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The entries for the 2015 awards
reflect the broad range of
architectural projects across New
South Wales – from outstanding
large-scale public place-making
through to imaginative and
cost-effective alterations and
additions to modest houses. 79
projects were shortlisted from
171 entries, a success rate of 46%.
53 awards and commendations
have been made, meaning that
nearly a third of entries received
an accolade in the program, and
detailed in this official awards
publication. I am pleased to see
the juries are maintaining a spirit
of generosity in acknowledging
the good work of our peers.
There has been progress on a
number of fronts in this year’s
awards program:
• One of the major
misconceptions in recent years
is that the public architecture
category is exclusively for
public buildings that are
accessible to the public.
Institutional buildings that can
in fact be quite private are,
however, still eligible. There
were a number of entries for
‘private’ buildings in public
institutions this year, indicating
that the right message
is getting through to the
profession.
• Another common
misconception is that the
interior category is exclusively
for ‘separately commissioned’
interiors – whereas any
interior, including those
wholly integrated with the
architecture in a single
commission, is equally eligible.
The range of entries in this
category indicates that this
broad definition of eligibility is
now better understood.
• Unbuilt master plan projects
are eligible in the urban
category. One entry was
received this year; the Institute
will be encouraging more
entries in future years.
• Acknowledging the
inventiveness of short-
term ‘pop up’ architecture
in recent years, the small
project category now includes
transient architecture; projects
that may not be visited by
juries because they have
been dismantled prior to the
period of the judging process.
The category also includes
temporary work such as
exhibition design, set design or
installations.
Education category
One of the most important
decisions taken this year was
to create an awards category
for education buildings entirely
separate from the public
architecture category. A new
named award for NSW - the
William E. Kemp Award - has also
been created for this category.
This change acknowledges the
increase in the number and
quality of entries for educational
buildings over recent years. It
also recognises the unique user
requirements of educational
institutions, including the
separation of common areas
from spaces specifically for staff
or students, and the challenges
these pose for the architect.
Lighting prize
The IALD Lighting Prize is a
new award created to celebrate
the UNESCO International Year
of Light 2015, by promoting
lighting design in the built
environment, and collaboration
between architects and
lighting designers. It has been
introduced in collaboration with
the International Association of
Lighting Designers (IALD) and is
sponsored by Erco.
Marion Mahony Griffin Prize
We are also very pleased to
announce Bespoke as a new
sponsor of the NSW Awards,
supporting the Marion Mahony
Griffin Prize which recognises
the work of a female architect in
the profession. Bespoke join us
at an exciting time for the Prize
and we welcome their support
in promoting the work of the
recipient this year and into the
future.
Gender equity
This is an area of Institute activity
where I’ve been pleased to
observe considerable investment
of time and energy by member
practices. One of my first actions
as incoming President was to
help launch the NSW Champions
of Change program alongside
the Gender Equity Taskforce, Sex
Discrimination Commissioner
Elizabeth Broderick, Arup CEO
Peter Bailey and Parlour’s Dr
Naomi Stead and Justine Clark in
March.
At the end of April our facilitator
Dr Jess Murphy and I hosted the
first meeting of the program.
It was a very good start. Nine
interesting men from medium to
large practices told a variety of
stories about their journeys along
the road to gender equity in their
practices and in their dealings
with professional colleagues. I
was struck by the honesty of
their stories and the strength of
their desire to be an effective
champion. I am confident that
the camaraderie developed
at that meeting will lead to
substantial progress in the years
ahead.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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