The WA Museum Boola Bardip received several accolades for architectural excellence at the latest instalment of the Australian Institute of Architects WA awards.
Sharing the stories of Western Australians through design was a major theme reflected across winning entries at this year’s Australian Institute of Architects WA Architecture Awards.
The AIA 2021 WA Architecture Awards ceremony was held last Friday, June 11, via a virtual presentation evening. AIA WA chapter president Peter Hobbs said the 2021 awards demonstrated how architecture helped to build communities within the built environment.
“From revitalised heritage buildings to unique accommodation and inspiring educational hubs, there’s been consideration of people, history and cultural heritage throughout the designs,” Mr Hobbs said.
“The rejuvenation of buildings and places in both metropolitan and regional areas has created memorable experiences which honour our rich history, with WA Museum Boola Bardip an exemplar of carefully concepted design making an enormous contribution to the state.”
Designed by international design practice Hassell in collaboration with Dutch firm OMA, the WA Museum Boola Bardip was named overall winner, receiving the George Temple Poole award.
It also topped the categories for urban design and public architecture and was additionally recognised with commendations in both the heritage architecture and Bluescope Colorbond Steel architecture categories.
WA Architecture Awards 2021 chair of juries, John Taylor, said the project had been applauded for its connection of existing heritage buildings to new structures.
“Boola Bardip means ‘many stories’ in Nyoongar language,” the judges said in their comments on the winning project.
“It acknowledges that the museum sits on Whadjuk Nyoongar land and honours the cultural heritage of Australia’s First Peoples.
“The museum also reflects a care for the shared cultural heritage of all Western Australians, where the existing heritage buildings and architecture have become exhibits themselves.
“The technical resolution of the vertical and horizontal circulation paths have seamlessly connected the heritage buildings – assisting the museum to unfold in a series of exciting spatial experiences.”
WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell and OMA. Photo: Peter Bennetts
The judges also noted the project would soon likely be recognised as a design of national and international significance.
“There were a number of projects where indigenous consultation had been super important,” Mr Hobbs said.
“It’s good to see how sophisticated this consultation is becoming; it’s becoming part of usual practice and makes such a positive contribution to the finished project.”
Among those projects was Kerry Hill Architects’ design of the University of Western Australia’s indigenous studies building, Bilya Marlee, which won the accolade for interior architecture.
The jury said it was impressed by the team’s engagement with cultural adviser and Nyoongar elder Richard Walley throughout the design process, to inform and respond to the knowledge systems of WA’s indigenous people.
Bilya Marlee, UWA by Kerry Hill Architects. Photo: Robert Firth
A second UWA building was honoured at this year’s awards, with Hassell winning the educational facilities category for its design of engineering and mathematical sciences centre, EZONE.
EZONE UWA by Hassell. Photo: Douglas Mark Black
Matthew Crawford Architects was recognised for its revamp of Fremantle’s historic Warders Hotel and Emily Taylor, a new bar and restaurant.
The project won first place in both the commercial architecture and Mondoluce WA lighting categories, while also being acknowledged in the heritage category’s second tier of awards.
Judges said Matthew Crawford Architects’ approach to the heritage component of the Warders cottages ingeniously converted the rudimentary 19th-century workers’ houses into small but luxurious accommodation units.
“Throughout the project, historical references appear both subtly and overtly, enriching the understanding of time and place through a celebration of uncovered narratives and adding to the vibrancy of the site and surroundings,” the judges noted.
Warders Hotel & Emily Taylor by Matthew Crawford Architects. Photo: MCA
Other award winners included SITE Architecture Studio, for its design of Eaton Community College’s new science building, which received the Bluescope Colorbond Steel architecture award, as well as spaceagency architects, the overall winner of the heritage architecture category.
Eaton Community College science building by SITE Architecture Studio. Photo: Dion Robeson
Meanwhile, the Hayman Theatre upgrade by With Architecture Studio received the award for small project architecture, and Iwan Iwanoff’s Town of Northam Council Offices (former) and Library was recognised for enduring architecture.
Hayman Theatre upgrade by With Architecture Studio. Photo: Douglas Mark Black
Residential projects were also showcased on the night, with award-winning designs by Philip Stejskal Architecture, MJA Studio and Simon Pendal Architect.
Beaconsfield House by Simon Pendal Architect. Photo: Robert Frith
“The standard has been uniformly high for some time now,” Mr Hobbs said.
“It’s always exciting to see emerging talent … [and] there’s always the usual suspects: MJA, spaceagency, IPH, Kerry Hill and Hassell, who often feature, maintaining a strong design focus.”
To be considered for the awards, projects must have reached practical completion by December 31 in the year preceding the year of judging.
WA winners will progress to AIA’s national awards, judged against the best architectural works in the country later this year.
Heritage Farmers Home Hotel, Northam by spaceagency architects. Photo: Barry Williams
Full list of winning projects:
GEORGE TEMPLE POOLE AWARD: WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA
COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE
The Ross Chisholm and Gil Nicol Award for Commercial Architecture – Warders Hotel & Emily Taylor by Matthew Crawford Architects
Architecture Award - Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam by spaceagency architects
Architecture Award - Shelter by Paul Burnham Architect
Architecture Award - EPIC - Empowering People in Communities by Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects
Commendation - Rauland Perth by AHArchitecture
EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
The Hillson Beasley Award for Educational Architecture - EZONE UWA by Hassell
Architecture Award - Margaret River Senior High School - Major Additions by With Architecture Studio
Commendation - Scotch College Mathematics + Commerce Building by Taylor Robinson Chaney Broderick
Commendation - Eaton Community College - New Science Building by SITE Architecture Studio
HERITAGE ARCHITECTURE
The Margaret Pitt Morison Award for Heritage - Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam by spaceagency architects
Architecture Award - Strawberry Hill/Barmup Visitor Orientation Hub, Albany by PTX Architects
Architecture Award - Warders Hotel & Emily Taylor by Matthew Crawford Architects
Commendation - WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
The Julius Elischer Award for Interior Architecture - Bilya Marlee UWA by Kerry Hill Architects
Architecture Award - Parmelia Hilton Refurbishment by Cox Architecture
Commendation - Central Park Lobby Refurb by Woods Bagot
PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE
The Jeffrey Howlett Award for Public Architecture - WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA
Architecture Award - Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service Healthcare Hub Newman by Kaunitz Yeung Architecture
Commendation - Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community by Hassell
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE - HOUSES (ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS)
The Peter Overman Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (Alterations and Additions) - Beaconsfield House by Simon Pendal
Architect Architecture Award - Garden HouseRule Street by spaceagency architects
Architecture Award - East Fremantle House by Nic Brunsdon Commendation - Nanhob Street by Klopper & Davis Architects
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE - HOUSES (NEW)
The Marshall Clifton Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (New) - Marmion Street House by Philip Stejskal Architecture
Architecture Award - Macdonald Road House by Philip Stejskal Architecture
Commendation - Carr Street by Klopper & Davis Architects
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – MULTIPLE HOUSING
The Harold Krantz Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing – Glyde Street by MJA Studio
Architecture Award - The Social on Henry by Matthews & Scavalli Architects
Commendation - 3x3 Houses by Gerry Kho Architects
SMALL PROJECT ARCHITECTURE
The Iwan Iwanoff Award for Small Project Architecture - Hayman Theatre Upgrade by With Architecture Studio
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
The Wallace Greenham Award for Sustainable Architecture - Macdonald Road House by Philip Stejskal Architecture
Architecture Award - EZONE UWA by Hassell
URBAN DESIGN
The John Septimus Roe Award for Urban Design - WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA
ENDURING ARCHITECTURE AWARD
The Richard Roach Jewell Award for Enduring Architecture - Town of Northam Council Offices (former) and Library by Iwan Iwanoff
BLUESCOPE COLORBOND STEEL ARCHITECTURE COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture –
Eaton Community College - New Science Building by SITE Architecture Studio
Commendation - WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA
MONDOLUCE WA LIGHTING AWARD
The Mondoluce WA Lighting Award - Warders Hotel & Emily Taylor by Matthew Crawford Architects
Commendation - Central Park Lobby Refurb by Woods Bagot
Commendation - Belridge Performing Arts Centre by Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects
