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WA Museum Boola Bardip wins George Temple Poole Award at 2021 WA Architecture Awards

Headshot of Kim Macdonald
Kim MacdonaldThe West Australian
VideoWA’s $400 million Boola Bardip Museum opened its door at the weekend

The WA Museum Boola Bardip has taken out architecture’s most esteemed accolade, the George Temple Poole Award, at the Australian Institute of Architects 2021 WA Architecture Awards.

Architects Hassell + OMA accepted the award last night, with the jury praising the new building and restored heritage buildings for being exhibits as much as the museum’s contents.

The jury said the design was a superb facility for West Australians to both understand and celebrate their special place in the world.

The layout of the building — located in Perth’s Cultural Centre on Whadjuk Noongar land — was praised for the way it unfolds in a series of exciting spatial experiences.

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The win has prompted speculation the project will soon be recognised globally as a design of national and international significance.

The exterior of the WA Museum Boola Bardip.
Camera IconThe exterior of the WA Museum Boola Bardip. Credit: Peter Bennetts/Peter Bennetts

“Boola Bardip means many stories in Noongar language,” said the 2021 WA Architecture Awards Chair of Juries John Taylor.

“The museum reflects a care for the shared cultural heritage of all Western Australians.”

“In dealing with the constraints of the site, the architects have made a wider urban design contribution, providing vital activation and renewal of the Perth Cultural Centre.”

The WA Museum Boola Bardip also took out the The John Septimus Roe Award for Urban Design and The Jeffrey Howlett Award for Public Architecture, as well as a Commendation in the Heritage Architecture and Bluescope Colorbond Steel Architecture Categories.

Amongst an exceptionally high calibre of heritage entries, Farmers’ Home Hotel Northam by spaceagency architects took out the Margaret Pitt Morison Award for Heritage Architecture.

The gold spiral staircase at the WA Museum.
Camera IconThe gold spiral staircase at the WA Museum. Credit: MICHAEL HALUWANA- AEROTURE.COM.A

Both the Strawberry Hill/Barmup Visitor Orientation Hub, Albany by PTX Architects, and the Warders Hotel and Emily Taylor restaurant by Matthew Crawford Architects were recipients of Architecture Awards in the Heritage category.

EZONE UWA by Hassell received The Hillson Beasley Award for Educational Architecture, as well as an Architecture Award in the Sustainable Architecture category.

Bilya Marlee UWA by Kerry Hill Architects was awarded the Julius Elischer Award for Interior Architecture, with the jury impressed by the design team’s engagement with cultural adviser and Noongar Elder Richard Walley OAM through the design process to inform and respond to the knowledge systems of Western Australia’s Indigenous people.

WA Chapter President Peter Hobbs said the awards demonstrated how architecture helped build communities and foster a sense of place within the built environment.

“From revitalised heritage buildings to unique accommodation and inspiring educational hubs, there’s been consideration of people, history and cultural heritage throughout the designs,” he said.

“The rejuvenation of buildings and places in both metropolitan and regional areas has created memorable experiences which honour our rich history – with WA Museum Boola Bardip an exemplar of carefully-concepted design making an enormous contribution to the state.”

A kaleidoscopic tunnel in the Origins gallery at the WA Museum leads to a scale model of the Bungle Bungles.
Camera IconA kaleidoscopic tunnel in the Origins gallery at the WA Museum leads to a scale model of the Bungle Bungles. Credit: William Yeoman/The West Australian

All Western Australian Named and Architecture Award winners will progress to the national awards.

Full list of winners:

GEORGE TEMPLE POOLE AWARD

  • WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA

COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE

  • The Ross Chisholm and Gil Nicol Award for Commercial Architecture – the Warders Hotel & Emily Taylor by Matthew Crawford Architects
  • Architecture Award -Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam by spaceagency architects
  • Architecture Award -Shelter by Paul Burnham Architect
  • Architecture Award -EPIC -Empowering People in Communities by Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects
  • Commendation -Rauland Perth by AHArchitecture

EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

  • The Hillson Beasley Award for Educational Architecture -EZONE UWA by Hassell
  • Architecture Award -Margaret River Senior High School -Major Additions by With Architecture Studio
  • Commendation -Scotch College Mathematics + Commerce Building by Taylor Robinson Chaney Broderick
  • Commendation -Eaton Community College -New Science Building by SITE Architecture Studio

HERITAGE ARCHITECTURE

  • The Margaret Pitt Morison Award for Heritage -Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam by spaceagency architects
  • Architecture Award -Strawberry Hill/Barmup Visitor Orientation Hub, Albany by PTX Architects
  • Architecture Award -Warders Hotel & Emily Taylor by Matthew Crawford Architects
  • Commendation -WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

  • The Julius Elischer Award for Interior Architecture -Bilya Marlee UWA by Kerry Hill Architect
  • Architecture Award -Parmelia Hilton Refurbishment by Cox Architects
  • Commendation -Central Park Lobby Refurb by Woods Bagot

PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE

  • The Jeffrey Howlett Award for Public Architecture -WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA
  • Architecture Award -Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service Healthcare Hub Newman by Kaunitz Yeung Architecture
  • Commendation -Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community by Hassell

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE -HOUSES (ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS)

  • The Peter Overman Award for Residential Architecture -Houses (Alterations and Additions) -Beaconsfield House by Simon Pendal Architect
  • Architecture Award -Garden House_Rule Street by spaceagency architects
  • Architecture Award -East Fremantle House by Nic Brunsdon
  • Commendation -Nanhob Street by Klopper and Davis Architects

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE -HOUSES (NEW)

  • The Marshall Clifton Award for Residential Architecture -Houses (New) -Marmion
  • Street House by Philip Stejskal Architecture
  • Architecture Award -Macdonald Road House by Philip Stejskal Architecture
  • Commendation -Carr Street by Klopper & Davis Architects

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – MULTIPLE HOUSING

  • The Harold Krantz Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing – Glyde Street by MJA Studio
  • Architecture Award -The Social on Henry by Matthews & Scavalli Architects
  • Commendation -3x3 Houses by Gerry Kho Architects

SMALL PROJECT ARCHITECTURE

  • The Iwan Iwanoff Award for Small Project Architecture -Hayman Theatre Upgrade by With Architecture Studio

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

  • The Wallace Greenham Award for Sustainable Architecture -Macdonald Road House by Philip Stejskal Architecture
  • Architecture Award -EZONE UWA by Hassell

URBAN DESIGN

  • The John Septimus Roe Award for Urban Design -WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA

ENDURING ARCHITECTURE AWARD

  • The Richard Roach Jewell Award for Enduring Architecture -Town of Northam Council
  • Offices (former) and Library by Iwan Iwanoff

BLUESCOPE COLORBOND STEEL ARCHITECTURE

  • COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture -Eaton Community College -New
  • Science Building by SITE Architecture Studio
  • Commendation -WA Museum Boola Bardip by Hassell + OMA

MONDOLUCE WA LIGHTING AWARD

  • The Mondoluce WA Lighting Award -Warders Hotel & Emily Taylor by Matthew Crawford Architects
  • Commendation -Central Park Lobby Refurb by Woods Bagot
  • Commendation -Belridge Performing Arts Centre by Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects

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