Flashes of primary colour, combining textures and tones, contrasting bold blocks with translucent sheens cinched the top title for architects McBride Charles Ryan, at the Australasian 2014 Dulux Colour Awards.

The colour scheme for The Quays, a new apartment complex in Melbourne’s The Docklands, took home the Grand Prix, and also the gold awards for the Multi Residential Interior and Multi Residential Exterior categories.

Judging panel comment: “A clever use of colour has been used throughout this project to help create a complementary narrative.

"The exterior of The Quays is bold, yet considerate. The apartment building stands out among the high rise corporate buildings in the Docklands, Melbourne, and can be seen as an oversized public art space. The combination of translucent colours with block colours is innovative and impactful."

The exterior and interior schemes work in complete harmony with one another.  Just like the exterior, the interior of The Quays continues to embrace colour, from hot colours in shared spaces to the muted tones in the pool and spa areas.  More than 15 Dulux colours were used, including jades, mint greens, blues and purples.

The 2014 Dulux Colour Awards executive judging panel, included design industry leaders: Claire Sullivan, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of New Zealand Publications, Denizen & Design Folio, as the sole New Zealand judge, along with Geoffrey Carran, NZ – born contemporary artist; Daimon Downey, ex-Sneaky Sound System musician, creative and entrepreneur; Daniel Dalla Riva, designer and Callum Fraser, architect.

The cross section and calibre of entries this year overwhelmed the judges, taking them an hour longer than normal to choose winners for each of the 10 categories.

See the finalists and winners of all of the individual catergories.