The 2015 Darling Downs/West Moreton Architecture Awards were announced on 20 March.
From eleven entries, two special honours for Building of the Year and Regional Project of the Year were awarded and five projects received regional commendations from the Australian Institute of Architects Queensland Chapter. The projects recognised will proceed to the Queensland Architecture Awards, to be announced on 26 June 2015.
The winners are:
William Hodgen Award for Building of the Year
The Armitage Centre (Toowoomba) – James Cubitt Architects
Jury citation: This inventive tilt-up concrete “black box” theatre sensitively embraces the existing adjacent church hall using its brick rear wall as both a container and a historical feature. The west-facing tilt-up concrete and glass western portion designates the new building’s entry, providing an understated backdrop to the heritage brick church hall. The new theatre enriches the current program of theater facilities and productions available at the Empire precinct, reinventing the architectural significance of the existing church hall.
Regional Project of the Year
St Joseph’s College New Junior Science Centre and GLA Block (Rangeville) – Sims White Architects and Kratzmann Architects
Jury citation: This exemplary structure is deftly detailed and memorable in experience within a limited budget. It is subtly composed, refined and resolved to deliver a facility that sits seamlessly between an existing larger classroom block and detached residential neighbours. Spaces are enriched with sensitively considered materials and each moment is beautifully articulated.
Regional Commendations
The Armitage Centre (Toowoomba) – James Cubitt Architects
Hymba Yumba Community Hub (Springfield) – Deicke Richards
Royal Flying Doctor Service – Charleville Base (Charleville) – DM2 Architecture
SABA Building (Toowoomba) – Aspect Architects and Project Managers
St Joseph’s College New Junior Science Centre and GLA Block (Rangeville) – Sims White Architects and Kratzmann Architects
On the jury were: Michael Fleming (FKG Group), Adrian Papi (A+UD Architectural &
Urban Design Consulting), Gavan Reilly (Gavan Reilly Architect).