The restoration of the convict-built Bozen鈥檚 Cottage makes a noteworthy contribution to the heritage of Tasmania鈥檚 Oatlands, thanks to the inspired and sensitive approach taken in making contemporary additions to such a modest structure. This award acknowledges the commitment of impassioned clients and dedicated architects.
A new timber layer lines the interior of the four-room cottage, a reminder of the original 180-year-old structure and a reference to the first carpenter鈥檚 spirit and technique, as typified by the door framing. The original stonework has been restored, except where knowledge of the original is missing, in which case a contemporary and exquisitely scaled intervening window bay gives district views and light to the interior.
This detailed and important work has prepared Bozen鈥檚 Cottage for another 180 years of comfortable habitation. The architecture promotes a view of historic workmanship while simultaneously projecting an engaging future.
A significant commitment to Tasmania鈥檚听heritage听has been made with the restoration of Hollow Tree House and听its stables. The informed and artful peeling back of building听layers reveals the original fabric, constructed at various times听in the house鈥檚 history.听
This award honours the shared vision of an inspired client听and an adept architect. They have revealed the early settler spirit听of 鈥渕aking do鈥� in the isolation of the Central Highlands, while听enacting the Burra Charter principle of doing 鈥渁s much as听necessary but as little as possible鈥�1 in preparing the homestead听for the future.听
While the architects of the new Hollow Tree House听have been respectful of its past and maintained the character听of the homestead through the upheaval of the construction听period, their inventive and fine insertions also propose an听optimistic future. Core Collective Architects鈥� contemporary听aesthetic is nuanced and captivating against the original听austerity of the Colonial Georgian homestead, resulting in an听enchanting contemporary house.听
Lovell Chen鈥檚 work on the fourth incarnation听of the Regent Theatre has prepared this important Melbourne听landmark for a new generation of performers and theatregoers.听A complex array of technical requirements on both sides of听the stage is seamlessly accommodated without compromising听the building鈥檚 decorative and aesthetic values.听
The work is an exemplar of fine conservation and the听painstaking research required to deliver it. Deep technical and听spatial expertise is central to excellence in听heritage听architecture,听as seen in the reconfiguration of the seating, which is resolved听by a concealed three-dimensional truss at the leading edge of the听dress circle. The architects鈥� conceptual skill and thoroughness in听identifying, sourcing and coordinating the appropriate resources听to realize such a project should not be underestimated.听