November 17 2008

The Darwin Convention and Exhibition Centre has continued its award-winning streak, taking out a National Master Builders Association award in Canberra on November 14.

The joint venture team of Laing O’Rourke and Sitzler won the national award for Public Buildings over $50 million for their work on the building, which has been described as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Darwin’s Waterfront Redevelopment project.

Northern Territory Regional Manager Dick Guit, who attended the awards ceremony with Project Manager Steve Shenfield, said the calibre of the project and the team effort required to bring it to fruition were essential to its success.

“The award is recognition of the fact we can produce a product that can be compared with the best in Australia,” he said. “It also recognises the team effort, from design right through to the construction team, as well as our contractors and suppliers.

“Everyone played a significant part in delivering this project.”

Master Builders Chief Executive Wilhelm Harnisch congratulated the winners saying they “demonstrated that they are the best of the best by delivering the highest quality of work in their projects, thereby setting a standard for the rest of industry to aspire to.”

Laing O’Rourke, in joint venture with Sitzler Bros, undertook the design and construct contract for the four-storey centre, which features a 1500-seat tiered plenary hall, seven meeting rooms and 4000 square metres of exhibition space.

One of the centre’s distinctive design features is the impressive floor to ceiling glass walls that offer panoramic views of the nearby wave lagoon, parklands and harbour.

The Darwin Convention Centre project has also won the 2008 Engineering Australia Northern division’s Engineering Excellence Award and the 2008 Territory Construction Awards President's Award.