July 3, 2015  Print

The Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research has been awarded one of Australia’s
most prestigious architecture prizes – the Sulman Medal for Public Architecture.

The Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research has been awarded one of Australia’s
most prestigious architecture prizes – the Sulman Medal for Public Architecture.
Project Principal, Julian Ashton of BVN Architects, accompanied by the Institute’s Chief
Operating Officer Mark Dado, accepted the top prize at the NSW Architecture Awards held at
Sydney Town Hall last night.


Officially opened in October 2014, the new Westmead Millennium Institute building was
described by the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) jury as “a project where every aspect
has been considered”.


“The sensitivity and deftness of this consideration has transformed the building’s logic into an
uplifting and inspiring environment for collaboration and research.”
The jury also praised the enduring quality of the building’s palette of materials which created a
“beguiling sense of well-being.”


According to Julian Ashton “The Westmead Millennium Institute takes laboratory design away
from dark internally focused spaces into light filled areas with significant exterior glazing
allowing views outside and a great deal more daylight in the laboratory than in traditional
laboratory design.”


“A central stair connects the laboratories, which together with shared write up and common
spaces, enables researchers to meet and collaborate far more freely than previously,” he said.
The Westmead Millennium Institute is one of Australia’s largest and most productive medical
research centres. It is home to more than 380 medical researchers and support staff and is
internationally recognized for ground-breaking work into infectious and immune diseases;
cancer and leukaemia; liver and metabolic diseases; eye and brain-related disorders and heart
and respiratory diseases.


The Executive Director of the Institute, Professor Tony Cunningham, said the building makes
researchers feel valued.


“The new building is beautiful and uplifting. I’m thrilled that the Australian Institute of Architects
has, with this great honour, recognised the very positive effects the building is having on our
staff and visitors. 
“It was also designed around our people - their need for interaction and collaboration – and has
enhanced our productivity.”


COO Mark Dado said the award showed that the architects had successfully delivered on the
Institute’s vision.


“The Sulman Medal is testimony to a successful collaboration between the Institute, architects
BVN, our builders Abigroup and Cockram, and Project Managers Capital Insight.
“Over the 12 months we have occupied the building it has met all the expectations of our staff
and in some respects exceeded them. It has been highly successful.”


The Sulman Medal is Australia’s longest-running architecture prize having first been awarded in
1932. It is a measure of the award’s high standards that the AIA has in several years declined to
make the award, judging no building worthy of the medal.


Among the previous winners of the medal are the Sydney Opera House, Grosvenor Place, the
MLC Centre Martin Place and the Olympic Park Railway Station.

With the 2015 award, BVN has become the first architecture practice to win eight Sulman
medals.