Resi projects dominate National Building Design Awards

Residential projects from Victoria have dominated the winners list at the National Building Design Awards, but it was a microbrewery in Northbridge WA that took out the top award.

The Northbridge Brewing Company project, designed by d4 Designs, won 2015 Building Design of the Year as well as Best New/Alteration/Addition Commercial Design and Best New/Alteration/Addition Industrial Design.

The judges said the project’s complex brief, including having to deal with tenants, landlord, 26 consultants and multiple state and local government authorities, made for a challenging design process.

Located on the northern edge of Northbridge Plaza, the building houses a working microbrewery, with the design showcasing the workings of the brewery’s pipework and kettles. Materials included recycled brickwork, glass, steel, copper and raw concrete, reducing the materials footprint of the project. Its public space is naturally ventilated and open to the plaza, and the judges noted it has been generating turnover for the owners that is “well beyond their expectations”.

The Best Sustainable Design award – Green and Gold House in Seaholme Victoria, by Positive Footprints

The project combines multigenerational living with accessible house design, and incorporates food production with a seedling-raising greenhouse and indigenous landscaping. Sustainability aspects include a 9.1 star NatHERS rating, passive solar design, water collection and re-use, earth tube cooling and greywater irrigation, phase change thermal mass, low embodied energy construction materials, extensive environmental specification, an environmental building control management system and a healthy interior.

The judges said, “The Green and Gold House is a model example of how low impact a home can be when all the elements of sustainable design are carefully considered and integrated together.”

Best Special Project Design – Richmond Icon in Melbourne by Armsby Architects

The redevelopment and restoration of Richmond’s much-loved Dimmey’s Building into a mixed-use residential and retail development required the architect and developer, Richmond Icon, to balance Heritage Victoria, town planning and community concerns while still maintaining a building that was affordable to build.

The judges said that facilitating vehicle and pedestrian access to the site while retaining the majority of the façade was challenging, as was designing a building with a vision for the future in a form that was both sympathetic to and respectful of the existing form.

“It is a positive response for adapting and creating adaptable buildings for our future,” the judges said.

“This building could well be converted back to commercial use in future should building requirements change.”

Full winners list

Designer	Designer Location	Project	Project Location	Designer
Queensland
Reitsma + Associates	Caloundra	Planet Homes Display	Pelican Waters	Best New Residential Design –up to $500K construction cost
Victoria
Taylor Reynolds	Fitzroy	Preston Townhouses	Preston	Best Residential Interior Design
Studio Mint	Melbourne	LK Group	Melbourne	Best Non-Residential Interior Design
EME Design	Fitzroy North	HeritageRe-Invention	South Yarra	Best Heritage Design
Positive Footprints	Seaholme	Green & Gold House	Seaholme	Best Sustainable Design
Armsby Architects	Port Melbourne	Richmond Icon – Dimmeys	Cremorne	Best Special Project Design
Form & Function Building Design	Warrnambool	Koala Childcare and Early Learning Centre	Warrnambool	Best New/Alteration/Addition Public Building Design
Taylor Reynolds	Fitzroy	Preston Townhouses	Preston	Best Multi-Residential Design – up to 6 Dwellings
Peter Searle Design	Kew	Urban Oasis Townhouse	Kew	Best Small Dwelling Design –up to 150m2
Christopher Megowan Design	St Kilda	Convertible Courtyards House	Prahran	Best Alteration/Addition Residential Design –up to $350K construction cost
Designers By Nature	Warrnambool	Coastal Exposure	Port Fairy	Best New Residential Design – $500K to $1M construction cost
Glow Design Group	Williamstown	Trentham House –700 haus	Trentham East	Commendation:Best New Residential Design – $500K to $1M construction cost
Rachcoff Vella Architecture	Richmond	Tarakan	Sorrento	Best New Residential Design – over $1M construction cost
Western Australia
d4 Designs	Subiaco	Northbridge Brewing Company	Northbridge	Best New/Alteration/Addition Commercial Design and Best New/Alteration/Addition Industrial Design
Sam MartinBuilding Design	Fremantle	Wray Avenue	Fremantle	Best Small Lot Design
arc seven.1	North Perth	North Perth Renovation	North Perth	Best Alteration/Addition Residential Design – $350K to $800K construction cost
DTDA	Mosman Park	View Street House	Peppermint Grove	Best Alteration/Addition Residential Design –over $800K construction cost
d4 Designs	Subiaco	Northbridge Brewing Company	Northbridge	National Building Designof the Year 2015