The Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) National Architecture Awards (to be awarded on November 6th) include a category called “Durable Architecture”.
Where fast-paced “build and release” cycles often become the operating model of construction companies, this award allows us to stop and consider slow and thoughtful, longer horizons, and greater benefits.
This category first appeared in 2007 and is a renaming of the “25 Years Award” first awarded in 2003. The institute’s policy is separate from traditional awards and specifically excludes adaptive reuse projects. Instead, it recognizes the “durable characteristics” of buildings that are sufficiently aged.
In the past 25 years, in addition to allowing fashion trends to gain recognition through fierce competition in the award year, it has also tested the durability of building materials for 25 years. Some architects expect the surrounding environment to change slowly and the materials inevitably rot: it takes several months for the original hardwood to turn gray, the sandstone building’s color dulling may take several years, and the bronze roof takes several years. Green evenly.
After many years, their actual intentions will be revealed. Buildings that deeply integrate gardens into their designs may take ten years to mature.
Is construction a charity act?
Endurance is one of the classical virtues of architecture. The earliest architectural writing was praised by the Roman architect Vitruvius as the “Ten Books of Architecture”, which may have been written around 15 BC and dedicated to Emperor Augustus .
Vitruvius often quotes the three-in-one of architectural value: beauty, merchandise, and firmness are enhanced by more subtly expressing preferences in the text.
Vitruvius may reflect the architectural sensitivity of Augustus, apparently placing public buildings above private buildings. Although he believes that an architect should be trained to protect the public interest, Vitruvius recognizes that many architects are not so generous.
He is even keen to appreciate the residents who build their houses, rather than entrusting the houses to architects who may be self-serving and hungry for money.
All the values expressed by Vitruvius 2,000 years ago are still the basic values of the industry.
However, it is difficult at any time to assess whether architectural works are in the public interest. After the building was opened, countless projects with public components have been secretly deleted by the owner of the building.
The Enduring Architecture Award removes the pressure of evaluating buildings only when they are newly built or reviewing the functions of buildings in the first year, and consistently recognizes buildings that retain or enhance their public functions in the years after their completion.
Excellent residential project
Since receiving the award for 25 years, almost all of the 11 projects that have won the award include large areas of public space.
Most are public buildings: three theaters, two courts and a parliament. Two award-winning commercial buildings, Australia Square in Sydney’s Central Business District and the former BHP Billiton Tower in Melbourne’s Central Business District, have sacrificed the potential for profitable floor leasing and incorporated them into large public areas, greatly improving the areas they live in. Convenience and value.
The exception to the public spirit award commending the building is three private residences.
The Magney House by Glenn Murcutt, architect of Bingie Bingie on the south coast of New South Wales, is arguably the most unique and well-known house in Australia. It has become an unprecedented topic of international media attention. As a summer resort, this house belongs to purely private interest, which makes Vitruvius suspicious.
However, its iconic height has attracted international attention from the Australian architecture community, proving that it is considered a real exception.
The two remaining residential projects (Kempsey Farmhouse in Glenn Murcutt, New South Wales and Robin Boyd House II in South Yarra, Melbourne) are also exceptions. Both are designed and built for the client and then purchased by the architect who performs the final renovation.
These are examples of Vitruvius’s respected buildings for family residents to build themselves. Considering the overall trend of this award, we can congratulate AIA for continuing to recognize the buildings that generate public spaces, not only attracting press releases and annual awards. Circulate, but maintain public space during decades of use.
We may also suspect that the houses of other outstanding architects, such as Richard Leplastrier’s house in Lovett Bay, will be used in rotation with age. In this year’s shortlisted works, Enrico Taglietti (in Red Hill, Canberra)’s Apostolic Association, Ian McKay and Phillip Cox’s CB Alexander College (Newcastle), Peter McIntyre’s McIntyre House (Victoria Kew) and Troppo Architects’ Troppoville (located in Coconut Grove, New Hampshire) – the most consistent with the history of the award The work is a house (main image) built by Peter McIntyre for himself and his family.
Like Murcutt’s houses, at first glance, this extraordinary design is difficult to obsolete. This building that seems to have been decades old looks decades younger than it is now, and can still be used as a prototype and prototype, well adapted to the Australian climate.
Many contemporary buildings are struggling to achieve this environmental awareness, and recognition of this house may help divert the attention of Australian residential architecture to the enduring necessity of placing it in its landscape.
Vitruvius knew a lot about this and wrote about cities, streets, public buildings and houses that were arranged according to the sun, wind and rain.
celebrate
The most frequently used term is to cast architecture into a quasi-religious perspective: the key word is “celebration”.
Therefore, the building “celebrates its spectacular waterfront location”, “celebrates the horizon”, “celebrates beach culture”, “celebrates the hedonism of Bondi life”, “celebrates the use of balconies in native Queensland architecture”, and “celebrates the building’s Predecessor”. Life”, “Celebrate the terrace and enjoy the view”, “Glow jubilantly on the beach like a lantern”.
The decisive fact in the architectural world is that it “glows through the whole process.” However, the celebration originated from the Latin public, which means “to gather (in large numbers) to praise or praise”.
The phrase “celebration” is the indicative subtext of the system of restraint and self-deception.
An architecture that acts as a neutral environment can make people notice, solicit and experience the real thing outside of it, that is, the world of life.
