AAA | AAA Unbuilt Architecture Awards 2013

The AAA Unbuilt Architecture Awards, in its 22nd year supported by Cavalier Bremworth, was celebrated in December 2013. Congratulations to our winners and thank you for those who entered and attended the lecture and awards night. Special thanks to the Judges, Pip Cheshire, Lindley Naismith and Dominic Glamuzina.

Unbuilt Architecture, whether its a work in progress or a conceptual drawing of the unbuildable, holds lofty ambitions, hinting at tomorrow and how things could be. Pip suggested in his lecture that the drawing of the unbuilt is as an opportunity to push for a vision and change the political momentum embedded in the built environment. Think bold, draw bold and get it out there. The experimental to the well grounded were on display at the awards night, undoubtedly stimulating conversation pieces for the hundred plus who attended the awards night.

The winners received a cash prize and the unique AAA cast bronze trophy. The entries of the winners, runner-ups and highly commenders are linked below.

For a review of the event by Pip Cheshire in The Block, the NZIA Auckland Branch broadsheet, read the article “A Strange Church“.

Open Work in Progress winners

Winner – RTA Studio for Mackelvie St office and carpark

“The building successfully completes a collection of others by the same architect to further reinforce a network of laneways, courtyards and connections. The building proposed is a strongly enclosing wall to an existing nascent courtyard and thus completes a comprehensive masterplan for the precinct.The project makes the most of a sole property owner to add to the liveliness and commercial activity of the street, block and neighbourhood.”

Runner Up – Nick Roberts for Arapai House

Open Conceptual winners

Winner – Terèse Fitzgerald for A Boutique Pataka

“The building has the tracery of a three dimensional drawing and scavenges the tractors, trailers and boats from the beach to reference the idiosyncrasies and peculiarities of this most robust site and create a specific identity for the remote community. As a tower it challenges the horizontality of traditional New Zealand seaside settlement.”

Runner Up – Jonathan A. Gibb for The Box Chapel

Highly Commended – Jonathan A. Gibb No. 8 Wire

Highly Commended – Liam James McRoberts for The New Villa

Highly Commended – Olivia Manusauloa for Agricultural Waterway

Student winners

Winner – Holly Yumeng Xie for Vanishing Acts

“A series of exquisitely made models and beautifully crafted drawings create a narrative that links eighteen stations each one designed to contain “the detritus of discarded identity”. These are located in and access the history of a remote and contested sub Antarctic island.The project suggests a universe of subtlety and complexity and which evokes the speculations on other worlds and imagined occupations described by Italo Calvino. !This is a tour de force of architectural exploration through the traditional architectural media that utilise the creative strength of the thinking hand.”