The National Architecture Awards night brought me to the conclusion that architects have a great sense of humour. From giggling about the Utzon-designed “bling” around the national president’s neck, to musing at the jury’s stories of their tightly-scheduled tours, topped off with Fenella Kernebone’s witty MC-ing, I was kept entertained.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!But not only was I entertained; I was also proud. Perhaps even prouder than the proud architects who made their way to the stage to collect awards. Perhaps even prouder than Cox Rayner director, Greg Howlett, whose Queensland Oral Health Care Centre won three awards, and whose late father won the National Award for enduring architecture.
This was because, in addition to bringing me to the conclusion that we are a jovial bunch, the National Architecture Awards also proved to me that as an industry of change-makers space-formers, we share a ‘human’ agenda. When President of the Institute, Ken Maher, pointed this out in his welcome-address, highlighting the opportunity that we, as architects, have, to lift the human spirit, I was all-the-more excited to see which 32, out of the 900 entries and 209 shortlisted, would be taking out this year’s prizes.
The common thread between all shortlisted and winning projects, was a desire to ‘improve life’ – whether that be the life of dental students and patients, community locals or a single resident.
Just to mention a few, the simplicity and humility of projects such as Searle x Waldron Architecture’s Maidstone Tennis Pavilion, and Lahznimmo Architects’ Bowen Place Crossing, showed how small but concise gestures could bring people together and immensely improve the quality and useability of a place. Furthermore, even the larger-scale, commercial projects, such as JPW + TKD’s 5 Martin Place and Candalepas Associates AHL Headquarters on George Street, illustrated careful consideration of the public domain and the integrity of existing context, heritage and the needs of the people who would occupy their spaces.
The presentation-half of the night culminated with the awards of public architecture, of which the named award was won by ARM Architecture, for their Geelong Library and Heritage Centre, which I thought was a rather fitting way to bring to a close, this celebration of socially-aware, politically-involved and morally-responsible design.
As stated by Ken Maher, architecture is about addressing broader social challenges and this entails political engagement and social agency. He also called for us to unite as a profession, fighting any unfair procurements put forward by developers and the government, mentioning the importance of The Institute in our strength as a united proefession: “when we refer to the institute, it’s not them; it’s us. But most potent of all, was his vision that The Awards should advocate the bringing of architectural skills to the community, which, given the calibre and innovate nature of the works celebrated, isn’t a dream too far-fetched at all.
Written by: Sahibajot Kaur of Plus Architecture (New South Wales Event Correspondent for AWS)
Sahibajot Kaur is a Graduate Architect at Plus Architecture, who recently graduated from the Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Sydney. As a big believer in the values of humanitarianism, she is interested in site-responsive, socially-uplifting and sustainable architecture. She is constantly questioning what is means ‘to live’, and how architecture can truly help people while being as simple as possible. Sahibajot currently blogs about her learning and ideas, and envisions herself as an advocate of responsible, sensitive and passive design in practice and in dialogue.
