By Trish Bowman
Cultural institutions have topped the list of winners at the 2023 Australian Institute of Architects’ Central Queensland Regional Architecture Awards with two Queensland art galleries among the region’s top winners.
Rockhampton Museum of Art (RMOA), by Conrad Gargett, Clare Design (Lead Design
Architects) and Brian Hooper Architect, was honoured with the top gong ¾ the J W Wilson
Award for Building of the Year ¾ and a regional commendation for Public Architecture.
RMOA provides a substantial new home for what is one of the most significant regional
collections of modern Australian art in Rockhampton.
The jury applauded the project as exemplary of the commitment of a community and its
administrators to deliver significant public architecture to the city’s cultural heart.
Architect Brian Hooper said the Queensland awards are unique in that the judging jury visit each and every nominated structure in a very thorough and robust process and to fully appreciate the full depth of the structure.
“There are seven regions within the awards and finalists are then elevated to the State awards,” Mr Hooper said.
“We take a great deal of pride in what we do and there truly is no higher accolade than through peer recognition.”
Mr Hooper said he draws his inspiration from the contextual response to the site and client expectations and briefs.
“I have been very fortunate to be involved in some very unique projects,” he said.
“Western QLD over the past decade have committed and produced some great architectural projects often on limited budgets to produce fantastic projects that are both unique and blend well with the environment.”
Fig Tree Galleries in Yeppoon, by Design + Architecture, was awarded Regional Project of
the Year and a regional commendation for Small Architecture. The jury commended the
project’s civic presence, its clever integration of historical references and sense of
playfulness.
Coconut Ice at Millbank, by Tomas O Malley Architect, was named House of the Year and
also received a regional commendation for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) and
Central Queensland’s People’s Choice Award.
Other Central Queensland Regional Commendations include the third stage of the Australian Age of the Dinosaurs facility at Winton, known as Dynamic Destination, by Cox Architecture and CultivAR Architecture, received a regional commendation in Public Architecture.
The project included the ‘March of the Titanosaurs’ pavilion containing a 60-metre-long
fossilised dinosaur footprint trackway, and ‘Gondwana Stars Observatory’, a signature
enclosure hosting deep-time astronomy sessions.
Both attractions have proven a game changer for the outback museum, now its biggest income generator and attracting more than 60,000 people in its first year of operation.
The Globe Lookout at Barcaldine, by Brian Hooper architect and m3architecture, received a
regional commendation in Small Project Architecture, while QFES North Coast Regional
Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station, by Baber Studio Architects, were
received a regional commendation in Commercial Architecture.
The region’s commended projects have now been shortlisted for the Australian Institute of
Architects’ Queensland Architecture Awards. The state awards will be awarded on 22 June,
2023.
The winners
Rockhampton Museum of Art
By Conrad Gargett, Clare Design (Lead Design Architects) and Brian Hooper Architect
REGIONAL COMMENDATION, Public Architecture
NAMED AWARD: J W Wilson Award for Building of the Year
Fig Tree Galleries
By Design + Architecture
REGIONAL COMMENDATION, Small Architecture
NAMED AWARD: Regional Project of the Year
Coconut Ice
By Tomas O’Malley Architect
REGIONAL COMMENDATION, Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
NAMED AWARD: House of the Year
QFES North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station
By Baber Studio Architects
REGIONAL COMMENDATION, Commercial Architecture
Dynamic Destination Project
By Cox Architecture and CultivAR Architecture
REGIONAL COMMENDATION, Public Architecture
The Globe Lookout
By Brian Hooper Architect and m3architecture
REGIONAL COMMENDATION, Small Architecture