Thorpie tribute wins gold

The bold design of the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre in Ultimo has won an award of excellence from the International Association of Lighting Designers.
The people behind the design, Steensen Varming, were one of eight winners honoured last month in Las Vegas. They are the first Australian organisation to win the internationally-acclaimed award.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the Aquatic Centre has already become an icon in Sydney and deserved the high honour.
“This Aquatic Centre is the last great public work designed by Australia’s great modernist architect, the late Harry Seidler,” Ms Moore said.
“We, at the City of Sydney, are proud that this beautiful building incorporates environmentally-sensitive lighting as one of the key defining elements in the overall design.”
The wave-like ceiling, spanning 52 metres, provides most of the building’s natural lighting. Hydraulic roof vents for natural ventilation and rainwater collection for toilets and sprinklers also feature in the centre.