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COLLABORATE

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As the highway fell away beneath us leaving sunny and beautiful Coffs Harbour we had a chance to recollect what a successful Australian Institute of Architects NSW Country Division Conference we had enjoyed this year.

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At the Welcome Reception on Tuesday sponsors/partners and architects had a chance to catch up on what for most of us has been a particularly hectic 2017. We enjoyed great live music beside the lagoon at the Novotel Pacific Bay Resort. As some of us danced or just bobbed along to the music the conversations ranged widely and we had our first chance to put some faces to names we’d spoken to over the year – such is the nature of a profession so widely distributed around NSW. For many the annual conference is the main chance to meet or catch up with peers and friends in person and as partners and families are also welcome there is always a warm and friendly atmosphere. This was especially evident at the Reception.

We were enjoying the surrounds of Coffs Harbour as Tuesday’s rain was replaced by stunning sunshine when on Wednesday we travelled a short distance south to the picturesque coastal village of Sawtell. We enjoyed the presentations of Ken Maher (Hassell Studio) and Garry Murray (Red Belly Design) in the morning as much as the stunning beach at the Sawtell Surf Club. Sue-Anne Ware (U Newcastle) presented after lunch and everyone enjoyed the chance to stretch legs and walk to the community owned and run Sawtell Cinema. The afternoon sessions included a discussion with Ann Gee, Oliver Gee and Stephanie Ney and this was followed by a screening of Glenn Murcutt: Spirit of Place by the talented Australian arts filmmaker Catherine Hunter at the beguiling Sawtell Cinema. The theme of the 2017 NSW Country Division Conference was COLLABORATE and Wednesday’s sessions featured a broad and multi-faceted range of collaborations which generated much lively discussion over the coming days.

Thursday began with a special welcome and introduction of the partners/sponsors and this was quickly followed by a session with Catherine Hunter called Media Collaboration during which she encouraged architects to keep an archive of projects and processes for the future. AWS was then invited to present a Tech Talk on thermal performance of windows and doors which generated a lot of discussion later in the day. The architects who approached us afterwards spoke about how great it is to have an industry partner working on products that achieve exceptional results as the energy requirements of Australian buildings continue to become more stringent.

The following sessions by Andrew Nimmo (Lahznimmo) and Tim Horton (NSW Architects Registration Board) also contributed to the theme of collaboration and helped to inform the discussions later in the day including the member forum. We all enjoyed the smorgasbord lunch by the lagoon as the weather remained perfect. On Thursday afternoon AWS & Arcpanel co-sponsored a round of Ambrose Golf at the resort. Both beginners and seasoned golfers had a ball hitting little white balls all over the place. The Arcpanel team won the event but on such a stunning and warm day in October we were all winners weren’t we?

One of our favourite parts of the annual conference is the Awards Dinner where architects and sponsors/partners dress in their very best and enjoy celebrating each other’s company and the exceptional projects that received commendations and awards for the year. We recognize the great effort that architects go to in achieving excellence and appreciate the work involved in submitting their projects to the awards process. We were quite thrilled with the winners and commendations and humbled that AWS windows and doors featured in so many of the featured projects and that we receive such enthusiastic and dedicated support from so many architects across the state.

Friday’s conference continued to be excellent with sessions by Amy Child (Arup), Dan McKenna (Nightingale Housing) and James Gardiner (Laing O’Rourke). Such was the quality of the conference that the room was abuzz with conversations about next year’s event. 

AWS commends the NSW Country Division to architects and we encourage you to come next year for what is certain to be another very successful conference.

 

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AWS Sponsors Building Tours at Glenn Murcutt Foundation Australia Symposium

Architectural Window Systems (AWS) is proud to sponsor the Murcutt Building Tours, a centrepiece of the inaugural Glenn Murcutt Architecture Foundation Symposium, to be held in Sydney from 11 – 13 September 2025.

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The Symposium, presented by the Murcutt Foundation, celebrates more than five decades of architectural practice by Glenn Murcutt AO, Australia’s most celebrated living architect. The program offers three days of tours, talks and events for architects, students and design professionals, culminating in a rare opportunity to engage directly with some of Murcutt’s most acclaimed works.

As part of its ongoing support for architectural excellence and sustainable, place-based design, AWS is sponsoring the Murcutt Building Tours on Thursday, 11 September, providing a rare, guided experience led by Murcutt himself through two iconic residential projects:

  • Nicholas House
  • Simpson Lee House

“I am so pleased that so many have taken the chance to see these two projects that were designed in such close collaboration with the clients at the time, and which have been so well loved and cared for over the many decades since. It is such a joy to share this work,” Glenn Murcutt AO.

“Glenn Murcutt’s works embody a profound sensitivity to landscape, climate and material — and they are best understood by being experienced firsthand,” said Angela Bevitt-Parr, National Marketing Manager at AWS. “AWS is proud to support this extraordinary opportunity for architects to deepen their understanding of Murcutt’s work and philosophy through direct engagement with these exceptional places.”

Beyond the tours, the Symposium will feature keynote addresses from Glenn Murcutt AO and Francis Kéré (fellow Pritzker Prize Laureate), the inaugural awarding of the Murcutt Pin, and a full day of talks exploring the themes that have informed Murcutt’s unique model of practice.

“Francis Kéré is one of the great humans, and a gifted architect who really shows architecture can make a difference in people’s lives. I have a huge amount of respect and time and a wonderful friendship with this man because of his integrity. I am so pleased that Sydney will get to meet him this year,” Glenn Murcutt AO.

For full event details and to register, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/murcutt-symposium

About the Glenn Murcutt Architecture Foundation: The Glenn Murcutt Architecture Foundation promotes the work and legacy of Glenn Murcutt AO through education, advocacy and public programs that advance environmentally responsible architecture and foster dialogue around design excellence and connection to place. For more information visit https://www.murcuttfoundation.org/

Image credit:

Simpson Lee house: Anthony Browell.

 

Designing Value – AWS celebrates 30 years

In late 1994, two dedicated fenestration professionals, Gavan Pead and David McCleary, took a pivotal tour of Architectural Profiles Ltd (APL) in Cambridge, New Zealand. Inspired by APL’s customer-focused business model, they envisioned bringing a similar approach to challenge the Australian market’s basic, outdated aluminium windows and doors that dominated at that time.

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This vision led to the founding of Architectural Window Systems (AWS) in January 1995, with Pead as the first General Manager and McCleary as Head of Design. AWS launched with the release of the 502 sliding window and 541 sliding door – affordable, single-glazed products that immediately stirred the market. “In those days, profiles were hand-drawn, and every detail required precise verification,” McCleary recalls. Their commitment to quality was matched by strong supplier support, relationships that remain solid today.

To bring this customer-centric model to life, AWS built a robust network of independent fabricators across Australia, now exceeding 200, with unparalleled reach and service capabilities. Steve Butcher of Great Lakes Glass, an early adopter, recalls that “their passion was infectious, and if they were starting something new, I wanted to be part of it.”

AWS quickly became a trusted name in high-performance aluminium windows, with products designed to meet the needs of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. With the launch of ThermalHEART™ in 2007, followed by ThermalHEART™ commercial in 2012, AWS introduced its first thermally broken products, raising the bar for energy efficiency. In 2003, David’s son, Mark McCleary, joined AWS, continuing the family’s involvement in the company. In 2021, Mark took over the leadership of research and design, guiding the development of innovative window and door solutions. That same year, AWS introduced ComfortEDGE™, a significant step forward in thermal efficiency. With additional ComfortEDGE™ products set for release in 2025, AWS continues to strengthen its commitment to energy-efficient solutions for the Australian market.

Reflecting on the success of the last 30 years, AWS General Manager Greg Taylor notes that “it’s our model that differentiates us. A supplier that is not only an extrusion supplier, but a reliable, supportive, engaged business partner that understands the need for continuous improvement”.

In 2025, AWS will continue to focus on improvement, introducing a class-leading digital environment for specifiers, fabricators, and staff, along with an automated workflow connectivity solution exclusively for AWS fabricators.

For more information, contact marketing@awsaustralia.com.au

Windows is toolkit

The importance of windows in the sustainable design toolkit

From roof colour to insulation, from appliances to landscaping, all the material selections made in a project form a part of the build’s overall sustainability.

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Architects and Building Designers are tasked with the most important objectives; managing client expectations, design intent, – and of course budget all within site parameters and building compliance.

When it comes to achieving or exceeding a 7-star energy rating as part of the National Construction Code, few of these choices offer as much scope for variation and flexibility as the selection and application of window and door systems as a major component of the thermal envelope of the building.

Well specified windows and doors can be the difference between a thermally efficient design which comes in on budget versus an over engineered, high performing build that can confuse the most experienced specifier and possibly exceed budget – perhaps unnecessarily.

Thermally broken windows have long held the title of one of the most energy efficient solutions by offering the broadest application for use. By insulating the pathway for thermal transmission through the window frame, it’s a clever way to make the most from the durability of aluminium while reducing its conductivity – but extra components inevitably mean more assembly and a comparatively higher price tag.

So, is there a cost-efficient way to maximise energy gains, while maintaining strength and design flexibility without turning to thermally broken windows?

That’s a question both asked and answered by leading supplier of aluminium windows and doors, AWS (Architectural Window Systems). This fundamental question was asked over 10 years ago and it led to the development of a more cost effective, energy efficient solution which also offers a contemporary design aesthetic in the current market.

Cue ComfortEDGE™

ComfortEDGE is an elegant, double-glazed solution for residential applications that rivals the energy efficiency of thermally broken products. Its embedded frames provide a sleek design comprising fewer components than thermally broken counterparts, making it a cost-effective, wholly Australian made option for Australian projects. ComfortEDGE recognises that clever design doesn’t have to be complicated, and skilfully minimises the amount of exposed frame by embedding into the timber reveal, insulating against the environment to improve energy efficiency and thermal comfort.

ComfortEDGE truly is the perfect meeting point of form and functionality. It’s stylish and high performing, with U Values as low as 1.9 – placing you in the best position to meet 7-star energy provisions while keeping your budgeton track.

Back to weighing up your options… How will you know if ComfortEDGE is right for your project?

AWS recommends consulting your specification expert early in the design process, taking a holistic approach to build sustainably and to meet energy compliance on budget. For designers looking to harness the vast possibilities afforded by Australian designed and manufactured architectural windows, give your AWS specifier team member a call and reap the rewards. (AWS 1300 026 189)

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