‘Architecture that gathers’ seems to be the theme of this year’s National Architecture Awards, with cultural meeting places in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and New York taking out top honours.

The winners of the Australian Institute of Architects’ National Architecture Awards have been announced in Melbourne, recognising projects from commercial to residential and public architecture across the country and internationally.

This year’s top prize, the 2009 Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, was awarded to the, already acclaimed, National Portrait Gallery in the ACT by award-winning practice Johnson Pilton Walker (JPW). The JPW team also won a National Architecture Award for Interior Architecture for the same project.

National Portrait Gallery – JPW. Image: Brett Boardman

The Melbourne Recital Centre and MTC Theatre Project by ARM was awarded the Emil Sodersten Award for Interior Architecture, the jury saying: “The most important aspect of the development is the performing arts spaces, their adequacy, sightlines and acoustics. All three are effectively boxes within boxes, isolated from the outside world and the ground to minimise noise and vibration transfer.”

Melbourne Recital Centre – ARM. Image: John Gollings

From the arts the awards moved to hospitality where the Ivy in Sydney, by Woods Bagot, in collaboration with Merivale Group and Hecker Phelan & Guthrie, took out the Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture and a National Award for Urban Design. “Part Roman baths, part smart restaurants, part urbane gathering place, [Ivy] has been fused into the city’s fabric in a presentable and ingenious way.”

(Above and Hero) Ivy – Woods Bagot, in collaboration with Merivale Group and Hecker Phelan & Guthrie. Image: Trevor Mein

Heading to New York, the 2009 Jorn Utzøn Award for International Architecture was awarded to the TKTS Booth/Redevelopment of Duffy Square, in New York’s Times Square – by young Sydney firm Choi Ropiha, with Perkins Eastman, PKSB.

TKTS Booth – Choi Ropiha. Image: John Saeyong Ra

Education once again shone in 2009 with National Awards for Public Architecture presented to the All Saints Primary School at Belmore in NSW by Angelo Candalepas Associates and the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy by Architectus.

All Saints Primary School – Angelo Candalepas Associates. Image: Brett Boardman

Australia’s most prestigious residential award, the Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture – Houses when to the Freshwater House by Sydney firm Chenchow Little Architects. While the Frederick Romberg Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing went to Wood Marsh’s Balencea Apartments on St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

Freshwater House – Chenchow Little Architects. Image: John Gollings

Balencea Apartments – Wood Marsh. Image: Peter Bennetts

Below is a selection of quotes from the Jury Citation Overview:

“Exemplary quality of execution, complexity of the design task or project scale is not a substitute for poetry of intent, or clarity in expressing the great idea.”

“Australia needs to move on from the ‘bigger is better’ syndrome, and indeed the awards need a place to recognise those socially worthy projects which are an important facet of contemporary practice.”

“Australia’s government has a responsibility to provide leadership, and this must include better strategic planning and consistent approval procedures, and a built environment which is clearly improving”

The full list of winners can be seen below:

Australian Institute of Architects
architecture.com.au

Public Architecture

The Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture
National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, ACT – Johnson Pilton Walker

National Award for Public Architecture
All Saints Primary School, Belmore, NSW – Candalepas Associates

National Award for Public Architecture
Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Monash Uni, VIC – Architectus Melbourne

National Commendation for Public Architecture
Faculty of Law, Library and Teaching Complex, University of Sydney, NSW – Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt)

Residential Architecture – Houses

The Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture – Houses
Freshwater House, Harbord, NSW – Chenchow Little Architects

National Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses
Zac’s House, Sorrento, Victoria – Neeson Murcutt Architects

National Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Houses
Whale Beach House, Whale Beach, NSW – Neeson Murcutt Architects

National Commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses
Arm End House, Opossum Bay, Tasmania – Stuart Tanner Architects

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

The Frederick Romberg Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Balencea Apartments, St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria – Wood Marsh Architecture in association with Sunland Design

National Architecture Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Pindari, Kensington, NSW – Candalepas Associates

National Commendation for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Apartments in Cottesloe, Cottesloe, Western Australia – Blane Brackenridge

Commercial Architecture

The Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture
ivy, George Street, Sydney, NSW – Woods Bagot, in collaboration with Merivale Group and Hecker Phelan & Guthrie

National Award for Commercial Architecture
Headquarter Sussan Sportsgirl, Cremorne, Victoria – Durbach Block Architects

National Award for Commercial Architecture
Bendigo Bank Headquarters, Bendigo, Victoria – BVN Architecture + Gray Puksand

National Commendation for Commercial Architecture
HASSELL Warry Street Studio, Fortitude Valley, Queensland – HASSELL

International Architecture

The Jorn Utzøn Award for International Architecture
TKTS Booth/Redevelopment of Duffy Square, New York – Choi Ropiha, Perkins Eastman, PKSB

Award for International Architecture
Qatar Science and Technology Park, Qatar, United Arab Emirates – Woods Bagot

Sustainable Architecture

National Award for Sustainable Architecture
VS1/SA Water Head Office, Adelaide, South Australia – HASSELL

National Commendation for Sustainable Architecture
Bendigo Bank Headquarters, Bendigo, Victoria – BVN Architecture + Gray Puksand

National Commendation for Sustainable Architecture
Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA) Headquarters, Ultimo, NSW – Smart Design Studio

Heritage Architecture 

The Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage
St Paul’s Cathedral, Conservation of the Fabric, Melbourne, VIC – Falkinger Andronas Architects Heritage Consultants

National Award for Heritage
Wiston Gardens House, Double Bay, NSW – Luigi Rosselli

Urban Design

The Walter Burley Griffin Award for Urban Design
Armory Wharf Precinct, Sydney Olympic Park, NSW – Hargreaves Associates, Lahz Nimmo Architects and Lacoste + Stevenson Architects

National Architecture Award for Urban Design
ivy, Sydney – Woods Bagot in collaboration with Merivale Group and Hecker Phelan & Guthrie

National Commendation for Urban Design
Rundle Lantern, Adelaide, South Australia – BB Architects

Small Project Architecture

National Award for Small Project Architecture
Polygreen, Northcote, Victoria – Bellemo & Cat

National Award for Small Project Architecture
Ang House, Mosman, NSW – Chenchow Little Architects

Interior Architecture

The Emil Sodersten Award for Interior Architecture
Melbourne Recital Centre and MTC Theatre Project, Southbank, Victoria – ARM

National Award for Interior Architecture
National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, ACT – Johnson Pilton Walker

National Commendation for Interior Architecture
Jane Foss Russell Building, University of Sydney, NSW – John Wardle Architects in association with Wilson Architects and GHD

National 25 Year Award for Enduring Architecture

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, Victoria – Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson

Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture

Snowy Mountains House, Snowy Mountains, NSW – James Stockwell Architect