This year has shown once again that University of Tasmania architecture alumni are playing a key role in shaping the way Australians live.
In 2015, graduates from the School of Architecture and Design were recognised for their work in state, national and international architectural awards.
Among the most recent to win were Liz Walsh and Alex Nielsen who received the top accolade for Small Project Architecture, the Nicholas Murcutt Award, and an award for Heritage from the National Institute of Architects in November.
Both awards were in recognition of their conversion of a heritage stable dating back to 1829 in the heart of Hobart.
The small neglected barn was re-envisioned as a home and impressed the judges for the 'brilliant solution that overwhelmingly demonstrated that 'less can be more'.
The historic structure had been lovingly retained by the couple, proving the limits and challenges of heritage and conservation can encourage inventive solutions and creative possibilities.
"These awards are testament to the talent we see every year here at the University," said Dr Ceridwen Owen, the Acting Head of the School of Architecture and Design.
"It's wonderful to see former University of Tasmania graduates working together to contribute to the next chapter of architecture and design in Australia."
Among the standouts, Andrew Maynard, who graduated in 1998, won an abundance of awards for his project 'Tower House'.
Designed and built in Melbourne, the home has received the Eleanor Cullis-Hill Award at the National Architecture Awards, The John and Phyllis Murphy Award at the Victorian Architecture Awards and the best house alteration and addition award at the HOUSES Awards.
It has also received world-wide attention, after receiving a high commendation at the World Architecture Festival.
Designed and built as a collection of timber shingle-clad towers, the exterior appears to be a series of small structures while internally the spaces and functions are large and connected.
Chris Gilbert, Josh Fitzgerald and Chris Haddad, graduates in the Bachelor of Environmental Design, won several awards and commendations for the Sawmill house. It took out a National Award in the Australian Institute of Architecture Awards, and won the New House under 200 square metres category in the HOUSES Awards.
The handcrafted building, situated in Victoria, uses large reclaimed one tonne blocks of concrete to form the primary walls. Judges said the house was clearly a 'labour of love', and expressed delight in the conjunction between 'rawness and finesse'.
The design practice the three friends started was also named the Emerging Architecture Practice in the HOUSES Awards.
Matt Hinds and Poppy Taylor, graduates in the Bachelor of Architecture with Honours in 2006, won the Esmond Dorney Award for their design of the Lagoon House.
Located in the south-eastern corner of the South Arm Peninsula in Tasmania, the home was described by judges from the Tasmanian Architecture Award panel as a 'timeless work at ease in its place'.
