The annual ArchiTeam Awards Victoria

The annual ArchiTeam Awards aim to celebrate the incredible work by emerging and small-to-medium sized architecture firms across Victoria. Currently in its seventh year, this year’s awards showcase a mixture of commercial, residential, unbuilt, community and sustainable projects. One such entrant is the ‘Skin Box House’ by Man Architects, a renovation and extension project in Windsor that worked within the confines of the existing home’s narrow 6.3m frontage to completely gut, modernise and extend the upper storeys, while adding a unique architectural feature by way of a floating ‘skin’ over the home’s façade. Led by husband and wife, Rob Nerlich and Kate McMahon, Man Architects added a large, floating upper storey extension complete with a luminescent external skin, as an elegant, simple solution to the home’s extremely restrictive building envelope.

Tackling one of the property’s key ground floor issues – a lack of natural light – the architects converted the entire courtyard-facing wall into floor-to-ceiling windows and glass sliding doors to flood the kitchen and dining with light. Turning the new upper storey extension into an architectural feature for the client, Man Architects’ innovative skin dressing of the overhanging Skin Box softly lights the garden space below with an ambient glow. Skin Box House’ is an entrant into this year’s Residential category at the ArchiTeam Awards.

The awards will be judged by architects Dr Paul McGillick, Shelley Penn and Prof. Des Smith, with the winners to be announced on Thursday, November 13 and exhibited at No Vacancy Gallery from November 12-23.

Skin Box House by Man Architects

Skin Box House by Man Architects

Skin Box House by Man Architects

Skin Box House by Man Architects

Skin Box House by Man Architects

Skin Box House by Man Architects

Another great entrant is the Lemur Exhibit at Melbourne Zoo by Snowdon Architects, who delivered a total redesign and renovation of the existing exhibit within 14 months to incorporate never-before-seen visitor interaction zones and new habitat themes.A design process led by Phil Snowdon, the exhibit’s redesign involved a tight brief that included the repurposing of existing exhibit structures and a limited budget. Collaborating with landscape architects and arterial designers throughout the design and construction process, Phil said the partnership created a seamless experience that kept to budget and time constraints.

Lemur Exhibit Melbourne Zoo by Snowdon Architects

Lemur Exhibit Melbourne Zoo by Snowdon Architects

Lemur Exhibit Melbourne Zoo by Snowdon Architects

Lemur Exhibit Melbourne Zoo by Snowdon Architects

Another entrant is the ‘Pamela Coyle Library’ by Branch Studio Architects; a renovation and extension designed to revitalise what had been an underutilised school space at St Monica’s College in Epping. A design process led by Director, Brad Wray, the library redesign involved the development of more conducive student learning spaces, a wetland-fronting reading deck and the resolution of original structural design issues.

Briefed to revitalise the existing shell, Wray said one of the greatest challenges was identifying and repurposing new or unrealised functional space so students and librarians could easily navigate the different IT, study, meeting and reading areas.

Pamela Coyle Library by Branch Studio Architects

Pamela Coyle Library by Branch Studio Architects

Pamela Coyle Library by Branch Studio Architects

Pamela Coyle Library by Branch Studio Architects

Pamela Coyle Library by Branch Studio Architects

Pamela Coyle Library by Branch Studio Architects

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