commendations were given to 36 projects across 12 national categories.

Here's a few of this year's winning projects:

National Award for Commercial Architecture – 8 Chifley Square by Lippmann Partnership/Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners (NSW).

National Award for Interior Architecture – Garangula Gallery by Fender Katsalidis Mirams Architects (NSW)

National Commendation for Public Architecture – South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute by Woods Bagot (SA).

The Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) – House at Hanging Rock by Kerstin Thompson Architects (Vic).

See the full winners list and more photos on Bustler.

Gold Coast/Northern Rivers Regional Architecture Awards Winners

2013-05-13T17:06:00-04:00

A joint venture between PDT, STH and HASSELL, and a separate project by dm2architecture, have taken top honours in the 30th Australian Institute of Architects’ 2013 Gold Coast/Northern Rivers Regional Architecture Awards.