Past winners

The Story:

“It's immediately obvious that all visitors will be drawn into this magical piece of architecture. The flexible inside out layout is ingenious,” James Twomey, Judge.

Hidden collections have been unpacked and revealed for visitors to interact with for the first time in The Burke Museum’s new building, thanks to architects Olson Kundig's inside out layout which offers twice as much access to exhibits as its previous one. Until now many of these items were stored unseen in the basement. The new Burke Museum breaks down traditional barriers between public and "back-of-house" spaces."

Design highlights:

The Scots pine wood exterior and sequence of tall, narrow windows reference forests across the Pacific Northwest and will silver with age. Windows help to frame and exhibit objects from the outside as well as internally, while enhancing connections to the surrounding community. A large central atrium and “smart glass” skylight foster a bright, daylit interior experience, without risking damage to sensitive artefacts. Porous edges, including a 24-foot-by-20-foot pivoting window wall, open the building up to nature. Meanwhile a flexible outdoor courtyard connects the museum to the University of Washington campus.

Photograph credits:

Gallery Image 1, 6: Photo by John Jeffcoat Gallery Image 2, 4, 5, 8, 9: Photo by Aaron Leitz Gallery Image 3: Photo by Timothy Kenney Gallery Image 7: Photo by Dennis Wise / University of Washington Lead Image & Hero Image: Photo by Aaron Leitz Presentation Slide 1: Photo by Aaron Leitz, Graphics by Olson Kundig Presentation Slide 2: Photos by John Jeffcoat, Graphics by Olson Kundig Presentation Slide 3, 4, 6, 8: Photo by Aaron Leitz Presentation Slide 5: Photo by Dennis Wise / University of Washington Presentation Slide 7: Photo by Aaron Leitz and Dennis Wise / University of Washington Presentation Slide 9: Photo by Mikel Amias / Olson Kundig Presentation Slide 10: Olson Kundig

Main story:

“Imaginative approaches to sustainability really set this building apart,” Jacqueline Beckingham, Judge.

The offices, currently let by Deloitte, feature a distinctive pleated design which corrects the solar orientation of the building to maximise light and minimise heat load. Roof vents within the glazed sculptural skylights fill the central atrium with light and fresh air, creating an internal street where people can circulate, meet and interact. An energy efficient mixed mode climate control system using innovative displacement ventilation and natural ventilation stabilises the building’s temperature.

Design highlights:

Exposed concrete, timber panels on interior walls and a wealth of indoor planting create a striking interior. The double volume entrance plaza with innovative saw-tooth timber ceiling leads in to the Deloitte reception, client-facing meeting rooms, a staff restaurant and a café while a central sculptural staircase and lifts allow employees to easily connect with each other between floors.

Photograph credits:

Image Credits - StudioMAS (1; 4-6; 9; 13-14; 19; 23; 29) V&A Waterfront (2-3; 8) ARUP (7; 10-11; 15-16; 18; 25-28; 30-37) GVK (17; 20-22; 24) Gareth Griffiths (12)

PAST WINNERS BLOG

The Burke Museum in Seattle, USA

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