2021 Awards for Excellence

Established in 1971, the Awards for Excellence in Concrete recognise and publicise the many significant contributions to excellence in concrete design, construction and materials in Australia.

In 2021, the Concrete Institute of Australia was pleased to receive 34 entries which were submitted around Australia in all categories.

The Kevin Cavanagh Trophy

The Kevin Cavanagh Trophy for Excellence in Concrete is a prestigious industry award, which is granted to the overall winner judged from all categories on the basis of being an outstanding contribution to the quality of concrete construction in Australia, clearly demonstrating an outstanding level of excellence above all other entries.

The 2021 winner of the Kevin Cavanagh Trophy is the Chau Chak Wing Museum by FDC Constructions, JPW, Northrop and Mahaffey Associates. The winner was from New South Wales and was entered in the Commercial Buildings category.

Chau Chak Wing Museum at The University of Sydney is the culmination of many years of strategic planning, and consolidates collections from the Nicholson, Macleay, Power and University Art collections.

The choice of concrete as construction material for the Museum was simple. It enabled structure and cladding to be one, making engineering efficient and construction seemingly straightforward. All aspects of the concrete construction were carefully considered, from prototyping, concrete mix designs, reinforcement detailing, post-tensioning, through to pumping strategies. Numerous innovative and bespoke construction techniques were devised and adopted to create the Museum’s most striking feature – the large, floating, concrete ‘Box’ perched atop its glass and sandstone podium.

From the tinted, precast elements that feature in the lower half of the building, to the ceiling of the Entry level with all the cast-in services, through to the cantilevered box itself, concrete features both prominently, and yet is unobtrusively elegant. This timeless construction project will endure for generations to come, just as the University intended.

National Awards for Excellence in Concrete – 2021 Winners

Winners of Awards for Excellence from each state were judged in their separate categories for an overall category winner. The winner received a Medallion for Excellence in Concrete and an accompanying certificate. From those entries receiving a Medallion for Excellence in Concrete, one was judged to receive the Kevin Cavanagh Trophy for Excellence in Concrete and an accompanying certificate. National awards were presented at the Institute’s 2021 Virtual Conference on 7 September 2021.

Residential Buildings – Balmain House submitted by Partridge Structural

Commercial Buildings – Chau Chak Wing Museum submitted by FDC Constructions, JPW, Northrop and Mahaffey Associates

Infrastructure Projects – New Grafton Bridge submitted by Aurecon, Fulton Hogan and Transport for NSW

Repair & Rehabilitation – HMAS Stirling Redevelopment submitted by GHD and Duratec

Technology & Innovation – Guide to Concrete Construction submitted by CCAA

State Awards for Excellence in Concrete

All entries were judged in groups based on the state in which they are completed, and winners were awarded with an Award for Excellence in Concrete. Winners received a framed Award certificate. More than one award was able to be granted in each category. These awards were presented at Institute State Awards functions.

The entries that progressed to the National Awards were:

Residential Buildings

  • Concert Hall House – SDA Structures, Pandolfini Architects, Pacific Plus Constructions, Masterform Services (New South Wales)
  • Balmain House – Partridge Structural (New South Wales)
  • Miramar – Mills Gorman Architects (Victoria)

Commercial Buildings

  • The Lennox – Rincovitch Consultants, EQ Construction, EQ Projects, Marchese Partners, BCRC and Boral (New South Wales)
  • Chau Chak Wing Museum – FDC Constructions, JPW, Northrop and Mahaffey Associates (New South Wales)
  • Macquarie University ICC – SCP Consulting (New South Wales)
  • Pallas House – Xavier Knight, Lords Group, Fortis and Lawton Hurley (New South Wales)
  • The One Residences – Multiplex and Hera Engineering (Queensland)
  • NEXTDC M2 Stage 4 – NEXTDC, Aurecon and Kapitol Group (Victoria)

Infrastructure Projects

  • New Grafton Bridge – Aurecon, Fulton Hogan and Transport for NSW (New South Wales)
  • Queensland Country Bank Stadium – Arup and Watpac (Queensland)
  • Aviation Road Level Crossing – WPA, Reinforced Earth and McConnell Dowell (Victoria)
  • The Vault – Vic Civil (Victoria)

Repairs & Rehabilitation

  • Northern Suburbs Ocean Outfall – Sydney Water, Interflow, Metrocorp Technologies and SASTTI JV (New South Wales)
  • Gateway Arterial Flyover Upgrade – TMR, JF Hull Holdings, AECOM, GHD, Boral, Formcon and Bonacci Infrastructure (Queensland)
  • West Chevron Island Bridge Remedial Works – SMEC (Queensland)
  • HMAS STIRLING Redevelopment Stage 3A Maritime Structures Remediation – Duratec Australia and GHD (Western Australia)
  • King Square Fremantle – Pritchard Francis (Western Australia)

Technology & Innovation

  • Guide to Concrete Construction – CCAA (New South Wales)
  • APTUS Couplers – APTUS Construction Systems (Queensland)
  • BluCem ZeoGlass – Bluey Technologies (Queensland)
  • Toorak Road Level Crossing – Prascon and BOSFA (Victoria)
  • Collins House – Hickory (Victoria)
  • New Sustainable and Resilient Precast Concrete Beam-Column Joints – Curtin University of Technology (Western Australia)
  • Pilbara Ports Authority – Tower Fell – Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec and McMahon Services (Western Australia)