Bonython Park Wins City of Adelaide Prize
View the winners of the City of Adelaide Prize, as voted by InDaily’s readers, at the 2013 Australian Institute of Architects South Australia Architecture Awards. You can also see the winners and commended projects in the Emerging Architect Prize, the Sustainable Architecture Award, and the Sir James Irwin President’s Medal.
City of Adelaide Prize:
Bonython Park Upgrade – New Playspace – WAX Design Pty Ltd and Ric Mcconaghy
The Bonython Park new playspace demonstrates the potential of high quality open space and playspace design as a catalyst for increased activation of the Adelaide Parklands.
Through a unique and collaborative place making approach, with strong community engagement, Bonython Park Playspace strengthens the role of the existing linear park trail, and creates an exemplary regional destination for the community, offering a diverse range of creative and natural play experiences with evident consideration of the site’s existing character, environment, historical and cultural values. Enhancing the public experience of the City, the playspace provides a community hub, a destination that offers both exciting times for children and respite for parents.
The immense success of the playspace and its carefully considered user-focused solutions, is perhaps no better evidenced than by queuing scores of children – a true testament to the ability of quality design to bring about change and further supports the Jury’s decision to award the Adelaide Prize 2013 to the Bonython Park Playspace.
- Click here to see the winners of the Residential, Multi Residential and Interior Design Awards
- Click here to see the winners of the Public and Commercial Architecture Awards
- Click here to see the winners of the Heritage and Small Project categories
2014 Emerging Architect Prize: Mr Alex Hall – HASSELL
The emerging Architect Prize recognises newer members of the profession who have made a substantial contribution to the profession and architecture in South Australia.
The jury congratulates Alex Hall as this year’s recipient of the Emerging Architect Prize.
Graduating from the University of South Australia in 2006 with first class honours, Alex has since been employed with HASSELL where he has gained invaluable experience on numerous design projects within Adelaide, including the awarded Adelaide Zoo Entrance Precinct and Giant Panda Holding Facility. In 2009 he registered as an Architect in South Australia.
Among other leading examples, Alex has demonstrated his contribution to architecture through leadership within his role as project Architect at HASSELL, and through his active involvement in developing HASSELL’s young designers.
Alex has made contributions to research and the education of Architecture through his engagement with The University of South Australia and Adelaide University architecture schools, as both studio educator and guest lecturer. He has also invested time exploring a number of his personal research interests; namely ‘urban environments that respond to social interaction, current habitation, sustainability principles and people focused experience.’
Alex is currently involved with the Australian Institute of Architects – SA chapter as a chapter councillor and has a strong focus on newer members to the profession. He was also previously a member of the editorial team for PLACE magazine.
As a keen advocate of community design activities, Alex has co-directed Adelaide’s ‘Park[ing] Day’ event, curated exhibitions and he was involved in the 5000plus project as a contributor. Alex is interested in developing and providing opportunities for newer members to the profession and this interest saw him take up the role of chair within NAG (New Architects and Graduates) in 2013.
As the recipient of this prize, Alex’s dedication and enthusiasm towards the profession of architecture and design, as well as his involvement and achievements within professional, educational and community groups is recognised.
2013 Sir James Irwin Presidents’ Medal: Adrian Evans
His first ten years of life as an architect saw him working for the SA Government where his designs included the Childrens Court, the Motor Registry Building in Wakefield Street and a major renovation of the Art Gallery of SA. He then worked as Principal Architect of the National Capital Development Commission in Canberra for two years.
Returning to Adelaide he soon became a principal and corporate head of Architecture at Hassell. In the ensuing seventeen years he was responsible for a range of well-known buildings in Adelaide including the Santos Athletics Stadium, Mile End, the Holden Pavilion at the Birdwood National Motor Museum, Finlaysons Office Building in Flinders Street, Wyatt House in Grenfell Street, the Central Wing at St Andrews Hospital, the (recently removed) Sir Donald Bradman Grandstand at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, the Adelaide College of the Arts on Light Square (I think his best).
He has continued to contribute to and support architectural education as a visiting lecturer and tutor at both Adelaide University and the University of South Australia as well as his Membership of the Louis Laybourne Smith School of Architecture & Design Advisory Committee from 2004 till 2012.
And since 2002 he has been leading his own practice JPE through thick and thin. It has not always been the easiest road – architecture is a tough profession – and throughout his career he has been true to his values and true to his unswerving passion for design and the pursuit of excellence. In the last decade his built legacy has continued to grow through projects such as the Margaret Tobin Mental Health Centre at Flinders University and the Wave and Edge Office and Apartments Development at the southern end of King William Street.
The Sustainable Architecture Awards
The Derrick Kendrick Award for Sustainable Architecture: Roach House Belair – Rod Roach Architect
The mainly northern orientation appropriately minimises solar gain in summer and maximises daylight access into almost every space – during daylight hours artificial lighting is not required. The orientation is intelligently managed by the provision of simple masonry fins which shield the living spaces from the morning and afternoon sun, yet help frame a wonderful view of the hills beyond.
The building mass, shading and orientation have allowed for no provision of air conditioning in summer and only minimal use of under floor trace heating in the winter. The spaces feel light, connected to the surrounding natural environment and most importantly it affords the occupants a very comfortable interior.
There are no technologies, high performance glazing systems, unique building composites, or contrived solutions. The renovations and extension have been very sensitively implemented, blending seamlessly into the original building, and maintaining the original design ethos.
Sustainable Architecture – Architecture Award: Goolwa Beach House – Grieve Gillett Pty Ltd
Combining successful form making with an enthusiastic ESD approach doesn’t always make for successful form making. This is not the case in this well considered beach side house. With attention to detail, the Architect has produced a house that utilises natural materials that are both elegant in their simplicity, yet represent a strong approach to sustainable design.
This house incorporates good orientation, appropriate insulation, good natural light and provides abundant cross flow ventilation, providing a building that is comfortable, without the need for air conditioning. The innovative use of a long PV array and a bank of hand operable horizontal screens, become strong design features in the overall composition of the house, beyond their place as sustainable inclusions. Ultimately this house proves that an intelligent and creative approach incorporating sustainable principals and materials can produce an architecturally strong building, proud of its ESD inspired roots.
Sustainable Architecture – Architecture Award: Barossa Valley Glass House – Max Pritchard Architect
This masterfully understated pavilion home ensures that every space has impressive views and a dominant northern orientation. This combined with a raft of conventional and appropriate ESD principles and building technologies have produced a house that impacts lightly on our planet’s resources.
The stand out ESD features of this house incorporate 3 key initiatives. The orientation of the house ensures extensive access to daylight, simultaneously providing great connectivity with the natural environment. Strong building orientation and use of external shading suppresses solar loads in summer and becomes a key poetic part of the architecture.
The Architect has skillfully incorporated everyday materials and thermal mass in the core structure, demonstrating a strong understanding of good passive design techniques.
Sustainable Architecture – Architecture Award – Commendations: Fan and Flare – Khab Architects
