News Release

News Release - (Embargoed until 23 March 02)

BUILDING DESIGNERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

2002 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS

The seventh annual BDAA National Building Design Awards were presented at a cocktail event in Sydney at the Stamford Grand Hotel on Friday March 22^nd.

Over 140 people attended the function including a variety of media representatives, judges, sponsors and BDA members Australia-wide.

Increasingly, the BDAA awards attract a great deal of recognition for Building Designers and their innovative work, showcasing the quality and depth of design talent among Building Designers around the nation.

There are two main aims of the competition:

· To promote excellence in building design

· To establish a focus on the importance and skills of building designers

Respective state/territory associations nominate entrants in these awards. Each category has a maximum of one entry from each state/territory. Entrants are considered in a host of commercial and residential categories. 12 Judges reviewed 52 entries in 17 categories.

The judging process assesses a number of weighted criteria. For example the residential category criteria includes assessment of:

· The degree to which the clients brief has been satisfied

· The interior and exterior aesthetic

· Indoor / Outdoor relationships

· Climatic Considerations

· Zoning of activities

· Traffic Flow and furnishability

· Ergonomic, safety and utility issues

· Provision of facilities

· Appropriateness of Construction detailing

Judging of the Overall Design Excellence Award was again close this year. However such was the quality and diversity, the judges elected to award two Joint Design Excellence Winners, with one exampling superb use of space and light in inner-city living and the other showcasing country living with all the virtues of great environmentally sustainable design (ESD).

Joint Grand Excellence Winners (details appear in immediately following pages)

ROSS BEAVER (N.S.W.) - THE BLACK RANGE RESIDENCE

Sunjoule Design - 02 6041 6584

PETER FRYER (W.A.) - FRYER RESIDENCE :

Peter Fryer Exclusive Building Design - 08 9388 9963

Joint Grand Design Excellence winner:

ROSS BEAVER (N.S.W.) - THE BLACK RANGE RESIDENCE

Sunjoule Design - 02 6041 6584

The house is situated on a flat elevated site, atop the gently undulating “Black Range” on the outskirts of Albury Wodonga.

It offers spectacular panoramic views to the north over the Murray River plains and distant mountain ranges and south over bush land to the Indigo Valley.

Local government placed restrictions on design to ensure any new structure did not impinge, standout or disrupt the rugged mountain range skyline.

The client’s brief was for a bold dramatic family home befitting the harsh environment, utilize the clients access to low cost masonry blocks and also incorporate the use of a volume of recycled materials that had already been purchased from local building refits and demolitions and that were currently in storage.

This included steel channels and RSJs, a quantity of large granite blocks, red gum floor framing, ironbark posts, murray pine floor and a set of brass double doors (whose previous life was spent as front doors of the local bank)

The linear design combined well with the ideally placed site to capture the views and capitalized on the client’s commitment to energy conservation.

The judges commented that this was a truly remarkable integration of site and home using predominantly recycled materials.

Ross Beaver has interwoven a magic blend of timeless tradition and innovation with a sense of peace and tranquility. Set in a harsh environment. It is a unique achievement that comes along once in a while as an inspiration to all.

Joint Design Excellence winner:

PETER FRYER (W.A.) - FRYER RESIDENCE :

Peter Fryer Exclusive Building Design - 08 9388 996

This home explodes with light and energy. Totally intriguing, it compels the caller to explore open spaces that unwind on three different levels, all-opening onto a central court area that takes in northern light.

Remarkably, all this is achieved on an extremely tight site that is just 200m2 with an eight-meter frontage and a nine-meter height limit.

Being his own home, Peter Fryer had a vested interest in creating an exciting solution and fresh approach to small lot design. The impact of the entry makes an immediate statement about unfolding space and light.

Polished terrazzo flooring throughout the first level creates a great sense of flow. With bi-fold doors open, the courtyard area becomes part of the whole space and dramatically adds to the flow through effect.

Zoning of spaces works well throughout, with functions on the three different levels being defined as living, sleeping and working.

An all-encompassing use of natural light, vibrant colours and exceptional use of materials makes this a memorable home.