The houses that took home awards at the ACT Architecture Awards

A new Curtin house with a bold silhouette has been named the ACT’s top home. 

The Lemon Wedge House by Canberra’s Philip Leeson Architects took out the residential house of the year award for new houses at the ACT Architecture Awards on Friday.

The Lemon Wedge House, completed in 2019, was commended for its “bold silhouette with a prominent roof form that is highly visible to the public frontages”.  It replaced a home that was removed from the site as part of the Mr Fluffy asbestos demolitions.

“This is an intentionally defensive gesture that casts a high shield and protective skin in response to the exposed setting, which diminishes in scale within the central, private courtyard,” Philip Leeson Architects said. The firm was awarded the Malcolm Moir and Heather Sutherland Award.

In the same category, Rob Henry Architects was also awarded for its work on the Stepping House in Ainslie.

Nestled at the foot of Mount Ainslie, the Stepping House was designed to blend with the native landscape. The single-story home was constructed in stone, timber and charcoal cladding and was commended for maintaining the “qualities that underpinned its mid-century predecessors of harmony with landscape and modesty in footprint”

Commendations also went to Ben Walker Architects for AB House in Hackett and de Rome Architects for its work on Coolbardie House.

In the Residential Architecture (Alterations and Additions) category, Joanna Nelson Architect took out the top gong, the Gene Willsford Award, for the Higgins Crescent Project.

A former maternity hospital built in 1928, which was later used as a migrant hostel, was lovingly repurposed as a self-contained studio, offering a contrasting experience to the house, the organisation said.

“The principle architectural idea is to retain the considerable embodied energy – cultural and material – of the house and outbuilding and to create strong counterpoints in the design of new internal elements and external structures and spaces,” Joanna Nelson said.

Phillip Leeson Architects’ ‘Snorkel House’ and Mako Architecture‘s ‘Marty + Naomi’s SunTrap’ were also awarded in the same category with commendations given to Collins Pennington Architects for its work on MM House in Griffith.

A monument at the Australian War Memorial, dubbed ‘For Our Country’, took home the top gong at the awards ceremony and was presented the Canberra Medallion for its design.

For Our Country was designed by artist Daniel Boyd and Edition Office Architects, commemorating the military service and experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who fought for Australia.

“Physically small, but carrying an enormous weight of significance, For Our Country reflects honestly upon a complex history, and looks forward to greater cultural understanding,” said Australian Institute of Architects ACT jury chair Marcus Graham.

Mr Boyd and Edition Office Architects’ work also took out a number of awards including the Small Project Architecture Award, the Cynthia Breheny Award, the Pamille Berg Award for Art in Architecture and the Robert Foster Award for Light in Architecture. 

The awards were held virtually on Friday, open to members and the public free of charge. The digital presentations crossed live to the winners and architects. 

All named award and award winners will now progress to the National Architecture Awards which will be held on July 17.

Award winners this year:

Canberra Medallion

For Our Country by Edition Office and Daniel Boyd

Emerging Architect Prize

Sarah Lebner, Light House Architecture & Science 

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) 

The Gene Willsford Award – Higgins Crescent Project by Joanna Nelson Architect

Award – Snorkel House by Philip Leeson Architects

Award – Marty + Naomi’s SunTrap by MAKO Architecture

Commendation – MM House by Collins Pennington Architects

Residential Architecture – Houses (New) 

The Malcolm Moir and Heather Sutherland Award – Lemon Wedge House by Philip Leeson Architects

Award – Stepping House by Rob Henry Architects

Commendation – Coolbardie House by de Rome Architects

Commendation – AB House by Ben Walker Architects

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing 

The Sydney Ancher Award – Bruce Hall & Wright Hall by nettletontribe

Commendation – Dominion Residence by Collins Pennington Architects

Commendation – Kingsborough – Warehouse by JUDD.studio

Commercial Architecture

Commendation – Civic Quarter by Cox Architecture and May + Russell Architects

Commendation – Di Riddell Student Centre, ANU by BVN

Interior Architecture 

The W Hayward Morris Award – ACT Law Courts by Lyons

Award – ANU College of Law by Guida Moseley Brown Architects

Commendation – The Australian National Audit Office by Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn

Educational Architecture

The Enrico Taglietti Award – ANU College of Law by Guida Moseley Brown Architects

Award – Marie Reay Teaching Centre, ANU by BVN

Commendation – St Mary MacKillop College Science Technology Engineering Maths (STEM) Centre by Thursday Architecture 

Commendation – St Mary MacKillop College, Academic Resources Centre and Canteen by CCJ Architects

Public Architecture

The Romaldo Giurgola Award – ACT Law Courts by Lyons

Award – Kambri at ANU by BVN (public domain by lahznimmo architects and ASPECT Studios)

Small Project Architecture 

The Cynthia Breheny Award – For Our Country by Edition Office and Daniel Boyd

Urban Design

The Sir John Overall Award – Campbell Section 5 Master Plan by Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects

Award – ANU Kambri Precinct by lahznimmo architects, BVN and ASPECT Studios

Sustainable Architecture 

The Derek Wrigley Award – Marie Reay Teaching Centre, ANU by BVN 

Commendation – ANU College of Law by Guida Moseley Brown Architects

Enduring Architecture

The Sir Roy Grounds Award – Greenwood House (1975) by Ian Slater

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture 

Elm Grove House by Ben Walker Architects

The Pamille Berg Award for Art in Architecture

 For Our Country by Edition Office and Daniel Boyd

The Robert Foster Award for Light in Architecture 

For Our Country by Edition Office and Daniel Boyd