University building scoops architecture awards

University building scoops architecture awardsRichard Kirk Architect and HASSELL, in joint venture, have won three prestigious awards at the 2014 Queensland Architecture Awards for their design of the University of Queensland’s Advanced Engineering Building (AEB).The AEB, which provides teaching, research and laboratory facilities either side of a five-storey, timber-clad, elongated central atrium with a double-glazed roof, was awarded the FDG Stanley Award for Public Architecture, the GHM Addison Award for Interior Architecture and the Harry Marks Award for Sustainable Architecture.The jury described the building as thoroughly considered and detailed, and said that it expertly embraced setting and place. The collaborative efforts of Richard Kirk Architect and HASSELL were also described as a significant benchmark in sustainability.The award winners were announced on 20 June at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The competition honoured projects from all regions in the state, with the jury presenting 10 Named Awards, 13 Architecture Awards and 13 Commendations.Additionally, the Queensland Chapter presented the Art in Architecture Prize, which was won by Sunshine Coast-based Bark Design Architects for their interactive installation, Growth, at the Floating Land Festival 2013.Charles Wright Architects’ Stamp House was also well received by the jury and was awarded the Robin Dods Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New). The jury said the concrete fabric of the house, chosen for its performance, robustness and thermal mass, created an otherworldly presence that was able to take its place in the pristine Daintree landscape.The late architect Robin Gibson was honoured with the naming of the Robin Gibson Award for Enduring Architecture, which was awarded to Aubrey Job and Robert Froud for the Torbreck Apartments in Highgate Hill. Completed in 1960, the apartment building was Queensland’s first multi-unit, mixed-used residential development.The jury noted that the project’s innovative construction techniques, effective passive climate control, acoustic privacy and robust construction materials have provided an enduring model for current apartment design.All Named and Architecture Award winners will now progress to the 2014 National Architecture Awards to be announced in Darwin on 6 November.For the full list of winning projects, visit: http://architectureau.com/articles/2014-queensland-architecture-awards/