The winners of the 2019 Think Brick Awards were announced last night at The Crown Palladium, Melbourne.
ARC, Joint Winner of the Horbury Hunt Commercial Award
The richest design awards in Australia, $70,000 in prize money was presented last night to designers whose work showcased bold and brave designs in the use of clay bricks, concrete masonry and roof tiles in contemporary Australian architecture.
"The winners last night displayed some of the boldest and bravest designs ever submitted to the Think Brick Awards," says Think Brick Australia CEO Elizabeth McIntyre.
"The architects’ use of brick, masonry and roof tiles in their designs highlights how these materials are front of mind in contemporary Australian design."
Two joint winners of the Horbury Hunt Commercial Award were announced on the night, both from buildings in Surry Hills.
The first was The Arc, by Koichi Takada Architects. The jury called it, "A sign of maturity of the use of brick in Australia. A very special contribution to the city of Sydney."
ROC, Joint Winner of the Horbury Hunt Commercial Award
It shared the award with Smart Studio Design's ROC, a project described as "Bold, brave and harkens back to the glory days of public infrastructure. The brickwork is incredibly sculptural, and the project has a lovely human scale."
"The Arc by Koichi Takada Architects and ROC by Smart Design Studio are exceptional examples of how brick can be used to draw awe and inspire," says McIntyre.
The winner of this year’s Horbury Hunt Residential Award, GB House by Renato D’Ettorre Architects, was awarded due to its unexpected use of brick.
"This project does things which you don’t expect with brick. It has a diaphanous, translucent quality as well as more traditional elements of mass that we expect," said the jury.
MUIR Architecture and Openwork's Doubleground won the Bruce Mackenzie Landscape Award for its use of brick "as a tapestry to weave within the confines and context of the art gallery space. It’s surprising in its context and is a generous public gesture".
The Kevin Borland Masonry Award went to House at Otago Bay by Topology Studio. "This project had a thorough understanding of the constraints and possibilities of masonry. It sits quietly in the landscape, incredibly resolved."
Subiaco House by Vokes and Peters took away the Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award, with the jury calling it "Spatially and geometrically nuanced. It showcases the elegance and complex forms of a roof tile when detailed correctly with care."
House at Otago Bay, Winner of the Kevin Borland Masonry Award at the 2019 Think Brick Awards.
Finally, the New Entrant Award was received by Curious Practice for 1 + 2 House. "Humble with a beautifully considered composition," said the jury.
"This project approaches the basics of construction and is able to find delight and invention in them."
Six industry experts made up this year's panel:
- Elizabeth McIntyre, Think Brick Australia
- Rachel Nolan, Kennedy Nolan
- Patrick Kennedy, Kennedy Nolan
- Melissa Bright, MAKE architecture
- Billy Kavellaris, KUD
- Andrew Hagemann, Fringe Architects