Awards

Awarded to Bower Studio

  • The Karungkarni Art and Culture Centre has been shortlisted for the 2025 ArchitectureAU Award for Social Impact, which recognises built environment projects that make a meaningful contribution to community wellbeing and social change.

  • Excellence in Placed-based Initiatives – Cummeragunja Project Team - a collaboration with the Cummeragunja Community, Bower Studio at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, and the Academy of Sport, Health and Education.

  • The Wave Hill Walk-off Pavilions were selected for the ‘Repair’ exhibition at the Australian Pavilion at the Architecture Biennale, Venice, Italy.

  • Australian Institute of Architects prize for the Walk-off Pavilions on Gurindji Country, Northern Territory.

  • Australian Regional Development (ARDC) for HomePlus projects 2013, 2014

  • This award recognized the Bower Studio’s innovative HomesPLUS projects at the Beyuen and Titjikala (NT) communities. It noted the team’s capacity to positively engage with community groups and industry partners.

Awarded to David O'Brien

  • "David O'Brien is to be congratulated for developing and delivering such a program over many years, and for involving a wide range of community and corporate partners in order to help support it. The Rio Award is a well-deserved accolade for this excellent program."

  • For innovative and collaborative approaches to engaging architecture students with Indigenous communities to realise development projects alongside local partners.

  • Jury Chair Brian Zulaikha noted in the commendation citation "The Jury acknowledged Dr O’Brien’s dedication to research and his integration of this into the Bower Studios program. The studios produce a student culture which is deeply interested in the indigenous architecture of many communities. Students have the unique experience of engaging with the community to deliver meaningful outcomes as well as the practical application of going on-site to construct the designs."

Awarded to students

  • Dean’s Honours List, awarded for the best design from any discipline that shows the potential to have positive social and ecological outcomes or legacy

  • Victoria and Dan consulted with Gurindji, Warlpiri and Mudburra people to co-design the arts centre renovation.

  • This award supported Georgia and David conduct qualitative based post-occupancy studies at the 2018 Bower Studio project at Sipaia.

  • This award enabled students Matthew Breen, llari Lehtonen and Trevor Galgal to return to Papua New Guinea to research and refine the prototype composting toilet design built by the Bower Studio at the Sipaia Community in 2012.

  • Fiona was awarded the prize for her Bower Studio work designing Single Men’s Community at Gudorrka - an examination of suitable self-help housing for itinerant men near Darwin. The awards jury said they “appreciated Fiona’s resolution of simple shelter housing that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate indigenous patterns of living with elements that can be added or subtracted”.

  • Bower Studio students Allison, Charlotte and Karina received funding to continue the project into 2009, liaising with the Gudorrka community to renovate House 8.