Woods Bagot named Best in State
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Global architect firm Woods Bagot has taken out the top prize at this year’s Design Institute of Australia WA awards for its revamp of Perth’s 19th century Palace Hotel.
Now in its fifteenth year, the awards were presented at the State Theatre Centre last week, recognising excellence and innovation in multi-disciplinary design.
Winners were acknowledged for their diversity and creativity in three primary design disciplines of interior spaces, product design and visual communication, with the Best in State award given to the project deemed the most outstanding across all professional award categories covering these three key disciplines.
The Palace Hotel was originally built in 1897 and last year landlord Brookfield Property Partners spent $11 million for the refurbishment of the building undertaken by Woods Bagot.
Subsequently, the architecture firm decided to move in and now takes up the first and second floors of the three-storey building.
The judges said the Palace Hotel project successfully celebrated the history of the iconic building and managed to deliver a workplace that blurred the boundaries of office and hospitality.
In addition to receiving the Best in State award Woods Bagot’s Palace Hotel overhaul was recognised in the interior spaces - corporate category with an Award of Merit, as well as receiving commendations for the Palace in the lighting category; for 225 St Georges Terrace , interior spaces – public/institutional category and for its Stylecraft project in the interior spaces - retail category.
Woods Bagot studio principal Grant Boshard said the Palace Hotel project was an opportunity to demonstrate the practice’s ability to design, deliver and occupy a workplace that lead by example.
“In close consultation with our owners, Brookfield, we were able to transform the interiors of this iconic 19th century Palace Hotel into our new Perth design studio,” Mr Boshard said.
“The new studio is a highly flexible and agile work environment that supports new modes of work.
“The design has celebrated references to the past with a hospitality feel that influences the aesthetic, while married with state-of-the-art technology to support a global architectural practice.”
Woods Bagot global development officer Mark Mitcheson-Low paid tribute to the Woods Bagot Perth studio team members, saying the Design Institute of Australia (WA) award was well-deserved and recognised the great talent, commitment and dedication of each team member.
The DIA accolades follow Woods Bagot’s win at the 2017 Interior Design Excellence Awards, where it was awarded the best workplace under 1,000 square metres.
Other DIA category winners included Fremantle-based Brooking Design Architects in the interior spaces - public/institutional category for its work on the Senior Learning Centre at John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, and local firm Motus Architecture in the interior spaces – residential category.