YOUR CHANCE to VOTE on Tasmania’s ‘Best New Architectural Project’

Tasmanians have the opportunity to nominate the State’s ‘best new building’ from 27 inspiring projects vying for top honours in the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2012 Tasmanian Architecture Awards.

At the launch of the awards exhibition at the IXL Atrium in Hobart last night, Tasmanian President of the Institute, Karen Davis, encouraged all to support their favourite new Tasmanian building.

‘The People’s Choice voting will be open until 5pm on Wednesday 13 June, with the most popular project announced at an awards ceremony in the Century Room at Blundstone Arena on Saturday 16 June,’ Mrs Davis said.

Projects competing in the awards range from interesting and unique new houses at Sandy Bay, South and East Launceston, Low Head, Mountain River, Eagle Hawk Neck and Bruny Island to affordable social housing complexes at Moonah and Berriedale and several residential projects involving sensitive alterations and additions.

Major public buildings in contention include the Kingston High School, St Mary’s Cathedral Centre, Ulverstone Sports & Leisure Complex and MONA – the much lauded Museum of Old & New Art.

Pirates Bay Pavilions by Stuart Tanner Architects. Image by Brett Boardman

Commercial projects range from the Bisdee Tier Optical Astronomy Observatory at Spring Hill, to an Aboriginal Children’s Centre at Risdon Cove and the Devonport Surf Life Saving Club Redevelopment to interior fit-outs including Tony Hill Dental and Garagistes. Some of the smaller projects include a tiny basement in Macquarie Street and St Virgil’s Centenary History Centre.

Devonport Surf Life Saving Club Redevelopment by Jawsarchitects. Image by Brett Boardman

‘Architects operating in Tasmania often have to work on difficult and remote sites or within extremely tight budgets,’ added Mrs Davis.

‘Many of the projects in this year’s awards demonstrate a high level of ingenuity and collaboration with clients and builders to produce great buildings,’ she said.

MONA by Fender Katsalidis. Image by Leigh Carmichael

To vote, log on to www.architecture.com.au/tas or visit the 2012 Tasmanian Architecture Awards Exhibition at the IXL Atrium from Friday June 1.

The Awards exhibition will run until Sunday 1 July in Hobart, before showing at the Makers’ Workshop in Burnie from Monday 23 July to Sunday 5 August and the Design Centre Launceston from Friday 10 to Sunday 19 August.

Projects in the running for this year’s awards are:

Architectural Project Architectural Practice Architectural Category Location
42 Goulburn St Hobart Circa Morris-Nunn Residential – Alterations + Additions Hobart
Aboriginal Children’s Centre Tim Penny Architecture + Interiors Commercial Architecture Risdon Cove
Basement Preston Lane Architects Small Project Architecture Hobart
Bisdee Tier Optical Astronomy Observatory Philp Lighton Architects Commercial Architecture Spring Hill
California Dreaming Bild Architecture Residential – Multiple Housing South Launceston
Devonport Surf Life Saving Club Redevelopment Jawsarchitects Commercial Architecture Devonport
Drift Bar and Café Jawsarchitects/Jaws2 Commercial Architecture Devonport
Grandy & Roberts Interia Design & Architecture Interior Architecture Hobart
Garagistes Paul Johnston Architects Interior Architecture Hobart
Hopkins Street Affordable Housing Xsquared Architects Residential – Multiple Housing Moonah
Integrated Care Service Building Launceston General Hospital Architects Designhaus, Philp Lighton & Health Science Planning Architects in Association Public Architecture Launceston
Kingston High School Hassell in collaboration with Jawsarchitects Public Architecture Kingston
Lagoon Beach House Birrelli Architects Residential – New Houses Low Head
Maroni Close Housing Unit Development Architects Designhaus Residential – Multiple Housing Berriedale
MONA – Museum of Old & New Art Fender Katsalidis Public Architecture Berriedale
Patrick Street Residence Liminal Spaces Residential – Alterations + Additions West Hobart
Pirates Bay Pavilions Stuart Tanner Architects Small Project Architecture Eagle Hawk Neck
Princes Wharf Shed 1 Circa Morris-Nunn Public Architecture Hobart
Somerset Alexander Ashley-Jones Architect Residential – Alterations + Additions East Launceston
St Mary’s Cathedral Upgrade Stage 1: Cathedral Centre Circa Morris-Nunn Public Architecture Hobart
St Virgil’s Centenary History Centre Tim Penny Architecture + Interiors Small Project Architecture Hobart
Swanwick Beach House Philp Lighton Architects Residential – Alterations + Additions Swanwick
‘The house is so easy to live with’ IKA Ian Kirk Architecture Residential – New Houses Sandy Bay
The Shearer’s Quarters John Wardle Architects Residential – New Houses Bruny Island
Tony Hill Dental Liminal Spaces Interior Architecture Hobart
Ulverstone Sports and Leisure Complex Philp Lighton Architects Public Architecture Ulverstone