Winter - Australian Institute of Architects

George Temple Poole Award 2012Hilton Community Centre34 Paget Street, HiltonPracticeBernard Seeber Pty LtdBuilderOostveen Pty LtdPhotographerMarion TreasureThis foyer leads to the re-stated axis running between andbeside the new and upgraded facilities to the Community Parkand playing fields to the east of the street front complex.This is quiet architecture, and an architecture that makes adifference to the Hilton community, making people’s livesbetter by its accommodation of the diverse needs of a maturingcommunity with clarity and a robust elegance.Selecting the George Temple Poole awardproject is always a difficult process. From thegreat range of project types and the rangeof architectural ambitions represented, theselection committee must work to a set ofcriteria that can be fairly applied to all of thecategory winners – which are all examples ofexcellence in themselves.In selecting this year’s winner, the jury focused on the ambitionsand successes of projects that delivered to clients and thecommunity demonstrably more than was asked and more thancan be delivered by a simple building.32THE ARCHITECT 2012 ISSUE 002Judging on the well-established classical principles ofCommodity, Firmness and Delight, the jury began by consideringthe conceptual underpinnings of each project. In ‘Commodity’the jury looked for an economic, clear and articulate functionalexposition, in ‘Firmness’, the jury looked for enduring, robustand elegant detailing and in ‘Delight’, a clear indication that thearchitecture was generating an ease of use, a joyful interactionand a level of beauty appropriate to its class. In looking atenvironmental factors and sustainability, the jury focussedbeyond the necessary technology-based solutions to thepotential for social and cultural sustainability - a building wellused and well-loved will be well cared for.All of these qualities were identified in the Hilton CommunityCentre by Bernard Seeber Architects. This project successfullyrevives the ambitions of the original planning of the CommunityCentre complex of this early Australian Garden Suburb. Thearchitects have artfully crafted and executed a contemporarylayer of organisation and design upon a set of tired facilities,restoring them where appropriate and carefully inserting newelements including an all-important foyer building - a simplelayered urban porch.