Award-winning architecture
is often characterised as the most modern, cutting edge and innovative
of the built realm. While these three elements often come together the
create highly acclaimed architecture, the Building Designers Australia
NSW Chapter has proven that this is not always the case.
Offering their top award to an
Australian classic, the building design authority has emphasised the
point that great design comes in any form, old or new, with a new spin
on a traditional favourite often creating a winning mix.
James Cooper of Sanctum Design’s Manly
Beach House, a modernised interpretation of the quintessential 1950s
beach house, was selected as the winner of Premier’s Award for Design
Excellence for new residential buildings over 450 square metres.
While the classic design
creates a strong sense of nostalgia, the modern features peppered
throughout the suburban beach side residential dwelling truly allow it
to stand out. These include an outdoor shower and ‘sand room’ that act
as functional spaces for post-beach activities.
The house itself focuses on optimising
natural flow and and natural lighting, creating a space catered to the
beach suburban lifestyle and all it has to offer.
Art House One by Kylie Mitchell Designs
took home the New Residential Buildings up to 250 square metres award as
well as the Penultimate Award or the Paul Dass Memorial Award.
While both of these developments fall into the residential sector, this is as far as their similarities go.
While Manly Beach house focuses on the
reinterpretation of a classic design developed in response to a popular
local lifestyle, the latter is a design piece that blurs the lines
between architecture and artistry.
According to Mitchell, the house simply
reflects her own desire to ‘create a living, breathing artwork, an
artwork that you can actually live in.’
“For a long time I had wanted to combine
the art and the building design, because they operate quite
separately,” she says. “With building design, you have a number of
regulations and codes that you have to work with whereas with the art I
can do whatever I want, whenever I feel like it.”
With award winners
varying greatly in their design motivations and interpretations, there
is no one key element common to all. If these particular awards
exemplify anything, it is that great design does not come in any one
distinct form, and that it can be delivered across a wide range of
genres.
No comments:
Post a Comment