Jury citation
Today most heritage work involves repurposing. In this case the architects have chosen subtle restoration, sustaining a sixty-six-year life and preparing it for the future. This has involved restoring building fabric and improving operations, security, building services, sustainability and amenity, while retaining the intrinsic Swedish character: modernity, timelessness, efficiency, craft and attention to detail. The worn or covered timber floors and timber staircase have been beautifully restored in rare timbers and finished with hard wax in traditional Swedish style. The roof replacement is particularly noteworthy, with new copper laid over a new Nordic-style insulated and ventilated substructure.
Credits
- Project
- Embassy of Sweden
- Architect
- Guida Moseley Brown Architects
Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Project Team
- Sieglinde Whittle (project director), William Gardner (project architect), Sophia Lee
- Consultants
-
Builder
Project Coordination
Building certifier Certis Group
Civil and structural consultant Northrop Consulting Engineers
Cost consultant WT Partnership
Fire engineer Defire
Services consultant Northrop Consulting Engineers
- Site Details
-
Site type
Urban
- Project Details
-
Status
Built
Type Heritage, Workplace
Source
Award
Published online: 2 Nov 2017
Words:
2017 National Architecture Awards Jury
Images:
Anthony Basheer
Issue
Architecture Australia, November 2017