Three Illawarra projects have excelled in this year’s prestigious Australian Institute of Architects’ NSW Country Division Awards.  The Joint at Thirroul by Joint Modular, Escarpment House at Thirroul by Takt, and the iAccelerate Centre, North Wollongong by ADM Architects were recognised.  The winners were announced last week at a ceremony in Coffs Harbour.  The award winners and commendations were decided by a panel of industry experts led by jury chair Sarah Aldridge, with a People’s Choice award decided by members of the public. The Joint won the ‘Residential Architecture – Affordable Housing (under $350,000)’ category as well as being awarded the James Barnet Award for an outstanding level of architecture. The jury congratulated Joint Modular on an “exceptional project”. Escarpment House tied with a Byron Bay residence for the title of best new home in country NSW, after it was crowned joint winner of the ‘Residential Architecture – Houses (New)’ category. “Highly customised, this family home has been designed to flex for different uses and occupants, and incorporates a treasure trove of innovative architectural ideas,” the jury said. Also, iAccelerate was awarded a commendation in the ‘Public and Commercial’ category. “The iAccelerate building in North Wollongong pays its respects to the heritage of the Port Kembla area, while providing a centre for future innovation and technology,” the jury said. READ MORE: Illawarra/South Coast projects in the running for Australian Institute of Architects’ NSW Country Division Awards