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Think Brick Awards 2026: Robin Dods Roof Tile Award Winner - Hanslope House
Think Brick Awards 2026: Robin Dods Roof Tile Award Finalists
Think Brick Awards 2025: Robin Dods Roof Tile Award Winner - Clubbe Hall
Think Brick Awards 2025: Robin Dods Roof Tile Award Finalists
Think Brick Awards 2024: Robin Dods Roof Tile Award Winner - John XXIII College
Think Brick Awards 2024: Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award Finalists
Think Brick Awards 2023: Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award Winner - Bondi Pavilion Conservation and Restoration Project
Think Brick Australia 2023: Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award High Commendations
Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award - A Tribute to the famous Australian Architect Robin Dods
Think Brick Awards 2022: Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award Winner - San Damiano College
San Damiano College is located in the new residential suburb of Yarrabilba, Queensland. The stage one project establishes general and specialised learning spaces, significant landscape works and launches the vision of the site as a sanctuary within the wider community. Drawing on the college’s Franciscan Charism and Mission, the rich material palette features terracotta tiles as the dominant roofing material. These are arranged in two large tile blade roofs over the learning spaces, surrounded by low-pitched steel roofs that are largely hidden from view. The two blades consist of a mix of three terracotta tile finishes, creating a rich depth of colour, with each finish playfully reflecting the light in varying ways. The tiles will age gracefully as more of the central buildings to this campus are developed, and the sense of place will be enhanced as a community sanctuary. The selection of terracotta roof tiles creates a warm earthy aesthetic that contrasts to the otherwise monotone material setting of grey steel roofing in the surrounding residential suburb.
“A powerful gesture, with the roof being the absolute hero of this project, celebrated on a grand scale. The variation of coloured tiles creates texture through the surface, then, due to the roof’s vast scale, you get a beautiful gradation of light to dark. A powerful way to approach architecture.” Jury 2022
Think Brick Awards 2022: Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award High Commendations
Think Brick Awards 2022: Tribute to Robin Dods
Many worthy past winners have pushed the envelope in innovative roof design using terracotta and concrete roof tiles in their residential or commercial building projects. To further showcase the sustainability benefits, versatility and design possibilities of terracotta roof tiles, a new award category was introduced in 2016, named after renowned architect Robin S. Dods (1868–1920).
Robin Dods believed in sustainable design to suit the climate, especially in roofing. His distinctive style of gablet roofs for domestic dwellings, which combined passive solar design while allowing for ventilation and insulation, became prevalent throughout Queensland in the early 1900s.
Think Brick Awards 2021: Tribute to Robin Dods
Since 2005 the Think Brick Awards have encouraged architects to push boundaries and reimagine the application of brick, block, pavers and roof tiles in contemporary design. The Think Brick Awards reward innovation and craftsmanship and recognise the important contributions that architects, builders, bricklayers, block layers and manufacturers make to the process of creating outstanding residential and commercial projects.
Think Brick Awards 2020 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award High Commendations
2019 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award
The 2019 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award Winner is Subiaco House by Vokes and Peters.
Subiaco House is spatially and geometrically nuanced, showcasing the elegance in complex forms of a roof tile when detailed correctly with care.
2019 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award High Commendations
The 2019 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award High Commendations are:
1. Brisbane Riverbank House by Owen Architecture
2. Storybook House by Folk Architecture
3. Harrington Grove by Trademark Designs
4. Montgomery House by Montague Grant Architects
5. Subiaco House by Vokes and Peters.
ARTA Hail Test
The Australian Roofing Tile Association (ARTA) teamed up with James Cook University (JCU) to conduct research on how roof tiles protect against hail.
Concrete roof tiles experienced little to no damage from the impact of hail that is greater in size, density and speed than that from extreme weather events.
2018 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award Winner: The Beehive
The Beehive explores the perceived limitations of terracotta tiles and celebrates the layers of filigree and geometric complexity that can be found in the often-overlooked terracotta tile. This project was a conscious attempt to re-contextualise the value of reusing materials, advocating for more sustainable solutions and showing clients and the wider public that it is possible to use waste products to dramatic effect.
2018 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence High Commendations
The High Commendations for the Think Brick Awards 2018 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award were; Marple Constructions for Bathurst with Bristile Roofing, Loucas Zahos Architects for Parish of Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene Church with Bristile Roofing, C&L Coghlan Roofing for Heritage in Kew, Clare Cousins Architects for Lewisham Road House and Raffaello Rosselli Architect with Luigi Rosselli Architects for The Beehive.
Robin Dods - Tribute Video
Robin Dods’ was probably the finest exponent and the best known architect subscribing to an arts and crafts philosophy, certainly in Queensland.
As architect for St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane on behalf of its English architect, Dods argued that the metal roof that was specified be replaced with terracotta as a better product, which was more appropriate in appearance, quality and durability.
The Australian Roofing Tile Association believes in building sustainable, natural roofs that challenge creativity. We provide Australian’s the opportunity to transform their homes into singular creations, beautiful and above all, high-quality.
Our goal is to inspire creativity and instigate a conversation around the use of raw produce to make something unique, liveable and desirable.
We seek to raise awareness of roof tiles and foster growth in the industry, providing apprenticeship opportunities for enterprising tilers and convey issues on health and safety. Representing a majority of the industry, our memberships includes Bristile Roofing, LUTUM (formally Boral Roofing) and Harmony Roof Tiles.
Camino House - With Caroline Hickey (Bosske Architects)
The Camino House is located in Mt Lawley, north of Perth. The suburbs vernacular is typified by eclectic mix of federation houses with some remodeled in the European style, the result of a largely Italian migrant population. This also brought a form of suburban agriculture to Mt Lawley: vegetable gardens, lean-to’s, drying sheds, incinerators, pizza ovens etc. creating another world of industry and infrastructure to the rear of these blocks.
2017 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award Winner: Crescent Head SLSC
Crescent Head is a small beachside town 400 kilometres north of Sydney. It is an iconic surfing and fishing reserve. The new surf club replaces an existing building that was seriously dilapidated. Maintaining the existing perpetual Crown lease, the new building sits wholly within the footprint of the old. The building is designed ͞in the round,͟ with a pitched roof and cut-away walls that produce a unique appearance on each side, reinforced by colour. The roof generates volume to encompass a function space upstairs.
2017 Finalists
The top contenders for the 2017 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award went above and beyond to convey creative artistry and innovation to create results that are truly unique. The two-storey energy efficient home of Blackburn combines roof tiles with a distinct 74 degree roof pitch. Mountain Hideaway captures the theme of traditional French Federation while utilising the roof tiles to add a contemporary element. Lana͛s Forever Home achieved a distinct Mediterranean theme by utilising a predominantly white-on-white aesthetic. The design of the Deepdene House was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement.
2016 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award Winner: Elias House
The Elias House is a small two storey infill dwelling constructed in the backyard of an existing warehouse. The house is situated in a narrow street in North Fitzroy comprising Victorian row houses and detached cottages, modern infill houses, back fences and garages. The house is an expression of play between the natural elements of terracotta and timber. The two materials interact to form an uneven and textured surface wrapping around the exterior of the house. The use of terracotta roof tiles in the colours of Delta Sands and Slate Grey pick up on the colour tones present in the brickwork.
2016 Finalists
This year͛s finalists pushed the envelope to produce roofing solutions that are infinitely different and challenge the traditional conventions of design. Saint Columba͛s Catholic Church was a major conservation project to recapture the youth of a building constructed in 1938. The Bayside Fire Station was implemented to provide vertical circulation without compromising the buildings character. Knox Grammar – Knox Senior Study Academy was shaped to combine innovation with tradition through detailed brickwork. Hawthorn Shingle House takes advantage of the inherent features of gable roofs to create something truly unique.
2015 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award Winner: Camino House
The Camino House is located in Mt Lawley, north of Perth. The suburbs vernacular is typified by eclectic mix of federation houses with some remodelled in the European style, the result of a largely Italian migrant population. This also brought a form of suburban agriculture to Mt Lawley: vegetable gardens, lean-to͛s, drying sheds, incinerators, pizza ovens etc. creating another world of industry and infrastructure to the rear of these blocks. Designed in the manner of an ͚oast͛, the new portion of the building mimics the nearby chimney forms, of Vincent Street housing and the Lincoln Street Incinerator, creating a contextual ͚relic͛.
2015 Finalists
The finalists for the 2015 Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence Award set a high benchmark for quality by delivering roof tile solutions that reshaped traditional designs in an invigorating way. The Huntingdale Golf Club was renovated with an unbroken roof line which symbolises the depths of change in comparison to the original building. Roseville Avenue utilises roof tiles to better emphasise 21st century living and the power of indoor and outdoor space. Ballarat House utilises twin gables that frame the courtyard and reflect the landscape. Nedlands Residence echoes a traditional Federation Homestead with a contemporary take on a classic roof.