A sustainably designed sports centre that doubles as a disaster shelterhas won the Phillip Follent Award for Building of the Year at the 2023 Gold Coast and Northern Rivers Regional Architecture Awards.
Pimpama Sports Hub, by Liquid Blu and Place Design Group, includes a five-pool aquatic centre, eight tennis courts, 12 netball courts, a community playground, an outdoor event space with a natural amphitheatre, a community centre, and a fitness centre. The wider precinct also includes a walking trail, extensive landscaping and a cafe.
“Pimpama Sports Hub has become its community’s backyard,” the jury said. “The project provides an inspirational and aspirational template for community infrastructure”.
The project received regional commendations for Urban Design Architecture and Sustainable Architecture.
“The project considers both the climate change impacts it must respond to and those it creates in great depth, with a design that integrates climatic response, energy, and water systems with the building form and fabric,” the jury said. “The resulting building dramatically reduces the energy and water demands typical of this type of usage.”
The Cottage by Justin Humphrey Architects.
Image: Andy Macpherson
Pimpama Sports Hub also has the capacity to be a self-sufficient disaster shelter and recovery centre.
Justin Humphrey Architects’ The Cottagereceived the region’s House of the Year award, alongside the Regional Project of the Year Award and a Regional Commendation in the Residential Architecture – Alterations and Additions category.
The jury said the renovated Burleigh Waters hoyse “stands out in a city that has long favoured more muscular forms of development and the erasure of older houses.”
All of the region’s commended projects have now been shortlisted for the Australian Institute of Architects’ Queensland Architecture Awards, which will be judged and awarded on 22 June.
Phillip Follent Award for Building of the Year
Pimpama Sports Hub – Liquid Blu and Place Design Group
Regional Project of the Year
The Cottage – Justin Humphrey Architects
House of the Year
The Cottage – Justin Humphrey Architects
The Ken Newton and Brian Mossop People’s Choice Award
Cloudview – Paul Uhlmann Architects
Regional Commendations
Public Architecture
Gold Coast Recreation Centre – Cox Architecture
Interior Architecture
272 Hedges Avenue Pedestal – Contreras Earl Architecture
Urban Design Architecture
Pimpama Sports Hub – Liquid Blu and Place Design Group
Sustainable Architecture
Kingfisher House GC – PTMA Architecture
Pimpama Sports Hub – Liquid Blu and Place Design Group
Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
Alcheringa – Robin Spencer Architects
Cloudview – Paul Uhlmann Architects
Cypreś – Shane Denman Architects
Kingfisher House GC – PTMA Architecture
Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
The Cottage – Justin Humphrey Architects
Residential Architecture – Houses (Multiple)
Labrador Social Housing – Cox Architecture
Mali Residences – BDA Architecture
