For their execution of the University of Melbourne Arts West Redevelopment, Kane Constructions Pty Ltd received top honours as Master Builder of the Year (Commercial) at the Master Builders Excellence in Construction Awards, held at Crown Palladium on Friday 4 August.

Before a record-breaking crowd of nearly 700 guests, Kane Constructions accepted the highest accolade for a commercial project, this one an animated and high-profile renovation of a 1990s institutional building in Parkville.

The building’s previously sober façade has been replaced with a matrix of horizontal fins sculpted to depict silhouettes of notable objects in the university’s cultural collection. The interior offers a vivid and textured series of spaces for study and instruction including a 150-seat lecture hall. An expansive atrium links with the original building by a 30-metre vierendeel truss, notable for its strength and decorative quality without diagonal bracing.

“This building has an unexpected degree of personality; its interior spaces have a notable but restrained multi-ethnic flavour that creates a pleasant educational atmosphere,” Master Builders CEO Radley de Silva said. “The way this project is put together is compelling and invites exploration.”

“On Master Builders’ 142nd anniversary, we are very fortunate to have high-calibre projects such as this one to demonstrate the significance of Victoria’s building and construction industry and contribute to its distinguished heritage.” Mr de Silva said.

Also honoured on the night was Michael Rapinett, named Young Builder of the Year. The 29 year-year-old obtained his bachelor degree in Applied Science Project Management (Honours) from RMIT in 2010. He has worked for Porter Davis Homes, Hacer Constructions and FourSQ, and been entrusted with projects valued up to $15M including Highpoint West Shopping Centre, DFO South Wharf, Frankston Bayside Shopping Centre, Altona Gate Shopping Centre, Aldi Springvale and, most recently, Essendon Field.

“Michael’s accomplishments are well-established, and his deportment as a building professional sets a high standard for the industry,” Mr de Silva said.

“Michael represents the important achievements of younger people in our industry’s workforce, and the pool of talent from which future leaders in Victorian building and construction will emerge,” Mr de Silva said.

BFN Developments is another serial winner this year, named Regional Master Builder of the Year (Commercial) two years running, this time for Abbey Gardens Aged Care Facility in Warragul. The scope of works for the construction of a new 123-bed Aged Care Facility on a green-filled site included a ground slab, a suspended slab, timber framing and brick veneer, rendered walls, feature stone cladding, timber arbours, a BBQ pavilion, street works, car parks and landscaping.

We are very pleased to recognise good work for institutional projects of this type. Senior Australians are a rapidly growing population in Victoria and will need significant attention in infrastructure planning. They are too often relegated to the margins of planning attention as clients for quality construction.

Kane Constructions will now go on to compete at the Master Builders Association National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards at the Princess Wharf, Hobart, on Saturday, 25 November 2017.

To  see images of all of the awarded projects, click here.

2017 Excellence in Construction Awards – Winners

Master Builder of the Year
Kane Constructions Pty Ltd
Project: The University of Melbourne Arts West Redevelopment, Parkville

Regional Builder of the Year
BFN Developments
Project: Abbey Gardens Aged Care Facility, Warragul

Young Builder of the Year
Michael Rapinett
Company: Foursquare Construction Management

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings under $3M
Foursquare Construction Management

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $3M – $5M
Lloyd Group
Project: St James College, Performing Arts Centre, Bentleigh East

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $5M – $10M
Schiavello Construction VIC
Project: Garden State Hotel, Melbourne

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $10M – $15M
McCorkell Constructions
Project: Ruyton Girls School, Kew

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $15M – $20M
Built Pty Ltd
Project: Palais Theatre, St Kilda

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $20M – $30M
Construction Engineering (Aust) Pty Ltd
Project: Southwest Regional Cancer Centre, Warrnambool

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $30M – $80M
Kane Constructions Pty Ltd
Project: The University of Melbourne Arts West Redevelopment, Parkville

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings over $80M
Grocon PCL Joint Venture
Project: Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Melbourne

Excellence in Construction of Industrial Buildings
CPB Contractors
Project: Post-Entry Quarantine Facility, Mickleham

Excellence in Fitout
Hedger Constructions Pty Ltd
Project: Pure South Restaurant, Southbank

Best Sustainable Project
CPB Contractors
Project: Melbourne International Ro-Ro Terminal (MIRRAT)

Excellence in Civil Construction
2Construct Pty Ltd
Project: Power Street Habitat Filter, Southbank

Special commendation
Excellence in Civil Construction
Rendine Constructions Pty Ltd
Project: Rocke Bros Container Handling Facility, Lara

Excellence in Health & Safety
Cockram Construction
Project: CSL AlbuRX Facility, Broadmeadows

Best Specialist Contractor Collabration Award
Kane Constructions Pty Ltd
Project: South Melbourne Vertical School, South Melbourne

Excellence in Highrise Apartment Buildings
Brady Constructions (VIC) Pty Ltd
Project: Vision Apartments 500, Melbourne