Liquid Blu Architects secure top Queensland Public Architecture award for Blackwater Aquatic Centre

Brisbane-based architects Liquid Blu have recently received the top honour in the Public Architecture category, the F. D. G. Stanley Award, at the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2018 Queensland Architecture Awards for their design of the Blackwater Aquatic Centre.

Developed for the Central Highlands Regional Council in the town of Blackwater, 195 kilometres west of Rockhampton, the facility offers a 10 lane 50 metre competition pool, a sheltered six lane 25 metre program pool and splash-pad with a range of support facilities.

The water spaces support a range of activities including regional level competition, school groups, recreational swimming, training/lap swimming, water polo, covered programs (learn-to-swim and aqua-aerobics) and family and childrens’ zones.

Explaining their design, Liquid Blue advise “the remote location of the project, being in Central Queensland, a semi-arid environment, required the project team to conduct extensive investigation into a value-for-money solution to combat the conditions on the site.

“The response resulted in arrangement similar to a ‘courtyard’, providing protection over the water bodies and amenities. The form of the courtyard design also internalises operations and interactions, provisioning secure play and relaxation.”

Describing Liquid Blu’s awards, the jury described the Centre as “providing a small mining community with a cool place of respite and aquatic activities for all ages, the bulwark-like outer layer of rammed earth walls wrap themselves around three elevations affording refuge from the harsh environment.

“The building makes a positive contribution to this community, with the architecture responding sensitively to the climate and its rural context. It is seen as a generous public asset, a welcome refuge and oasis within an otherwise remote and harsh setting.”

The pools at the facility were prefabricated by Myrtha Pools with the technology assisting with minimising construction programming and costs.

Also well represented in the Awards were projects completed for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, including the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre by BVN and Parklands by AAA (ARM, Arkhefield and Archipelago Architects).

Projects that won an award will automatically be considered for the National Architecture Awards, which will be announced in November.

Public Architecture
F. D. G. Stanley Award
Blackwater Aquatic Centre - Liquid Blu Architects
Awards
Curra Community Hall - Bark Design Architects
Les Wilson Barramundi Discovery Centre - Bud Brannigan Architects
Commendations
Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre - BVN
Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve - Guymer Bailey Architects
Parklands by AAA - Arkhefield, ARM and Archipelago Architects. 

Urban Design
Karl Langer Award
Parklands - AAA - Arkhefield, ARM and Archipelago Architects
Award
Beerwah Tower Green - Bark Design Architects
Commendations
Centenary Lakes Nature Play - PAWA Architecture and LandPlan
The Link - Lat27
The Science Place by Hassell

Educational Architecture 
Jennifer Taylor Award 
The Science Place - Hassell
Awards
The Centenary Library, Anglican Church Grammar School - Brand and Slater Architects
The Springfield Anglican College - Year 1 Classrooms - Architecture Kōen 
Commendations
Griffith University Aquatic Centre - Conrad Gargett
JK Murray Library Extension and Refurbishment - DWP Design Worldwide Partnership
The Stores by Cavill Architects in Association with Jasper Brown Architects.

Commercial Architecture
Beatrice Hutton Award
The Stores - Cavill Architects in Association with Jasper Brown Architects
Award
Robina Market Hall Redevelopment - The Buchan Group
Commendation
88 Limestone - Gibson Architects
Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre by BVN. 

Interior Architecture 
G. H. M. Addison Award
Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre - BVN
Awards
Headricks Lane - SP Studio
Marchetti and Optiko - Cameron and Co
Commendations
1 William Street - Woods Bagot
NAB Place - Woods Bagot 
Stradbroke House by Tim Bennetton Architects with Gabriel Poole. 

Residential Architecture - Houses (New)
Robin Dods Award
Stradbroke House - Tim Bennetton Architects with Gabriel Poole
Awards
Carpenter-Hall House - Russell Hall Architects
Tarragindi Steel House - Bligh Graham Architects
V House - Shaun Lockyer Architects
Commendations
Avonlea - Robinson Architects
Tinbeerwah House - Teeland Architects
Gibbon St by Cavill Architects.

Residential Architecture - Houses (Alterations and Additions)
Elina Mottram Award
Gibbon St - Cavill Architects
Awards
Camp Hill Cottage - Owen Architecture
One Room Tower - Phorm Architecture and Design with Silvia Micheli and Antony Moulis
Yeronga House - Tim Bennetton Architects
Commendations
Milton Residence - M3architecture
Yarrawonga - Counterpoint Architecture
M3565 Main Beach by Virginia Kerridge Architect.

Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing 
Job and Froud Award
M3565 Main Beach - Virginia Kerridge Architect
Awards
Abian - Wood Marsh Architecture with Sunland Group
Oxley and Stirling - Elenberg Fraser
Spire Residences - John Wardle Architects
Commendation
Kailani Beach Houses - Andrew Bock Architecture
Northshore Pavilion by Anna O’Gorman Architect.

Small Project Architecture
Hayes and Scott Award
Northshore Pavilion - Anna O’Gorman Architect
Award
Ryan Street Library - Jonathan Goh Architect
Commendations
Dinosaur Canyon Outpost - Cox Architecture
UQ Architecture School Entry - M3architecture

Heritage
Commendation
259 Queen Street Main Lobby Refurbishment - Cox Architecture and Ruth Woods Architect
Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve by Guymer Bailey Architects.

Sustainable Architecture
Harry Marks Award
Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve - Guymer Bailey Architects
Awards
Blackwater Aquatic Centre - Liquid Blu Architects
The Science Place - Hassell
Commendation
Yeronga House - Tim Bennetton Architects

Enduring Architecture
Robin Gibson Award
Townsville Courts of Law - Edmund Sheppard Building - Hall, Phillips and Wilson Architects

Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture
Gold Coast Sports Precinct - BVN

The Australian Institute of Architects Art and Architecture Prize (QLD)
Corps à Corps at the IMA Courtyard - artist: Celine Condorelli, architect: Dirk Yates (Speculative Architecture), landscape designer: Pete Shields

For more information on the Blackwater Aquatic Centre project, go to www.liquidblu.com.au/blackwater-aquatic-centre/

Images courtesy of Liquid Blu.