Victorian building and construction businesses have shone in Queensland at Master Builders Australia’s 2021 National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards, winning eight major awards.

Eight Master Builders Victoria (MBV) member winners were announced at the gala awards ceremony, on Saturday night, 30 April 2022 gala awards ceremony, held at the Cairns Convention Centre. The eight winners were:

  • Maben Group Pty Ltd (National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award – $20 million to $50 million and National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award – $5 million to $10 million)

 

MBV CEO Rebecca Casson congratulated the eight MBV members on their award wins while highlighting all Victorian nominees shortlisted for awards.

“It is wonderful to see the amazing work of Victorian building and construction businesses being recognised at a national level through Master Builders Australia’s National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards,” she said.

“Given the pandemic challenges, particularly in Victoria over the last couple of years, it is vital that our members’ hard work and efforts are recognised.

Background on Victorian Winning Projects: 

Cbus National High Rise Apartment Building

Buxton Constructions (Vic) Pty Ltd

Project: CV Apartments, Hawthorn East

Designer: N/A

Photographer: Michael Gazzola, IMG. Co Pty Ltd

Website

The CV Apartments project consisted of constructing a display and marketing office within the existing Bilia Volvo car showroom and the demolition of the existing car showroom and workshops. Other works involved retention, excavation and construction of a five-level basement carpark, an 11-storey apartment building and the construction of four levels of commercial space and nine levels of apartments above. Over the five-level basement carpark, there are two separate buildings. CV1 consists of 86 investor-style apartments, a standalone structure with an entry foyer and central core. CVT consists of 13 levels which comprise retail on the ground floor, three levels of commercial space, and nine levels of apartments which boast 55 apartments, including a two-level penthouse.

Cbus National Medium Density – over 5 Dwellings

Flux Construction (a brand of Figurehead Construction)

Project: Armadale

Designer: Jolson Architecture & Interiors

Photographer: Tom Hutton and Lucas Allen

Website

The building intended to provide luxury apartment living to the high-end market. Inspired by a European style Loggia, this Orchard Piper development holds a strong presence and posture in its tree-lined residential landscape. Defined by its rolling concrete arches expressed within a simple form, the project is the manifestation of a collaboration between renowned designers Jolson Architecture & Interiors, taking the lead on the building's form, with Myles Baldwin Design integrating the building into a lush landscape blurring the line between indoors and out. The building's form and placement complement high-quality architectural elements such as Secco Thermally Broken Steel Windows throughout, Poliform cabinets, 3m high ceilings, Olivari door hardware, European oak floors, stone kitchens with European appliances and a fully finished basement. Spread across two floors, the building provided 10 luxury apartments in two and three-bedroom options. 

Infrabuild National Education Facility Award

McCorkell Constructions

Project: Penleigh & Essendon Grammar School Gym, Keilor East

Designer: McBride Charles Ryan

Photographer: Kathleen Winder

Website

Partnering with highly regarded architects McBride Charles Ryan, this new building for Penleigh & Essendon Grammar School seamlessly integrates other architectural jewels designed by MCR at the Keilor East campus. The visually striking building has a unique façade system, with one of the elevations featuring a brick-tiled curved work face. Internally, the building is filled with great architectural details and bespoke finishes. This state-of-the-art gymnasium and events centre is a multi-purpose space for health and fitness and large student events, assemblies, and performances. The building includes a fitness centre, two large indoor sports courts, a multi-purpose room, function room, kitchen, classrooms and study areas, offices, reception, change rooms and amenities. The facility also includes a large storage room with high ceilings to accommodate any large props and theatre rigging equipment.

National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award – $10 million to $20 million

Becon Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd

Project: GHPT Innovation Centre, Morwell

Designer: William Ross Architects

Photographer: Dianna Snape, Dianna Snape Photography

Website

Federation University Australia’s Morwell Innovation Centre in Gippsland is set to provide students and businesses with access to the latest knowledge in innovation and technology. Opened in 2020, Morwell Innovation Centre houses dynamic spaces designed to promote creative thinking and practice and support local enterprise and entrepreneurship. Students from across the region will benefit from clear pathways from secondary school to vocational training and tertiary and research in one location. The works included constructing a new two-storey building consisting of extensive piling due to a very unstable and reactive subgrade followed by the ground floor slab, precast panels and core filled blockwork. The lower level included a post-tensioned concrete slab and structural steel, while the roofing was Kingspan panelling with a Colorbond finish.

National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award – $20 million to $50 million

Maben Group Pty Ltd

Project: Highpoint Aesthetic Upgrade, Maribyrnong

Designer: Carr - Architecture and Interior Design

Photographer: Lisbeth Grosmann Photography

Website

The project involved the aesthetic upgrade of more than 10,000sqm public shopping malls over levels 2 and 3 at the Highpoint Shopping Centre within an operating shopping centre environment. Floor finishes consisted of bluestone and granite tiling that incorporated a feature granite wave and decorative ‘possum tail swirl’. Spotted gum timber flooring pods were inserted in designated seating areas and complimented with specialist mall furniture. A solid steel and glass balustrade was designed for the voids, reflecting an industrial form and matching the new design aesthetic of the malls. New ceiling finishes vary between the different zones and include shiplap spotted gum, black mirror Rimex and custom aluminium feature awning; recessed timber batten awning, timber look linings to skylights and beams and black mirror Rimex feature to the high-level atrium. Other finishes include a feature timber look ceiling which includes recessed inserts of plasterboard and perforated timber panels to achieve the look of a ‘honeycomb’; plus decorative cork wallpaper to feature curved bulkheads with stainless steel ribbed Rimex.

National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award – $5 million to $10 million

Maben Group Pty Ltd

Project: Myer Music Centre Redevelopment, South Yarra

Designer: Peter Elliott Pty Ltd

Photographer: John Gollings Photography

Website

Melbourne Grammar School recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Myer Music School in Domain Street, South Yarra. The facilities were housed in two heritage buildings, and both required substantial upgrades. The redevelopment involved extensive refurbishment of both buildings and constructing a new basement and ‘infill’ building inserted between them. An external rooftop bridge linked all three areas together. The new and redeveloped Myer Music School has digital recording studios, LCD screens and ‘software’ connections. Performance spaces in the basement incorporate specialist acoustic timber linings and drapes and a sustainable, lockable storage area for instruments.     

National Display Home – under $250,000

Carlisle Homes

Project: Sterling 25 at Olivine, Donnybrook

Designer: N/A

Photographer: Urban Angles

Website

The single-storey Sterling 25 is a crowd-pleaser on all accounts. Located in the Olivine Estate, Donnybrook, this home design is from Carlisle’s EasyLiving Series, a budget-friendly range tailored to suit first-time buyers and investors building smaller homes on smaller blocks. Designed to suit a 14m x 28m block, the Sterling 25 is a modern, open-plan home that the whole family will love, a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home that establishes the perfect balance between open-plan zoned living. The home features the Montana facade, a fully rendered Hebel design complete with composite Permatimber cladding above the porch and a gorgeous, textured tiled porch pier. 

National Fit-Out Award

Buildcorp Group

Project: MinterEllison Project, Melbourne

Designer: Carr Design

Photographer: Tom Blanchard

Website

The MinterEllison involved delivering 10,700 sqm of premium office space over five-and-a-half levels at Collins Arch, 447 Collins Street. The workplace aspirations were to provide functionality while being adaptive, promote diversity, support human connection, and inspire collaboration and innovation. The space was authentic and strong, efficient, and flexible without being over the top opulent. Distinctly Melbourne features are a key theme of the fit-out design. These include a reference to the Hoddle grid in the dining room's hessian lightbox ceiling structure, breakout, and plaza levels. A key component of the fit-out is the unique feature stair. The stair is a complete helix and was designed several times before a curved form was chosen. One continuous run means you are not entering and exiting the stair at each level; you can traverse from levels 17 to 22 in a smooth, efficient, and continuous journey. The dining room is also a key feature and can be shut off to become its own event space.

 

To enquire about entering the 2022 MBV Excellence in Building & Construction Awards, for either Commercial or Residential projects, in metropolitan or regional Victoria, contact our events team at [email protected].