- Campbell House took home the top honour, and two other awards
- The Retail Design category saw several joint winners
- An Alexander McQueen exhibition took out the Installation Design award
The Australian Interior Design Awards celebrated its 20th iteration this year at the Melbourne Plaza Ballroom.
Entrants were widely praised, with the jury celebrating a ‘renewed lust for life’ through projects, relationships, and collaborations. The jury also said that:
“Projects were bold, but also displayed sensitivity and a modesty that speaks to a revitalised sense of confidence.”
Jury, AIDA Awards 2023
Campbell House by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer took out the top honour, a unanimous decision by the jury. The project also took home two other awards, including the Award for Workplace Design, and the Sustainability Advancement Award.
The awards jury said of Campbell House:
“It is timeless, elegant, unified and finely detailed and could very much work as a universal application – it could be a home, it could be a retail store, it could be a workplace.
“The way the palette is used to celebrate the heritage and contemporary integration is outstanding,” added the jury.
This year’s program saw an impressive number of submissions across the retail, hospitality, public, workplace and installation design categories, highlighting the industry’s desire to create functional, beautiful and pioneering commercial spaces for the community to enjoy.
Addressing the need for in-person connection and interaction, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Modern Building, Gallery Shop by Akin Atelier, and Postal Hall by Trower Falvo Architects with Alessio Fini were presented the joint Award for Retail Design, with Postal Hall also awarded the Best of State Award for Commercial Design (WA).
Quintessentially Australian design
Her Bar, by Dion Hall, received the top accolade for Hospitality Design.
The award jury was looking for a project, “that could represent a quintessentially Australian experience,” when assessing the category.
“It also needed to have longevity by virtue of it not needing to be supplanted with a new project or new narrative,” added the jury.
In awarding Her Bar, the jury noted the project’s totally beautiful, creatively rich and highly detailed resolution.
“While it is high end, there is also a spirit of approachability to the design and flexibility in the way it defines Australian dining. It works extremely well at any time of day or night throughout the week, from early morning through to late evening.” said the jury.
Venerable work in venerated spaces
Among the suite of awards taken home by Campbell House was the Sustainability Advancement Award.
The jury was particularly impressed with how Campbell House economised and adapted a heritage building within a contemporary context, which is extremely difficult to achieve.
“Worth noting is the way the insertion allows natural light to permeate all the spaces and how the operable building management system is managed through smart technology,” said the jury.
“Bold design features, such as the moveable roof and striking atrium, are all directly attributable to the project’s sustainability strategy.”
Among other commended works in heritage spaces is Postal Hall.
Postal Hall is an installation within a heritage context that is very well done, particularly because it’s vulnerable in how it is viewed from all angles, including from above.
The jury was impressed by its sustainability contribution, in being a demountable project that can easily be picked up, stored or relocated.
“Its minimal elements and refined elegant detailing make it punch above its weight, allowing both internal and external spaces to work well.
“The added fabric sails create a nice edge condition for seating within the public space and innovatively open up multiple choices for how people use the project, from perusing the retail offering to relaxing on the outer edge.
“It is sensitive to its context and sits seamlessly amongst the precinct’s other retail offerings.”
Full list of winners
Premier Award for Australian Interior Design
Tonkin Zulaikha Greer for Campbell House, New South Wales
Sustainability Advancement Award
-Award
Tonkin Zulaikha Greer for Campbell House, New South Wales
-Commendations
Breathe for Nightingale Skye House, Victoria Kennedy Nolan for Nightingale Leftfield, Victoria
Emerging Interior Design Practice
-Award
J.AR Office, Queensland
-Commendations
Nuud Studio, Victoria Prevalent, New South Wales
Residential Design
-Award
Madeleine Blanchfield Architects for Nine-Square Bondi, New South Wales
-Commendations
Breathe for Nightingale Skye House, Victoria
Fiona Lynch Office for Melbourne Penthouse, Victoria J.AR Office for Oxlade, Queensland
Kennedy Nolan for Somers House, Victoria Nuud Studio for Monty Sibbel, Victoria Sabi for Sabi, Tasmania
SJB for 19 Waterloo Street, New South Wales
Residential Decoration
-Award
JC HQ for Piccolo Palazzo, Victoria
-Commendations
Fiona Lynch Office for Melbourne Penthouse, Victoria
Madeleine Blanchfield Architects for Nine-Square Bondi, New South Wales Simone Haag for The Whiskey Room, Victoria
YSG Studio for La Palma, New South Wales
Hospitality Design
-Award
Dion Hall for Her Bar, Victoria
-Commendations
Bergman and Co for Sakura, Victoria Dion Hall for Music Room, Victoria Ewert Leaf for Moonhouse, Victoria
Fiona Lynch Office for Kiln, Ace Hotel Sydney, New South Wales
Retail Design
-Awards
Akin Atelier for Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Modern Building, Gallery Shop, New South Wales Trower Falvo Architects with Alessio Fini for Postal Hall, Western Australia
-Commendations
Clare Cousins Architects for Aesop Collins Street, Victoria Genesin Studio for Super Egg, South Australia
Studio Doherty for Mimco Flagship, Victoria
Workplace Design
-Award
Tonkin Zulaikha Greer for Campbell House, New South Wales
-Commendations
Cox Architecture for 70 George Street, Cox Sydney Studio, New South Wales Jackson Clements Burrows for JCB Studio, Victoria
Smart Design Studio for Bridge 17, New South Wales Studio Prineas for Sheeth Headquarters, New South Wales
Installation Design
-Award
National Gallery of Victoria for Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse, Victoria
-Commendation
Gloss Creative for NGV Gala 2022, Victoria
Public Design
-Award
SANAA (Design Architect) and Architectus (Executive Architect) for Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Modern Building, New South Wales
-Commendations
Fieldwork and Brand Architects for Centre for Higher Education Studies, Victoria Kosloff Architecture for Warrnambool Library and Learning Centre, Victoria Smart Design Studio for Science Gallery Melbourne, Victoria
International Design
Schin Architects with Atelier W for Lu Style (Beijing CBD), China
Best of State Awards for Residential Design
New South Wales – Madeleine Blanchfield Architects for Nine-Square Bondi
Queensland – J.AR Office for Oxlade
South Australia – Williams Burton Leopardi for Mount Mac Tasmania – Sabi for Sabi
Victoria – Breathe for Nightingale Skye House
Western Australia – Neil Cownie Architect for 123 House
Best of State Awards for Commercial Design
Australian Capital Territory – Craig Tan Architects for Canteen
New South Wales – SANAA (Design Architect) and Architectus (Executive Architect) for Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Modern Building
Queensland – J.AR Office for The Disco
South Australia – Genesin Studio for Super Egg
Victoria – Fieldwork and Brand Architects for Centre for Higher Education Studies
Western Australia – Trower Falvo Architects with Alessio Fini for Postal Hall
