Marking its 30th birthday, the prestigious Sir Zelman Cowen Award for public architecture was snapped up this year by HASSELL for its design of the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link, Intermediate Stations in Sydney.

Epping to Chatswood Rail Link, Intermediate Stations – Photograph by Simon Wood Photography

Epping to Chatswood Rail Link, Intermediate Stations – Photograph by Simon Wood Photography

The judging panel praised the studio for its design of the stations, which “prioritise the efficient movement of people while maintaining an evocative architectural environment”.

This however isn’t the first time that HASSELL has received the award.

Four years ago, HASSELL, in association with John Wardle Architects, was honoured with the top accolade for their design of the Kaurna Building at the University of South Australia.

And in 1998, in the lead up to the Olympic Games, their Olympic Park Railway Station, designed to comfortably accommodate up to 50,000 visitors an hour, took out first prize.

HASSELL sits among the crème de la crème of the Australian architecture industry, with past winners of the Sir Zelman Cowen Award including Australia’s only Pritzker Prize winner Glenn Murcutt, RAIA Gold Medallist Gregory Burgess and Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp Architects for their design of New Parliament House in Canberra.

Also winning awards for public architecture were fjmt for their Surry Hills Library and Community Centre and Woods Bagot and NHArchitecture for their joint work on the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre by architects.

Surry Hills Library and Community Centre – Photograph by Andrew Chung

The Barcaldine Tree of Knowledge Memorial in Queensland received a commendation by the panel.

The Barcaldine Tree of Knowledge Memorial – Photograph by Jon Linkins

Sir Zelman Cowen was the 19th Governor General of Australia from 1977 – 1982.