Robin Boyd Award facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Robin Boyd Award for New Residential Architecture |
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Robin Boyd Medal
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| Presented by | Australian Institute of Architects |
| Country | Australia |
| First awarded | 1981 |
| Last awarded | 2023 |
The Robin Boyd Award for New Residential Architecture is a really important prize for amazing house designs in Australia. The Australian Institute of Architects gives out this award every year. It started in 1981.
This award is the top prize for homes in Australia. Besides the main Robin Boyd Award, other special awards like 'National Award' and 'National Commendation' are given to other great designs.
The award remembers a famous Australian architect named Robin Boyd (who lived from 1919 to 1971). It's given to homes that are super well-designed. These homes need to fit what the people living there need, work well with the land they're on, and show off the newest and best ideas in house design.
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Architects Who Won Many Times
Some architects have won the Robin Boyd Award more than once!
- Peter Stutchbury, an architect from Sydney, has won the award four times! He won in 2003, 2005, 2020, and 2021.
- The team at Durbach Block Jaggers, also from Sydney, has won three times. They won in 1998, 2004, and 2017.
- Other architects who have won twice include Glenn Murcutt, Lindsay Clare, John Wardle, Timothy Hill, Sean Godsell, Alexander Tzannes, Kerstin Thompson, Troppo Architects, and Denton Corker Marshall.
Cool Award-Winning Homes
Since 1981, many amazing houses have won the Robin Boyd Award. Here are a few examples:
- 1981: The very first award went to Glenn Murcutt for two houses, the Nicholas and Carruthers Houses, in Mount Irvine, New South Wales.
- 1985: Glenn Murcutt won again for the Magney House in Bingie Bingie Point, New South Wales. This house was so good it also won an "Enduring Architecture Award" much later in 2011, meaning it's still considered a fantastic design!
- 1991: The Tent House by Gabriel Poole in Eumundi, Queensland was a joint winner. It's famous for its unique tent-like roof.
- 1999: The Sheep Farm House by Denton Corker Marshall in Kyneton, Victoria was a joint winner. It's a great example of a modern farm building.
- 2006: The St Andrews Beach House by Sean Godsell Architects in St Andrews Beach, Victoria is known for its clever design that opens and closes to the weather.
- 2012: John Wardle Architects won for the Shearer's Quarters on North Bruny Island, Tasmania. This building was designed for sheep shearers, showing how even practical buildings can be beautiful.
- 2016: The 'Indigo Slam' house by Smart Design Studio in Chippendale, New South Wales won. It's a very striking and modern home.
- 2021: The 'Night Sky' house by Peter Stutchbury Architecture in Blackheath, New South Wales won. This house is designed to connect with the natural environment and the night sky.
- 2023: The most recent winner is 19 Waterloo Street by SJB Architects in Surry Hills, New South Wales.
It's interesting to note that no main award was given in 1982 and 2022.
2022 Award Shortlist
In 2022, several great projects were considered for the award. Even though no main Robin Boyd Award was given that year, these homes were still recognized for their excellent design:
- Mays Point House in Mays Point, Tasmania, by Tanner Architects.
- LiveWorkShare House in Samford Village, Queensland, by Bligh Graham Architects.
- Curl Curl House in Curl Curl, New South Wales, by TRIAS (which won a 2022 National Award).
- Stable House in Forest Lodge, New South Wales, by Sibling Architecture.
- Corner House in Flinders, Victoria, by Archier (which received a 2022 National Commendation).
- Jimmy’s House in Goonderup, North Perth, Western Australia, by MJA Studio with Studio Roam and IOTA (which won a 2022 National Award).
The judges decided not to give out the main award in 2022. This was only the second time this has happened in the award's history!
2023 Award Winners
For the 2023 Robin Boyd Award, these projects were chosen as finalists by the Australian Institute of Architects:
- 19 Waterloo Street in Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, by SJB. This house won the 2023 Robin Boyd Award!
- Blok Stafford Heights in Stafford Heights, Brisbane, Queensland, by Blok Modular with Vokes and Peters.
- Celilo Springs in Mount Lawley, Perth, Western Australia, by Western Architecture Studio.
- Merricks Farmhouse on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, by Michael Lumby with Nielsen Jenkins (which won a 2023 National Award).
- Mossy Point House on the South Coast, New South Wales, by Edition Office (which received a 2023 National Commendation).
- Spring Creek Road Farm House in Bannockburn, Victoria, by Architect Brew Koch (which won a 2023 National Award).
- Triptych in Rural Tasmania, by Room 11 Architects.
The main Robin Boyd Award for 2023 went to Adam Haddow and Stewart Cowan from SJB for their amazing design of 19 Waterloo Street. The judges loved how this house fit into a small, tricky space in the city. They said:
"19 Waterloo Street is a spectacular example of a new approach to urban infill. Constructed on the 30 square metres left between a new mixed-use building (a studio apartment and commercial tenancy) and an existing factory, the home shows how hard architecture can work, even on a small footprint. From the moment it comes into view, the home announces itself as something different. Full of colour, the facade disguises the program within, allowing an element of privacy balanced by a sense of generosity to the public street. All the required elements of home are present, with each opening off the central stair. Entry, workspace, kitchen, living and bedroom all have their own character and charm. Each is also light and radiates an overwhelming impression of space and connection to greenery that is not easily achieved within such a hard, industrial fabric. The culmination of the upwards journey is a rooftop garden that provides that final, much-loved element of the Australian home. No function was jettisoned in the small footprint, and the space is successful as a home for two, or as a space to welcome gatherings."
Where the Awards Are Won
By 2023, 49 Robin Boyd Awards had been given out over 42 years. Only twice (in 1982 and 2022) was no main award given. Sometimes, more than one project shares the award in the same year.
Most of the awards (39 out of 49) have gone to stand-alone houses. Almost half of these winning houses (19 total) are beach houses or holiday homes!
About 40% of the winning homes are in remote areas, while only 22% are in busy inner-city areas. About 15% of the winners are in suburban neighborhoods.
More than two-thirds of all the awards have been won by buildings in New South Wales or Victoria. In fact, 92% of all awards have gone to projects in the eastern states of New South Wales (43%), Victoria (27%), and Queensland (22%). No architects or projects from South Australia or the Australian Capital Territory have won the main award yet.
The most popular places for winning homes are Sydney's beachside or harborside suburbs (10 awards), Queensland's coastal areas (7 awards), or the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria (6 awards). Overall, about half of the winning projects (50%) are on the coast, 22% are in inner cities, 12% are in rural areas, and 14% are in suburbs.
Awards by Australian state or territory, 1981—2023, by location of building (total 49 awards) New South Wales (43%) Victoria (27%) Queensland (22%) Tasmania (4%) Western Australia (2%) Northern Territory (2%) South Australia (0%) Australian Capital Territory (0%)
See also
- Australian Institute of Architects
- Robin Boyd
- Victorian Architecture Medal
- Sir John Sulman Medal
- Wilkinson Award
