Troppo Architects


Troppo Architects is an Australian architectural practice with the aim of promoting good tropical architecture in Australia's Top End. The practice was founded in 1980 in Darwin with the aid of a Northern Territory grant to examine the history of the region's architecture.
The practice has established offices in six Australian locations,, and has completed projects in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. "It has a reputation for spare intelligent architecture that has evolved out of the architects' feeling for tradition and landscape. Not least, their buildings are designed for the climate."

History

In the late 1970s, Phil Harris and Adrian Welke were two young Adelaide-raised Bachelor of Architecture students. In 1978, their final year of undergraduate study, they collaborated on the publication of "Influences in Regional Architecture", Australia's first history of architecture outside the urban arena.
Troppo Architects was founded in 1980 by Harris and Welke, whose early careers had taken them to Darwin. The practice commenced with the aid of an NT Government history grant to research the History of Tropical Housing in Australia's Top End. The practice had a slow start, but gained momentum when they were successful in a Low Cost House Competition organised by the City of Darwin, and they were engaged to build a prototype of their design. The prototype was economical to build, climatically comfortable to live in, easy to extend, and also uses little energy. In its first decade, the practice refined and extended its skill in addressing the architectural requirements of the "Top End", gaining a wide range of work, including with remote aboriginal communities. Their approach has been applied to projects in: the Kimberley, Perth, Esperance, and inland WA; Adelaide, coastal, rural and far-northern SA; Melbourne and Victoria; Alice Springs and the Centre; Townsville, and north and far north Queensland; and most recently, inland and north-coast NSW.
In 1987, the practice was selected by the Gagudju Community, administrators of the Kakadu National Park, to design some park facilities. Joining together with Glenn Murcutt, the collaboration was "highly productive". The work lead to international critical acclaim, and a number of important commissions. The practice spread out across Australia: Phil Harris opened an office in Adelaide in 1999, and Adrian Welke opened an office Perth, leaving the original office in the hands of Dan Connolly.
Since 2010, Troppo has been run by five partners spread out across Australia: Greg MacNamara, Geoff Clark, Terry O'toole, Phil Harris, Adrian Welke and Dan Connolly. They work with a team of around twenty people and regularly collaborate with well-known architects such as Danny Wong, Glenn Murcutt, Phil Tait & Shane Thompson.

Directors

Troppo's founding directors are Phil Harris and Adrian Welke. Other directors are : Jo Best ; Cary Duffield ; Greg Norman ; Geoff Clark : Sue Harper.
Former directors are Greg McNamara, Lena Yali, Richard Layton, Fiona Hogg and Terry O'toole

Selected projects

ProjectAwards

  • Top End Hotel, Darwin, 1998
  • RAIA President's Award for Recycled Buildings, 1999
  • PeeWee's Restaurant, 1997
  • RAIA Tracy Memorial Award, 1998
  • RAIA Award for Commercial Buildings, 1998
  • Bowali Visitor Centre, Kakadu National Park, 1993

    • RAIA Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Buildings, 1994
    • RAIA "People's Choice" Award, 1994
    • RAIA Tracy Memorial Award, 1994
    • Metal Building Award, 1994-5


    • RAIA Robin Boyd Award, 2002
    • RAIA Robin Dods Award, 2002
    • RAIA Sustainable Architecture Award, 2002
  • Thiel House, Darwin, 1998
  • RAIA Tracy Memorial Award, 1999
  • RAIA Burnett Award, 1999
  • Commendation, RAIA Robin Boyd Award, 1999
  • Rozak House, Darwin, 2000–2001
  • RAIA Sustainable Architecture Award, 2002
  • RAIA Sustainable Architecture Award, 2002
  • RAIA Burnett Award, 2002
  • Commendation, RAIA Robin Boyd Award, 2002
  • MBA National Environment and Energy Award, 2003
  • St Mary's Primary School, Darwin, 2010
    • Hall, Library, Early Learning Centre & Courtyard,
    • AIA Colorbond Steel Award, 2011
    • AIA Tracy Award, 2011
    • AIA Urban Design Award, 2011

    Awards

    Troppo is nationally and internationally recognised, and is Australia's 3rd most awarded practice. A full list of the details of awards can be found on the practice's website.
    In addition to those mentioned above, they include:
    ;Summary of AIA/RAIA awards
    InstituteAward
    AIA/RAIAArchitectural Innovation Award1992
    AIA/RAIABurnett Award1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2011
    AIA/RAIAColorbond Steel Award2011
    AIA/RAIAMultiple Housing Award2009
    AIA/RAIAPeople's Choice Award1994, 1995, 2009
    AIA/RAIAPresident's Award for Recycled Buildings1992, 1994, 1999
    AIA/RAIAPublic Architecture Award2008
    AIA/RAIASustainable Architecture Award2002
    AIA/RAIATracy Memorial Award1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2011
    AIA/RAIAUrban Design Award2008, 2011
    AIA/RAIA NQ House of the Year2010
    AIA/RAIA Colorbond Award2001
    AIA/RAIA Colorbond Steel Award2010
    AIA/RAIA John Chappel Award2009
    National AIA/RAIAAward for Commercial Buildings1998
    National AIA/RAIASir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Buildings1994
    National AIA/RAIASpecial Jury Award1992
    National AIA/RAIASustainable Architecture Award2002

    ;Summary of non-AIA/RAIA awards