2016 National Architecture Awards: Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage

Jury citation

The State Buildings in Perth are an exemplar model of adaptive re-use. The former Government Offices designed by renowned government architects Richard Roach Jewell and George Temple-Poole have been strategically repurposed to accommodate a hotel and a range of food and retail premises, with the retention of the Treasury Offices and the original Postal Hall. Generous and thoughtful planning has allowed the preservation of much of the original building fabric. The original facade, roofs and a number of interior spaces have been very carefully restored, involving extensive research and significant expertise. New insertions are immediately legible yet complementary to the original fabric and complex access issues have been cleverly resolved through the introduction of a two-way lift to manage split levels. There is clear evidence of respect for the original architecture throughout the project and the sensible restraint shown throughout the interiors successfully integrates a variety of spaces with seamless continuity. The State Buildings are one of Perth’s most significant architectural landmarks and this exceptional project plays a successful role in reactivating Perth’s central heritage precinct.

Read the project review by Philip Vivian from Architecture Australia Sept/Oct 2016.