The Victorian Architecture Awards Presentation Dinner is one of the most anticipated events on the architecture calendar. Not only is it an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the profession and recognise the accomplishments of the architects leading the industry, but also a chance to mingle with colleagues past and present.
This year’s event was held at Peninsula, Docklands and was hosted by comedian Mary Coustas, whom most of us know as “Effie” the stereotypical second generation Greek-Australian prone to malapropisms, who kept the audience in fits of laughter throughout the event.
This year 29 awards and 17 commendations were handed out across 12 categories, with ARM being awarded the highest achievement, the Victorian Architecture Medal, once again in 2016 for the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre.
A number of other familiar faces made an appearance, including Austin Maynard Architects in the residential and interiors categories for Mills, The Toy Management House and THAT House, as well as Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design in the education and heritage categories for the Geelong Grammar School, School of Performing Arts & Creative Education and the RMIT University, Building 11 Redevelopment.
Victorian Chapter President, Vanessa Bird, commanded the attention of the room for a different reason. Her speech addressed one of the most critical issues facing the future of the profession: the undervaluing of our core business – design.
“When I opened the Awards exhibition two weeks ago I was struck by the exceptional quality of the work given the current fee climate. It is astonishing that while fees are driven down, architects continually find ways to do good work. We are resilient, but this is not limitless. Expectations for ever-higher levels of service for the same fee can’t continue.”
Vanessa Bird’s speech was a powerful reminder that architects have to think about the long-term viability of the profession when calculating their fees. “It is one thing to live for architecture – it is quite another to die for it.”
Overall the standard of entries in the 2016 Architecture Awards was exceptional. With such a high standard of work being shortlisted and awarded across the country this year, I am sure the juries will face some tough decisions in the lead up to the National Architecture Awards in November.
Written by: Beth Xotta-Dickson of XOTTA Architects (Victorian Event Correspondent for AWS).
After working for a number of award winning architecture practices in Melbourne, Sydney and Milan, Beth Xotta-Dickson started her own practice XOTTA Architects, an emerging design driven studio focusing on residential, hospitality interiors and education facilities. She is an active member of the Melbourne architecture community, participating in New Architects Melbourne (NAM), The Australian Institute of Architects Constructive Mentor Program, The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Mentor Program, and is an occasional SONA workshop tutor at the University of Melbourne.
