New prize for high-rise excellence

The owners and designers of an award-winning Sydney skyscraper have donated the 50,000 euro prize money to fund a UNSW student prize that recognises excellence in sustainable high-rise architecture.

1 Bligh St, Sydney is the first in Australia to receive the International High Rise Award. UNSW alumnus, Faculty of Built Environment Design Studio Project Leader and Managing Director of the design firm Architectus, Ray Brown, has chosen to use his building’s prize money to fund an annual $4,000 prize for a final-year Master of Architecture student who produces the best building scheme to demonstrate excellence in high-rise design and sustainability.

“We wanted to use the prize to promote a deeper understanding of high-rise buildings. We wanted to help discover the solutions that ensure better design of tall buildings in the Australian context and we thought it would be nice to have a building name go with an annual prize at UNSW,” Brown says.

Brown hopes that recipients of the ‘1 Bligh Street Master of Architecture Final Year Prize’ offered by the Faculty of Built Environment will contribute to the conversation about world’s best practices in sustainability as they tackle how these buildings can be better designed in the high-density cities of the future.

A host of environmentally sustainable initiatives are embodied in 1 Bligh St to achieve its 6 Star Green Star Rating, including a naturally ventilated atrium and solar energy generation for cooling, heating and electricity.

For more information contact Catherine Brown, Development Manager, Built Environment, 9385 6380

Read the full story on the Faculty of Built Environment website.