Melbourne practice Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design’s extension to Victoria’s Parliament House took out both the architecture category and Design of the Year award at the Victorian Premier Awards last week.

A panel of 27 independent judges chose the Parliament of Victoria’s new Members in the Melbourne for the top award from a field of more than 200 projects.

Photography: John Gollings

Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design’s addition is the most recent addition to Parliament House, which has been built in several stages from 1856. The contemporary freestanding annexe is built within the eastern gardens and provides office accommodation to 102 members of parliament and their staff.

The annex is linked back to Parliament House via bridge, tunnel and lane-way connections. It was conceived as a companion building to a garden where 100 percent of the footprint has been replaced with landscape on the roof and within a large central courtyard.

The office was planned as a perimeter courtyard scheme of four unequal wings that have been partly sunken into the ground to protect and integrate it topographically within the eastern garden.

Peter Elliott and senior associate Sean Van der Velden. Photography: Kit Haselden

Other winners include Sans Forgetica, a font that is believed to be the world’s first typeface designed for using principles of psychology to retain information; Pivot, an online tool to help young people in South West Victoria find career opportunities; and A.BCH, a fashion label where all designs are made for sustainability.

Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley says this year’s winning projects demonstrate the power and impact of design across all industries and parts of life.

“This year’s Victorian Premier’s Design Award shows how important design can be to a future where quality design thinking is at the heart of all we do.

“Congratulations to the architects, designers and teams behind the winning projects – and to the client organisations and businesses that recognise the value of design.”

Chair of the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards jury Celina Clarke says the winning entries are world-class examples of design and architectural excellence originating from Victoria and reinforce the state’s commitment to leading by design.

The annual Victorian Premier Design Awards celebrate the state’s best designers and innovators across architectural, product and industrial, communications, fashion, digital and service design, design strategy and two student design categories. This year’s winners were announced at a ceremony held at Glenn Murcutt’s MPavilion on 21 November.

Photography: Kit Haselden

2019 Victorian Premier’s Design Award Winners:

Victorian Premier’s Design Award of the Year: Parliament of Victoria Member’s Annex

Best in Category Winner for Architectural Design: Parliament of Victoria Member’s Annexe

Best in Category Winner for Communication Design: Sans Forgetica

Best in Category Winner for Design Strategy: Moonee Ponds Creek Strategic Opportunities Plan

Best in Category Winner for Digital Design: Pivot

Best in Category Winner for Fashion Design: A.BCH – A Circular Fashion Label

Best in Category Winner for Product Design: Spector

Best in Category Winner for Service Design: Justice Connect Gateway Project

Best in Category Winner for Student Design: Gecko Traxx

VCE Product Design Student: Inclusive Classroom Furniture

Highly Commended for Design Strategy: Marngo Designing Futures

Highly Commended for Digital Design: Victoria University App

Highly Commended for Student Design: Riza

Highly Commended for Student Design: ROOD

Lead Photography: John Gollings