A council-run community centre in Preston in Melbourne’s north has been named the Australian Grand Prix winner in the Dulux Colour Awards, while a theatre restoration project in Wellington has taken out the top New Zealand prize.
Darebin Intercultural Centre, designed by Sibling Architecture, pushes boundaries with its bold use of colour within an 1895 building. The jury said the project was an immediate stand out for its ambitious brief and contribution to its locale, with the colour contributing to a welcoming space for a diverse community.
“The deliberate avoidance of any recognizable cultural representation placed greater importance on the form and material palette, and we applaud the strong tie to the brief, achieved through the push and pull of colour and texture,” the judges said.
Darebin Intercultural Centre by Sibling Architecture.
Image:
Peter Bennetts
“Although the use of colour to define spaces is a tangible device, in this project, colour is also highly emotive, encouraging interaction and inclusion. The idea is brilliant, and the delivery is impressive, with contrasting colours representing the diverse community, balanced to achieve a cohesive, restrained result.”
The Grand Prix New Zealand winner is St James Theatre, by Shand Shelton, which recognized the restoration of what has been Wellington’s premier lyric theatre for 100 years. “The revitalization of the St James Theatre in Wellington is a celebration of craftsmanship and a gift to the community,” the judges said.
St James Theatre by Shand Shelton.
Image:
Paul McCredie
“The significance of the undertaking was potentially daunting and there were undoubtedly ‘safer’ strategies, but the architects have embraced the challenge, specifying a complex palette, inspired by early drawings of the heritage-listed building.
Prioritizing an investment in artisans to execute the intricate colour scheme has paid off, for this attention to detail has achieved optimal authenticity and light balance for theatre conditions.”
The winners were selected from 113 finalists across Australia and New Zealand. “Across the board, the high calibre of projects is to be celebrated for they represent a mastery in colour usage, which can only serve to improve our built environment, and ultimately our collective and individual experience of it,” said the judges.
Grand Prix Australia Winner
Darebin Intercultural Centre – Sibling Architecture
Grand Prix New Zealand Winner
St James Theatre – Shand Shelton
Single Residential Exterior
Winner
Nightlight – Fabric
Nightlight by Fabric.
Image:
Nancy Zhou
Residential Interior
Winner
Alma Road Residence – Studiofour
Commendations
Studio Elroy – Lintel Studio for Architecture
Mount Mac – Williams Burton Leopardi
Commercial Interior – Workplace and Retail
Winner
Postal Hall – Trower Falvo Architects with Alessio Fini
Postal Hall by Trower Falvo Architects with Alessio Fini
Image:
Benjamin Hosking
Commendation
Insight Body and Mind – Biasol Studio
Commercial Interior – Public and Hospitality
Winner
Darebin Intercultural Centre – Sibling Architecture
Commendations
S’wich Bondi – Studio Shandi
St James Theatre – Shand Shelton
Commercial & Multi Residential Exterior
Winner
PHIVE Community, Cultural and Civic Hub – Designinc
PHIVE Community, Cultural and Civic Hub by Designinc.
Image:
Brett Boardman
Student Winner – Australia
Hues of Mount Kunanyi – Ruby Shields, RMIT University
Student Winner – New Zealand
The Canopy Bench – Augustina Binyamin, Victoria University
Source: Architecture - architectureau
