Victorian Architecture Medal

The Victorian Architecture Medal is the highest honour awarded annually by the Victoria Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) and has been awarded 38 consecutive times since 1987. The Medal was originally known as the ‘Street Architecture Medal’ introduced by the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects (RVIA) in 1929 as an award for the design of a building of exceptional merit. Buildings were judged on their "urban propriety and architectural etiquette; the building had to front a street, road, square or court" and with a requirement of being publicly accessible, thereby excluding residential and private commissions.

The Victorian Architecture Medal is awarded as part of the Victorian Architecture Awards and selected from the AIA Victoria Chapter 'named award' winners, from all direct entry categories and can also be drawn from the winners of the Sustainable Architecture Award, Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture, Melbourne Prize or Regional Prize. The winner of the Medal is judged to be the most outstanding project of the year, by definition making it 'a building, place or structure of exceptional merit', often winning multiple prizes across different award categories.

A cast circular bronze medal is awarded to the winner and usually affixed on the winning project in a prominent position.

The medal winner usually has a strong civic and public character with architectural qualities that contribute to the greater public realm of the city or environment. Two exceptions were the awarding of the Medal to John Wardle Architecture for a private residence, Balnarring Beach House in 1997 and to Wood Marsh for the Yve Apartments on St Kilda Road in 2006.

Changes to the concept of 'public architecture' as the basis for the judging of the award occurred after World War II. The first post war Medal was awarded in 1954 to Roy Grounds House for a residential house and four apartments in Toorak. This was followed ten years later with the private and remote Grimwade House by McGlashan Everist who were awarded the second Medal in 1963. On only six occasions it has been awarded to projects located outside metropolitan Melbourne (1940, 1963, 1987, 1997, 2022 and 2024).

Since 1996 the annual William Wardell Award for Public Architecture has specifically recognised institutional and public buildings. The Dimity Reed Melbourne Prize established in 1997 has become another significant award that addresses the civic and public realm contributions of architecture to the city, but does not focus solely on the experience of the 'street'.

The Royal Victorian Institute of Architect's (RVIA) 'Street Architecture Medal' is considered the predecessor and equivalent of the current Victorian Architecture Medal. It was first awarded in 1929 and consecutively 14 times until 1942. The Street Architecture Award was a concept imported from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) that had established an award with the same name in 1923, an idea which had been around since before World War I. The award was created to encourage design excellence in architecture and increase public interest in the 'street architecture' of London. The first award for best public building in London was made to W. Curtis Green for Wolseley House at 157–160 Piccadilly.

The 'Extracts from the Examining Jury's Report' of the first Victorian award by chair P.A. Oakley and jury were reported in the Journal of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects in July 1929."As architects, we feel deeply the proud responsibility enjoyed by members of our profession as sponsors of the city buildings which form possibly the most important visible expression of a city’s individuality and attractions." The jury could recognise any building built within the past five years, with the objectives of the award listed as twofold —"Firstly, that buildings which notably contribute to the civic beauty and architecture of the cities of this State should be publicly singled out and acknowledged, in order that universal appreciation of their good qualities and emulation of their characteristics may be encouraged, and that through this means a widespread sense of civic responsibility may be developed and fostered in the architects and citizens of our State..." and secondly that "...due recognition by his fellow practitioners and fellow citizens may be made of the high achievement of the architect responsible for a building deemed worthy of this award...".

It was also noted that a competition was to be held for the design of the bronze plaque to be attached to the winning building, open to RVIA Members and students. In July 1930 it was announced that the design competition for the Street Architecture 'plaque' was won by Mr. J.C. Barton and Mr. H.J. Tribe.

The first medal was presented to Francis House at 107 Collins Street in Melbourne, a narrow fronted five storey office building with a ground level shopfront, designed by architects and cousins Blackett and Forster. William Blackett was the then president of the RVIA in his second term (1928–1930). The building still stands in near original condition. It was built in 1927–1928 for the established pharmacists and chemists, Henry Francis & Co. It was notable for its bronze shopfront details and beige and orange retractable awning, inspired by the shopping streets of Paris and New York, greatly contributing to the characterisation of the area as the 'Paris End' of Collins Street.

In 1936 the president of the RVIA described the purpose of the award was to "encourage excellence of design and public interest in street architecture, the Institute having decided to examine annually buildings completed during the previous three years and to award a medal for a building of exceptional merit". Describing the 1937 medal winning project the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Building on Spring Street in East Melbourne by Leighton Irwin and Roy K. Stevenson "The Jury considers that this is an unusual example of street architecture as it actually faces streets on all four elevations and presents a very interesting treatment of the various facades."

A jury of eleven men judged the 1938 Award, consisting of Mr. Leslie M. Perrott, Vice-President of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects; Mr. Percy Everett, Chief Architect of the Department of Public Works, Mr. J.S. MacDonald, Director of the National Gallery (NGV); Mr. W.R. Dean, the Art Inspector, Education Department, State of Victoria and seven architects appointed by the Institute Council; G.R. King, Marcus W. Martin, Charles E. Serpell, A.C. Collins, E. Keith Mackay, Edward F. Billson and John F.D. Scarborough. For the first time a building outside the City of Melbourne won the award for the Second Church of Christ, Scientist in Cookson Street, Camberwell, by Bates Smart McCutcheon, their third medal in 10 years. The jury commentary of the building stated that "restraint rather than decoration tends to characterise accepted standards of good architecture to-day and this building reveals a particularly happy balance between these two considerations. It represents a satisfactory solution to the architectural problem of a modern church without resort to traditional ecclesiastical motifs."

In the 1930s the Royal Institute of British Architects began awarding Street Architecture Awards and Bronze Medals to international projects, including Hackett Memorial Buildings at University of Western Australia which was awarded a RIBA Bronze Medal in 1931. Later Perth Girls' School in Western Australia was awarded a RIBA Bronze Medal in 1939, for the period 1936–1938. British Medical Association (BMA) House at 137 Macquarie Street, Sydney, by architects Fowell and McConnel was presented the RIBA Street Architecture Medal in 1935 for buildings completed in the five years to end of 1933. This was the first time the award had been presented in New South Wales. The RIBA provided the architects with a bronze medal to be affixed to the building and a signed diploma. It was planned at the time for an award to be presented every three years to a new building in New South Wales.

A long pause caused by World War II and a slow return to a regular annual architecture awards in Victoria saw none given until 1954 at around which time the Street Architecture Medal was replaced and renamed with the 'Bronze Medal', 'the medal' or the 'RVIA Architecture Award'. During the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s few medals were awarded. It was not until 1987 that an annual medal was awarded consistently and named the Victorian Architecture Medal, and has been given annually until present.

In the period following World War II and the resumption of some awards in 1954, the Street Architecture Medal was dropped as an award, with more than 12 years passing since it was last judged and awarded. Perhaps responding to the rise of modernism and new concerns in architecture it was seen as outmoded and out of date, although there was a widespread use of the term 'Bronze Medal' often for housing projects during the period it is unclear if these medals equate to the status of the current Victoria Architecture Medal.

Note:

1. Street Architecture Medal concept dropped by 1954.
2. Definition of award changed to consider private and residential projects.
3. No 'Victorian Architecture Medals' were awarded between the years 1955–1962 and 1964–1986 (according to the AIA).
4. ^† Bronze Medals were awarded during periods when the AIA have stated no VAMs were awarded.
5. ^†† Bronze Medal for The Age/RAIA House of the Year.
6. Status of Bronze Medals to be determined.

Notes:

RVIA Street Architecture Medal

1. No Street Architecture Medals were awarded during the war years and post–war years between 1943 and 1953.
2. 5 of 12 awards were for buildings on Collins Street, Melbourne.
3. 10 of 12 awards were for buildings in Melbourne's CBD.

• Australian Institute of Architects
• Australian Institute of Architects Awards and Prizes
• Victorian Architecture Awards
• William Wardell Award for Public Architecture
• Maggie Edmond Enduring Architecture Award
• Melbourne Prize
• Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal
• Robin Boyd Award