2022 National Award for Heritage Architecture

Jury citation

The Arthur Birch Building, originally designed by Eggleston, MacDonald and Secomb and completed in 1967 as an anchor point in the early ANU campus, has been given an apt new lease of life by Hassell. The architect has brought together a deep understanding of the original building with the intensive needs of twenty-first-century science teaching spaces. With seamlessly upgraded internal and external building fabric, high levels of flexible servicing, and room layouts that align with and develop the original intent, the building can continue to enhance campus life through its skilful pedagogical, urban and architectural design.

The strength and beauty of this late-modernist building, deriving from its building details, materials and rigorous design, have been preserved and amplified by this skilfully restrained refurbishment. Attention has also been paid to the original internal and external axial layouts and connections, while improving visibility, access and amenity. The teaching methods of today can be capably accommodated by the updated building.

Preserving the cultural heritage of this building, along with its considerable embodied energy, gives a potent lesson in how the best of the past can be carefully nurtured to create the future we need.

Project credits

Architect Hassell; Project team Mark Roehrs, Emma Ludwig, Ben Wilson, Madeleine Reyes, Chris Chen, Pete Hastings, Troy King, Sophie Kebbell, Mike Thomas, Sammy Barry, Tarek Barclay, Michael Copeland; Builder Hindmarsh Construction; Access consultant, building surveyor CBS; Acoustic, AV, communications, electrical, ESD, fire (dry) services, lighting, lift, mechanical and security consultant WSP; Hazardous goods and zones CETEC; Facade and structural engineer, civil consultant TTW; Fire safety engineer Warrington Fire; Heritage consultant Lovell Chen; Hydraulic consultant and fire (wet) Rimmington and Associates; Planning Purdon Planning; Quantity surveyor RLB; Landscape consultant Hassell

ANU Birch Building Refurbishmentis located in Acton, Australian Capital Territory on the land of the Ngunnawal people.