The National Award for Enduring Architecture is an Australian architecture prize presented annually by the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) since 2003. The award recognises long lasting, innovative and culturally significant Australian architecture with usually more than 25 years passed since the completion of construction.
Background
The Award for Enduring Architecture recognises achievement for the design of buildings of outstanding merit, which remain important as high quality works of architecture when considered in the contemporary context. Nominations for the award can be made by AIA members, non-members and non-architects, but they must provide adequate material and information supporting a nomination for consideration of the jury. The Award also provides opportunity to recognise buildings that were not previously submitted into the annual awards programs.[1]
The Award was initially called the National 25 Year Award when it was established in 2003. In 2007 the award name was changed to the '25 Year Award for Enduring Architecture' later becoming the 'National Award for Enduring Architecture' in 2011.[2] The American Institute of Architects has awarded a 25 Year Award annually since 1969. The ACT Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects inaugurated the first '25 Year Award' for architecture in Australia in 1995.
State awards for enduring architecture
The Australian Institute of Architects national awards jury selects a national winner each year from a shortlist made of up to eight selected state and territory 'enduring architecture projects' from the AIA local chapter awards including;
Recipients of the state–based award are then eligible for consideration for the National Award for Enduring Architecture presented later in the same year, as part of the Australian National Architecture Awards.
Inaugural award, Sydney Opera House, 2003
In November 2003 arguably Australia's most well known building, the Sydney Opera House, designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon was acknowledged with the inaugural National Award for Enduring Architecture (National 25 Year Award) shortly after the 30th anniversary of the building's official opening on 20 October 1973. This acknowledgement followed the awarding of the inaugural New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award to the Sydney Opera House in July 2003 at the New South Wales Chapter Awards.
″The 25 Year Award acknowledges the Sydney Opera House as an exemplar of the great contribution that architecture can make to a city and a nation.
Designed at the vast scale of Sydney Harbour itself, the Opera House established itself as a world icon of modern design long before 'iconic' buildings such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao were consciously conceived for their commercial effect.
The design has remained timeless and has stood the test of time – making no reference to the traditional forms associated with the public architecture of its time, dissolving wall into roof as one sculptural whole on a massive base. The grandeur, elegance and scale of the building restored the concept of the 'monument' as a socially acceptable expression in an age of neutral functionalism and, over time, and it has re-established the fundamental role of great architecture and public places in the making of contemporary Australian cities.
The building is also a reminder that the visions, timeframes and budgets of a particular historical moment cannot easily comprehend the ongoing significance of major individual public projects, or their ultimate commercial and social value to a city. Now more than 25 years after its completion, the Opera House is undergoing agreed modifications following a thoughtful and consultative process involving Jørn Utzon. From this alone, the Sydney Opera House, the NSW Government and the Australian community have benefited in re-establishing a relationship with the original architect.
With the assistance of the architectural profession, and the RAIA, and through the co-operation of the NSW Government and the Federal Government, it is hoped that the Sydney Opera House will be officially nominated for World Heritage Listing in 2004.″
The move to recognition followed a long period of reconciliation with Utzon and plans for new work and restoration of the Opera House. The award also assisted in the process for UNESCO World Heritage nomination, eventually confirmed in 2007.
List of National Award recipients
National Award for Enduring Architecture (reverse order)
The average age of recognition of 21 projects awarded (2003—2023) is around 41.2 years since completion of construction or opening.
Projects located in New South Wales have dominated the Award, with 10 of the 21 projects located there, five in Victoria, two in Canberra (Australian Capital Territory) and one each in Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australian and Northern Territory. No projects from South Australia have been nationally recognised.
Enduring Architecture Awards by Australian state or territory, 2003—2023, by location of building (total 21 awards)