# Sir John Sulman Medal

The Sir John Sulman Medal for Public Architecture is an architectural award presented by the New South Wales chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects since 1932. The medal is sometimes referred to as the Sulman Award and now recognises excellence in public buildings in either New South Wales or in the Australian Capital Territory. Before the advent of the Wilkinson Award in 1961, it was on occasion presented to residential housing projects.
The medal is presented in memory of the Australian architect Sir John Sulman (29 August 1849 – 18 August 1934). Sulman was born in Greenwich, England, and emigrated to Sydney in 1885. From 1921 to 1924 he was chairman of the Federal Capital Advisory Committee and influenced the development of Canberra. The medal was designed by George Rayner Hoff (1894—1937), sculptor and teacher, famed for his sculptures in Sydney's Anzac Memorial.

## History of the Award

Sulman was an enthusiastic about town planning, and it was intended that the Medal was for "a building of exceptional merit that contributed to the streetscape". This interest in the greater urban environment and the relationship of the building to the public domain parallels the earlier Royal Institute of British Architects Street Architecture Medal instigated in 1923, and the RVIA Street Architecture Medal in Melbourne that began in 1929, later to be known as the Victorian Architecture Medal.
In the 1950 Year Book of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, the Sir John Sulman Medal and Diploma was defined as being "awarded annually for a building of exceptional merit in one of the following classes: (1) Public and Monumental, (2) Educational and Ecclesiastical, (3) Commercial and Industrial, (4) Recreational, (5) Domestic and Residential. The building must have been erected in New South Wales within the previous five years and must be readily accessible and visible. The Jury comprises four Architects, one Painter, one Art Critic, and the Director of the National Art Gallery."

## List of Sulman Medal Winners

| Year | Architect | Project | Image | Location | Other awards and notes |
| 1932 | Peddle Thorp & Walker | Science House | | 157–169 Gloucester Street and Essex Street, The Rocks | |
| 1933 | Budden & Mackey | Primary Producers' Bank | | 105 Pitt Street, Sydney | (demolished 1964) |
| 1934 | Professor Leslie Wilkinson | Wiston Gardens | | 4–6 Wiston Gardens, Double Bay | |
| 1935 | Fowell & McConnel | St. Anne's Shrine | | 60 Blair Street, Bondi | |
| 1936 | Budden & Mackey | Transport House also known as Railway House | | 19—31 York Street, Sydney | RIBA Medal, 1939 |
| 1937 | J.D. Moore & V. L. Dowling | West Wing, Frensham School | | Mittagong | |
| 1938 | F.A. Scorer | City Incinerator | | Newcastle | (demolished 1989) |
| 1939 | Eric W. Andrew | Surf Pavilion | | South Steyne, Manly | (demolished 1980) |
| 1940 | G.H.B. McDonell | House | | 67 Elgin Street, Gordon | |
| 1941 | Stephenson & Turner | King George V Memorial Hospital for Mothers and Babies | | Missenden Road, Camperdown | |
| 1942 | Professor Leslie Wilkinson | St. Michael's Church Complex Additions | | Corner Gilliver Avenue & Vaucluse Road, Vaucluse | |
| 1943 | Fowell, McConnel & Mansfield in association with Brian O'Rorke | Orient Line Building | | 2–6 Spring Street, Sydney | (altered) |
| 1944 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1945 | Sydney Ancher | House | | 3 Maytone Avenue, Killara | |
| 1946 | Stephenson & Turner | Concord Repatriation General Hospital | | Hospital Road, Concord | |
| 1947 | Stafford, Moor & Farrington | Wormald Bros | | 208 Young Street, Waterloo | (demolished) |
| 1948 | A.H.A. Hanson | House | | 55 Illeroy Avenue, Killara | |
| 1949 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1950 | Spencer, Spencer & Bloomfield | Top Dog Men's | | Pittwater Road, Dee Why | (substantially altered) |
| 1951 | Harry Seidler | Rose Seidler House | | 71 Clissold Road, Wahroonga, historically referred as North Turramurra | |
| 1952 | Peddle Thorp & Walker | Royal Swedish Legation | | 5 Turrana Street, Yarralumla, Canberra | |
| 1953 | Professor Brian Lewis | University House | | Australian National University, Canberra | |
| 1954 | Stafford Moor & Farrington | Boots Pure Drug Company | | 376 Eastern Valley Way, Roseville | (demolished) |
| 1955 | Canberra Branch Commonwealth Department of Works (Architect Ian Slater) | Canberra Olympic Pool | | 36 Constitution Avenue, Canberra | |
| 1956 | Baldwinson, Booth & Peters | Hotel Belmont | | Belmont | |
| 1957 | John Allen & Russell Jack | House | | 62 Boundary Road, Wahroonga | |
| 1958 | Architect's Branch Sydney City Council | Florence Bartley Library | | Fitzroy Gardens, Potts Point | (demolished 1995) |
| 1959 | Grounds, Romberg & Boyd | Australian Academy of Science (The Shine Dome) | | 15 Gordon Street, Acton, Canberra | Meritorious Architecture Award, ACT, 1959 Sir Roy Grounds Award for Enduring Architecture, 2001 |
| 1960 | Ancher Mortlock Murray & Woolley | Badham House | | 89 Dolans Road South, Caringbah | |
| 1961 | Bunning & Madden | Liner House | | 13–15 Bridge Street, Sydney | |
| 1962 | NSW Government Architect (Ted Farmer, Tom O’Mahony, Ken Woolley) | Fisher Library | | University of Sydney | |
| 1963 | Ian McKay & Philip Cox | St Andrews Presbyterian Agricultural College Boys Home | | Leppington | (closed 1980s, demolished 2015) |
| 1964 | NSW Government Architect (Ted Farmer and Peter Hall) | Goldstein Hall | | Fig Tree Lane, Kensington Campus, University of New South Wales | |
| 1964 | Hely, Bell & Horne | 75 St Johns Road & Glebe Point Road (now Anglicare St Johns Village) | | 75 St Johns Road, Glebe | |
| 1965 | Ian McKay & Philip Cox | C.B. Alexander Presbyterian Agricultural College (Tocal College) | | Tocal, Paterson | |
| 1966 | Edwards, Madigan, Torzillo & Partners | Warringah Shire Library (now Dee Why Library) | | 725 Pittwater Road, Dee Why | |
| 1967 | Harry Seidler & Associates | Australia Square | | George Street, Sydney | |
| 1968 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1969 | NSW Government Architect (Ted Farmer) | Marsden Retarded Children's Centre | | Mons Road, Westmead, historically referred as Parramatta | (partially demolished) |
| 1970 | Edwards, Madigan, Torzillo & Briggs in conjunction with NSW Government Architect (Ted Farmer) | Student Residence 'A' | | Mitchell College of Advanced Education, Bathurst | |
| 1971 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1972 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1973 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1974 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1975 | NSW Government Architect (Charles Weatherburn) | Art Gallery of New South Wales additions | | Art Gallery Road, Sydney | New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award, 2007 |
| 1976 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1977 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1978 | NSW Government Architect (Ian Thomson) | Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education | | Eaton Road, Lindfield | New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award, 2005 |
| 1979 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1981 | NSW Government Architect (Ian Thomson & Chris Johnson) | Hampden Park Primary School | | Hampden Road, Lakemba | |
| 1981 | Harry Seidler & Associates | Glen Street Offices | | 2 Glen Street, Milsons Point | |
| 1982 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1983 | Harry Seidler & Associates | MLC Centre | | Martin Place, Sydney | |
| 1983 | John Andrews | American Express Tower (King George Tower) (now 388 George) | | 388 George Street, Sydney | |
| 1984 | NSW Government Architect (Ian Thomson) | Parklea Prison | | Sunnyholt Road, Parklea | |
| 1985 | NSW Government Architect (Ian Thomson) in association with Vivian Fraser | Wharf Theatre | | Pier 4/5, Millers Point | National Award for Enduring Architecture, 2008 New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award, 2008 |
| 1985 | Glenn Murcutt | Zachary's Restaurant | | Mona Vale Road, Terrey Hills | |
| 1986 | NSW Government Architect (Ian Thompson & Colin Still) | City Council Library & Regional Gallery | | Orange | |
| 1987 | Rice Daubney in association with Stephenson & Turner | Queen Victoria Building restoration | | George Street, Sydney | |
| 1988 | NSW Government Architect (Lionel Glendenning) | Powerhouse Museum | | 500 Harris Street, Ultimo | |
| 1989 | NSW Government Architect (Lindsay Kelly) | Art Gallery of New South Wales extensions & alterations | | Art Gallery Road, Sydney | |
| 1989 | Cox Richardson Taylor Partners | Sydney Exhibition Centre | | Darling Harbour, Sydney | (demolished 2014) |
| 1990 | Bligh Robinson Architects | Lake Crackenback Village | | Alpine Way, Thredbo | |
| 1991 | Harry Seidler & Associates | Grosvenor Place | | 225 George Street, Sydney | |
| 1992 | Jørn Utzon | Sydney Opera House | | Sydney | (Commemorative Award) |
| 1993 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1994 | Denton Corker Marshall | Governor Phillip Tower | | 1 Farrer Place, Sydney | |
| 1995 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1996 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 1997 | Grose Bradley Architects | Architecture Studios | | University of Newcastle | |
| 1998 | Hassell | Olympic Park Station | | Sydney Olympic Park | Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 1998 Access Citation Award, 1998 New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award, 2023 |
| 1999 | Glenn Murcutt, Wendy Lewin, Reg Lark | Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Education Centre | | 170 Riversdale Road, Illaroo NSW | Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 1999 |
| 2000 | MGT Architects | The Scientia | | University of New South Wales | Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 2000 |
| 2000 | Bligh Voller Nield | Tennis Centre | | Sydney Olympic Park | |
| 2001 | Suters Architects with Stutchbury & Pape | Life Sciences Building | | University of Newcastle | |
| 2002 | Hassell in association with Peter Armstrong | National Institute of Dramatic Art | | Anzac Parade, Kensington | |
| 2003 | Bligh Voller Nield and Woods Bagot | University of Technology Sydney, City Campus, Building 10 | | Broadway, Sydney | |
| 2004 | Renzo Piano Building Workshop in association with Lend Lease Design | Aurora Place | | 88 Phillip Street, Sydney | |
| 2005 | Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp | The Mint, Historic Houses Trust of NSW | | Macquarie Street, Sydney | |
| 2006 | Bligh Voller Nield | 36/37 Squadron Headquarters, Royal Australian Air Force | | RAAF Base Richmond | |
| 2007 | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD | NO AWARD |
| 2008 | Kennedy Associates | Bowden Centre, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan | | Mount Annan | |
| 2009 | Candalepas Associates | All Saints Grammar School | | 13–17 Cecilia Street, Belmore | |
| 2010 | Hassell | Epping to Chatswood Rail Link, Intermediate Stations | | Macquarie Park North Ryde | Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 2010 |
| 2011 | Bligh Voller Nield | Brain and Mind Research Institute, Youth Mental Health Building | | 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown | World Architecture Festival, World Health Building, 2010 International Health Design Award, High Commendation, 2011 RIBA International Award for Architectural Excellence, 2011 National Award for Public Architecture, 2011 Chicago Antheneum International Architecture Award, 2012 |
| 2012 | BVN Architecture | Mabel Fidler Building, Ravenswood School for Girls | | Gordon | National Award for Public Architecture, 2012 Chicago Antheneum International Architecture Award, 2013 |
| 2013 | Collins and Turner Architects | Waterloo Youth, Family and Community Centre (now Weave Youth & Community Services) | | 1B Elizabeth Street, Waterloo | National Award for Public Architecture, 2013 |
| 2014 | Neeson Murcutt Architects in association with City of Sydney | Prince Alfred Park + Pool Upgrade | | Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills | Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design, 2014 City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize, 2014 National Award for Public Architecture, 2014 |
| 2015 | BVN | Westmead Millennium Institute | | Westmead | |
| 2016 | Neeson Murcutt Architects | Kempsey Crescent Head Surf Life Saving Club | | Crescent Head | |
| 2017 | Crone Architects | Orange Regional Museum | | 151 Byng Street, Orange | NSW Premier's Prize, 2017 |
| 2018 | Candalepas Associates | Punchbowl Mosque | | 25–27 Matthews Street, Punchbowl | National Award for Public Architecture, 2018 |
| 2019 | CHROFI | Maitland Riverlink | | Maitland | National Award for Public Architecture, 2019 NSW Architecture Medallion, 2019 |
| 2020 | Johnson Pilton Walker with NSW Government Architect | Anzac Memorial Centenary Extension | | Hyde Park, Sydney | Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 2020 |
| 2021 | Hassell Studio | Sydney Theatre Company | | Pier 4/5, Walsh Bay located at 15 Hickson Road, Dawes Point, Sydney | |
| 2022 | Kerstin Thompson Architects | Bundanon Art Museum and Bridge | | Bundanon, 533 Bundanon Road, Illaroo, NSW | Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture, 2022 National Award for Sustainable Architecture, 2022 Architecture Award for Sustainable Architecture, 2022 (NSW) |
| 2023 | SANAA with Architectus (Executive Architects) | North Building (Sydney Modern), Art Gallery of New South Wales | | Art Gallery Road, Sydney | National Award for Public Architecture, 2023 |
| 2024 | Grimshaw and Andrew Burges Architects with McGregor Coxall | Parramatta Aquatic Centre | | 7A Park Parade, Parramatta | National Award for Public Architecture, 2024 |