Jack Cheesman Award for Enduring Architecture

The Jack Cheesman Award for Enduring Architecture, formerly known as the 25 Year Award is an architecture prize presented annually by the South Australia Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA).

Jack Cheesman Award for Enduring Architecture
Adelaide Festival Theatre, 2023 Award
Awarded for	Significant South Australian architecture more than 25 years old
Country	Australia
Presented by	Australian Institute of Architects (South Australia Chapter)
First award	2005; 20 years ago (2005)
Currently held by	Geof Nairn Architects, 2024
Website	https://www.architecture.com.au/awards/2024-awards/2024-sa-architecture-awards-winners

History

The inaugural award was given in 2005^[1] and was known as the 25 Year Award until at least 2011.^[2][3] The average age of the 16 projects recognised to 2024 is 36.6 years from completion of construction to year of award. The award was issued every second year from 2005 until 2013, and has been awarded annually since 2014 (see table below).

Description

The award recognises significant, long lasting and innovative architecture with usually more than 25 years passed since the completion of construction. The Enduring Architecture Award recognises achievement for the design of buildings of outstanding merit, which have remained important as high quality works of architecture when considered in contemporary cultural, social, economic and environmental contexts in South Australia. Nominations for the award can be made by AIA members, non–members and non–architects, but must provide adequate material and information supporting the nomination for consideration of the jury.^[4]

National Awards

Recipients of the state–based award are eligible for consideration for the National Award for Enduring Architecture presented later in the same year, as part of the Australian National Architecture Awards. As of 2023 no South Australian projects had received a National Award for Enduring Architecture.

By year

2007 award

When awarding the second award to Newell Platten for Dr Kent's Paddock in 2007, the jury citation read; "The 25 Year Award is not given lightly and it has been two years since it was last awarded — but the Jury's views were unanimous. Dr Kent’s Paddock, more that any other project of its time embodies the virtues of this award — a project of considerable influence for its time and place, and one that has stood the test of time. All the more potent is that it was carried out by the most venerable of South Australia’s institutions, the South Australian Housing Trust, its role now incorporated within Housing SA".^[5]

2022 award

The Jury for the 2022 award was composed of Honours Committee members Anthony Coupe, David Hassell, Rob Cheesman, Lolita Mohyla, Tony Giannone, Elaine Davies and Lu Balsamo. The award was given to Robin Boyd's Walkley House built in North Adelaide in 1956.^[6]

2023 award

The Jury for the 2023 award was Anthony Coupe, Chris Morley, Elaine Davies, Lolita Mohyla, Lu Balsamo and Rob Cheesman. The award was given to the Adelaide Festival Centre by Hassell, opened in 1973. The jury citation described the project saying "The Adelaide Festival Centre is not only instantly recognisable, it also represents an important period in South Australian history and is integral to our identity as the Festival State. Buildings that achieve all these things at once are rare, and for the Festival Centre to have done so for 50 years is truly worthy of celebration."^[7]

2024 award

The jury for the 2024 award was Anthony Coupe (Mulloway) and Lolita Mohyla (Mohyla Architects) and retired architects Rob Cheesman (Cheesman), Elaine Davies (DaSH), Lu Balsamo (Hassell) and Adrian Evans (JPE).^[8] The jury citation described the awarded project, the Science Technology and Art Centre at St Peters College (SPCS) by Geof Nairn stating "the project realises the SPCS ethos to ‘cherish history while embracing the ever-evolving landscape of education’. The new building is clearly of its time, with saw tooth roofs and glazed facades providing ample natural light. The siting, roof pitch and rendered walls defer to adjacent sandstone buildings."^[9]

Award recipients

Jack Cheesman Award for Enduring Architecture (reverse order)

Year	Architect	Project	Location	Year built	Years since	Other AIA/RAIA awards
2024	Geof Nairn Architects	St Peter’s Collegiate School (SPCS) Science, Technology and Art Centre[10]	12 Pembroke Street, St Peters, Adelaide	1999	25 years
2023	Hassell & Partners	Adelaide Festival Centre[11]	King William Road, Adelaide	1973	50 years
2022	Robin Boyd	Walkley House[12][13]	26-27 Palmer Place, North Adelaide	1956	66 years
2021	SA Public Buildings Department (Architect Adrian Evans) & SACON (Architect Denis Harrison)	Juvenile Court (now Youth Court of South Australia)	75 Wright Street, Adelaide	1975	46 years
2020	Cheesman Doley Brabham & Neighbour	Nunyara Chapel[14]	8 Culley Avenue, Belair	1963	57 years	Award of Merit, 1966
2019	Hassell & Partners	Colonel Light Centre	25 Pirie Street, Adelaide	1978	41 years
2018	Max Pritchard	Pritchard House[15][16]		1990	28 years
2017	SACON (Architect Carlo Gnezda)	Adelaide Velodrome[17]	State Sports Park, Main North Road, Gepps Cross	1993	24 years	National Commendation for Public Architecture, 1993 (National Awards)
2016	SA Public Buildings Department (Architect Kevin Hocking)	South Australian Forensic Science Centre	21 Divett Place, Adelaide	1978	38 years
2015	Geof Nairn Architects	Centennial Park Chapel Complex[18] (Heysen and Florey Chapels)	760 Goodwood Road, Pasadena SA 5042	1986	29 years
2014	Guy Maron Architect	Bicentennial Conservatory[19]	Plane Tree Drive, Adelaide Botanic Gardens	1988	26 years	Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 1991 (National)
2013	Rod Roach	Roach House Belair[20][21]	21 Fourth Road, Belair, South Australia	1971	42 years	Derrick Kendrick Award for Sustainable Architecture, 2013
2012	No Award†
2011	Guy Maron Architect	Regency Park College of TAFE[22]	Regency Park	1980?	31 years
2010	No Award†
2009	Rod Roach with Woodhead	Adelaide Fire Station	81–129 Wakefield Street, Adelaide	1985	24 years
2008	No Award†
2007	Newell Platten, Chief Design Architect, South Australian Housing Trust	Dr Kent's Paddock and Open Space[23][24]	3—57 Capper Street & 28—48 Rundle Street, Kent Town	1979	28 years
2006	No Award†
2005	Robert Dickson	Adelaide University Union, Union House[25]	Victoria Drive, University of Adelaide, Adelaide	1975	30 years	Award of Merit, 1974 Civic Trust Award, 1975

† Award was presented biennially from 2005—2013

Gallery

• 
  2005 Award, Adelaide University Union building, opened 1975
• 
  2007 Award, Dr Kent's Paddock, Kent Town, built 1979
• 
  2009 Award, Adelaide Fire Station, Wakefield Street, Adelaide, built 1985
• 
  2014 Award, Bicentennial Conservatory, Adelaide Botanic Garden, built 1988
• 
  2016 Award, South Australian Forensic Science Centre, Adelaide, built 1978
• 
  2019 Award, Colonel Light Centre (City of Adelaide offices), Pirie Street, built 1978
• 
  2022 Award, Walkley House, North Adelaide, built 1956
• 
  2023 Award, Adelaide Festival Centre, opened 1973

See also

• Australian Institute of Architects
• Australian Institute of Architects Awards and Prizes
• National Award for Enduring Architecture
• Sir Roy Grounds Award for Enduring Architecture