Page 40 - Tropic Magazine Issue 30

TROPIC • DESIGN

Region’s best

ARCHITECTURE

Roger Mainwood LFRAIA,
a Founding Director of TPG FNQ REGIONAL
Architects and this year’s local
awards jury chair, reflects on the AWARD WINNERS
legacy of one of Cairns’ most
renowned architects. These stunning local projects
have been recognised in
In the 1990s various regional Queensland the Australian Institute of
chapters of the AIA recognised a need to Architecture (AIA) Regional
celebrate the immense diversity of
place and space in which architects Awards for Far North
work across the state. Queensland.
With that came the formation of AIA’s
regional awards, in which the winners CAIRNS PERFORMING ARTS
go on to be nominated and judged in the CENTRE
Institute’s state and national awards. CA Architects and Cox
In the Far North we celebrate the best of Architecture in collaboration
the best with the Eddie Oribin Building of
the Year, which this year was awarded Eddie Oribin Award for
to CPAC. Building of the Year
Regional Commendation
Nominated for Public Architecture
From community uses to national and
Eddie Oribin’s work was international touring performance,
this significant civic cultural asset
always detailed, often offers immensely flexible staging
experimental, beautifully and presentation configurations with
state-of-the-art, back-of-house, and
crafted and inspiring Credit: Christopher Frederick Jones technical capabilities.

Barnes, and successfully completed his Over the next 25 years, Eddie was
Born in Cairns in 1927, Eddie worked on exam with the Board of Architects in 1952. responsible for many of the region’s
rebuilding Kitty Hawk warplane engines He did well as today architects need public buildings including the Stratford
from the age of 15. a double degree, generally over six Library, Mareeba’s Council Chambers and
He later undertook his ‘articles’ with Methodist Church, Innisfail Presbyterian
the Chief Architect of the Allied Works years with a minimum two years’ extra and Gordonvale’s C of E churches.
Council for North Queensland, Sid G experience before sitting the
registration exam. He was the designer of The Hides Hotel
Like many young architects, his first additions, with its fine concrete
major project was his family home in sun-screening on Grafton Street
Edge Hill, and within two years he built — worth booking a room to see its 60s
his landmark studio across the creek. detail interiors – as well as the former
Both his house and studio immediately Cairns Civic Theatre.
captured public interest and led to many Eddie often spoke eloquently of the
more residential commissions in Cairns. importance of good civic architecture
The little studio, now a residence, that responds to its place and is loved
is beautifully detailed with complex by the public — wise words that would
timber window geometry and triangular be reflected in many of the succeeding
red awnings that sit in the rainforest like Building Of The Year recipients.
a red heliconia.
Eddie Oribin’s studio in Edge Hill

40 • Tropic • Issue 30