Published 28 Jun 2010: Victorian Architecture Medal Awarded for design of Melbourne Convention Centre

Joint Venture Architects Woods Bagot and NHArchitecture’s Melbourne Convention Centre has been honoured with four accolades at the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) Victoria Architecture Awards.

It received the prestigious Victorian Architecture Medal as a “unique project which reveals a number of design ideas that make it a leading project in contemporary world architecture.”

Recognising Victoria’s most inspirational new architectural projects and the architects responsible for them, the Australian Institute of Architects Victoria applauded Joint Venture Architects Woods Bagot and NHArchitecture’s Convention Centre design for its exceptional contribution to sustainable architecture in addition to re-activating Southbank’s larger urban fabric.

Receiving the state’s top honour – the Victorian Architecture Medal, the Convention Centre has set a global benchmark in sustainable design as the first convention centre in the world to be awarded a six Star Green Star rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.

The JV architecture team also took home the William Wardell Award for Public Architecture, the Melbourne Prize, the Sustainable Architecture and Steel Architecture Awards.
Plenary Group are very proud of the consortium’s design team, said Mr John O’Rourke, Plenary Group’s Principal.

“In putting together our consortium we wanted to back Melbourne’s home grown design talent; the result is a design that meets all of our goals and the goals of the Victorian Government. It makes a contribution to Melbourne’s built form in a way that only a local team could, he said.

Mr O’Rourke said, “NH’s Hamish Lyon and Woods Bagot’s Nic Karalis have worked collaboratively for stunning results and we couldn’t be happier with the success they have achieved.

PROJECT SUMMARY: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Melbourne
Area: Convention Centre – 66, 000m2, Retail and Lifestyle - 60, 000m2
Sustainability: Certified to six Star Green Star Convention Centre Design PILOT rating
Joint Venture Architects: Woods Bagot and NHArchitecture, for the Plenary Group Consortium
Client: Plenary Group

AWARDS SUMMARY: Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) Victoria Architecture Awards 2010
When: Announced at the official ceremony evening on Friday 25 June, 2010
Awards Won: Victorian Architecture Medal, William Wardell Award for Public Architecture, Sustainable Architecture Award, Steel Architecture Award and the Melbourne Prize.

Woods Bagot Media Release