MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 14 October 2009
Golden opportunity for regional design
City-based architects are heading to Bendigo to celebrate the value of high
quality design in regional Victoria.
Design teams from Melbourne who have created award winning projects in regional Victoria
will share their expertise at the D’Or: A Day in Bendigo event on Saturday 31 October.
Presented by the Australian Institute of Architects, the inaugural meet-and-greet will feature
presentations by regional architecture prize-winners on how client values and community
consultation influence the design outcome. Presenters include NMBW (Pioneer Museum
Plaza), Cox Architects (Hepburn Springs Bath House) and BVN Architecture/Gray Puksand
(Bendigo Bank HQ).
The bank’s corporate affairs spokesperson, Will Rayner, praised the architects’ engagement
process and research. “BVN and Gray Puksand quickly grasped the sensitive nature of our
central city site and spent a lot of time here looking at the streetscape and meeting with our
staff and the locals,” said Mr Rayner.
Community input directly influenced the master plan for the Bendigo Bank Headquarters, a
contemporary development which holds onto a part of Bendigo’s history. More than for any of
its other commercial projects, it was on the bank job that BVN sought the most input from staff
and the community.
“Public sentiment towards the former historic Lyric Theatre was very strong and Lyric Square
emerged as a major feature in revitalising the precinct. The bank’s investment at this site has
returned a lot of life to central Bendigo,” said Bill Dowzer from BVN Architecture.
The Institute’s Victorian President, Karl Fender, says involving the local community in public
and commercial projects will always result in a higher quality of design.
“Hospitals, schools, libraries, banks – skilled architects and design teams talk to the people
these facilities are being built for, and the people whose towns and community pride can be
lifted by excellent design,” Mr Fender said.
The Eco-Cubby program is another D’Or day highlight. Primary students in regional areas
are designing and building environmentally sustainable cubbies for their school, with the help
of an architect. The workshop program is fun, and introduces kids to sustainable ideas and
technology.
The D’Or (‘of gold’)day winds up with Chit/Chat, a fast-paced Pecha Kucha-style show and
tell by eight regional architecture practices presenting images of their work over drinks.
And architects are not the only ones taking a road trip to Bendigo. For the first time, an
exhibition of Victorian Architecture Award winners will go on display outside Melbourne. You
can catch up with this year’s winning architecture at the Bendigo Banks’ headquarters in Pall
Mall.
After jointly taking out this year’s Victorian Prize for Regional Architecture the Bendigo Bank
HQ and the Hepburn Springs Bath House are both in the running for a national award for
regional architecture. The two projects are contenders for other national awards; Bendigo
Bank HQ for commercial architecture, and the Hepburn Springs Bath House for public
architecture. The National Architecture Awards presented by the Australian Institute of
Architects will be announced in Melbourne on 29 October.
D’Or: A day in Bendigo
Saturday 31 October, 10.00am-6pm
Latrobe University Visual Arts Centre
$70 (includes morning and afternoon tea, lunch and closing drinks)
Full program and to register: architecture.com.au/vic
Exhibition: 2009 Victorian Architecture Award Winners
Bendigo Bank Centre, foyer
Fountain Court, Bendigo
26 October - 6 November (access to exhibition Monday-Friday, office hours)
ENDS
Australian Institute of Architects | Media Contacts
Ms Kirsten Trengove, National Media/PR - mobile 0439 555 427
Ms Elizabeth Raut, Victorian Manager - phone 03 8620 3866
The Australian Institute of Architects is the peak body for the architectural profession, representing more than 9500
members across Australia and overseas. The Institute actively works to improve the quality of our built environment
by promoting quality, responsible and sustainable design. Visit the Institute at architecture.com.au .
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