Riverlink takes out another major design award - NSW Architecture Medallion

Already a multiple award winner in its short life, the Riverlink took out two major gongs at Friday night's awards in Sydney.

The highlight was its success in the esteemed NSW Architecture Medallion, honouring an exemplary project across all awards categories.

Peter Poulet, Chair of Juries for the award, describes the Maitland Riverlink project as an architectural centrepiece that improves connectivity and celebrates the history, value and ambition of Maitland in regional NSW.

"A strong civic gesture, this building acts as a public living room, attracting and celebrating the coming together of the community, the town and its river, and proves the power of public architecture to deliver change, celebration and a legacy for the future," Mr Poulet said.

The building also won the Public Architecture award, and the Blacket Prize for design excellence in a regional context.

Kathryn Loseby, NSW President of the AIA, was glowing in her praise of the Riverlink.

"The Maitland Riverlink proves that quality architecture benefits everyone in many ways," she said.

"By improving the pedestrian connection between the Hunter River and the main street of Maitland, this one building has rejuvenated the riverlink.

"As a public gateway, this building emphasises the power of architecture to deliver positive and lasting change."

The Riverlink was a combined effort between architectural designer CHROFI and landscape architects McGregor Coxall. ,

Just last year it claimed international honours taking out the Civic and Community - Completed Buildings award at the 2018 World Architecture Festival Awards in Amsterdam.

CHROFI director Tai Rotiha said his company is proud of the design.

"It is a contemporary sculpture in an historic setting," he said. "And it has a great story. Maitland has such a rich history, a thriving inland port with such a bright future, then hit by floods and it faded somewhat.

"When we first went there, there was a lot of shop vacancy and the centre of town was very quiet. So it has been great to be able to help rejuvenate that.

"We wanted to highlight the river as an asset and we think the building does that.

"We also want to thank council for seeing the dream and backing us. The project grew as we progressed and they could see the merit is where we were going.

"It really was an enjoyable project for us to work on."

McGregor Coxall CEO and founder Adrian McGregor believes this won't be the last award the Riverlink receives.

"It's (Riverlink) ground-breaking for regional NSW - for regional Australia, really," he said.

"We think it will win even more awards.

"As a regional city Maitland showed strong leadership in embarking on this revitalisation project and McGregor Coxall is proud of our role in this project and what it has brought for this area," he said.