Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture Awards announced

The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) have announced the National Landscape Architecture Awards for 2016, showcasing leading green, open and public spaces from around the country. Held annually, the awards highlight how landscape architecture can complement built environments to produce rejuvenated and reinvented spaces.

AILA selected 40 state-level finalists as national exemplars across 10 categories, such as Civic Landscape, Land Conservation and Tourism and Gardens. The winners range in focus and theme, but all have appreciated the merit of urban green spaces and sustainably minded infrastructure to promote health, social and economic prosperity for urban and regional communities.

As our major centres become increasingly modern and swell to accommodate a growing population, sites of significance can often be lost in a progressive fray. This year, AILA has recognised the value of historic and cultural sites across multiple categories; specifically, The Goods Line (NSW), a reimagined rail corridor that offers space for creativity and socialising and now connects Sydney’s Central Station with the developing Darling Harbour and Chinatown entertainment precinct.

Similarly, a winning project in Port Adelaide (SA) has revamped the space around Hart’s Mill, an iconic heritage building, to include a walking and biking recreational space, play area and a functions centre, converted from an old flour shed.

Daniel Bennett, National Awards jury chair, comments on this year’s winners: “There has been a definite shift toward preserving old, relevant buildings in the past couple of years and it’s important that new developers consider integrating historical sites with modern buildings and precincts.

“Australia draws on a relatively short national history comparatively to many other places in the world and the architectural conservation of cultural space and identity is key to linking past to present,” says Daniel.

Regional communities have also enjoyed success this year. AILA presented awards to a multitude of projects that have served to benefit local economies or tourism. These winners have not only met the criteria of success in their respective categories, but have also demonstrated how landscape architecture can give a fiscal boost to regional centres. One such project, ‘Get Sunflowered’, is an initiative originating in the Latrobe Valley (VIC), empowering locals to transform unloved public spaces into havens for beautiful sunflowers, indirectly attracting tourists to the region.

Bringing history, culture and tourism together, the Yawuru indigenous community of Broome (WA) have created a self-guided walking tour – the Jetty to Jetty Trail. Accompanied by an app, the walk takes Broome’s locals and visitors along a physical and cognitive journey via thirteen cultural sites combining Yawuru history with Broome’s pearling era. The Jetty to Jetty Trail has been well received, complemented by research showing that 74 per cent of visitors interested in taking part in Aboriginal tourism.

“Whilst there was a strong showing of urban projects in this year’s submissions,” Daniel, “it is promising to see projects hailing from regional parts of Australia.  These projects are usually wonderfully creative and represent the culmination of community teamwork.  We hope this year’s award winners encourage local communities to think about ways they can contribute architecturally to our nation’s cultural footprint.”

The 2016 National Landscape Architecture Awards took place on Thursday October 27th at the National Arboretum Canberra as part of the International Festival of Landscape Architecture: Not In My Backyard . To find out more information, head to: www.aila.org.au/notinmybackyard

AWARDS

CIVIC LANDSCAPE

Award of Excellence
Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital – Conrad Gargett

Landscape Architecture Awards
Fiona Stanley Hospital – Hassell
Glenorchy Art and Sculpture Park (GASP!) Stage 2 – McGregor Coxall
One Central Park – Aspect | Oculus
Rundle Mall – Hassell
The Goods Line – Aspect Studios
UTS Alumni Green – Aspect Studios

PARKS AND OPEN SPACE

Award of Excellence
MacKenzie Falls Gorge Trail – Hansen Partnership

Landscape Architecture Awards
Adelaide Botanic Garden First Creek Wetland – TCL
Barangaroo Reserve – Johnson Pilton Walker in association with PWP
Braithwaite Park Nature Play – Emerge Associates
McCulloch Avenue Boardwalk – Site Office
Return to Royal Park – City of Melbourne – City Design Studio

INFRASTRUCTURE

Award of Excellence
Bowen Place Crossing – Spackman Mossop Michaels

Landscape Architecture Awards
John Whitton Bridge Open Space – Oculus
Sydney Park Water Re-Use Project Stage 2 – Turf Design Studio and Environmental Partnership (TDEP)
Victorian Desalination Plant and Ecological Reserve – Aspect Studios

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Award of Excellence
Port Adelaide Renewal: Hart’s Mill Surrounds – Aspect Studios

Landscape Architecture Award
Completion of the Courtyards at the Shrine of Remembrance –Rush\Wright Associates

LAND CONSERVATION

Award of Excellence
Gum Scrub Creek, Officer – Outlines Landscape Architecture

Landscape Architecture Awards
Shipwreck Coast Master Plan – McGregor Coxall
West Belconnen Landscape and Open Space Strategy – McGregor Coxall

TOURISM

Award of Excellence
Penguins Plus viewing area – Tract Consultants with Wood Marsh Architecture

Landscape Architecture Awards
Jetty to Jetty Trail – UDLA
The Gap and Natural Bridge – Department of Parks and Wildlife (WA)

URBAN DESIGN

Award of Excellence
Parramatta City River Strategy –McGregor Coxall

Landscape Architecture Awards
Elizabeth Quay – ARM and TCL
Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga Urban Regeneration Project – TCL

RESEARCH, POLICY AND COMMUNICATION

Award of Excellence
Urban Forest Strategy and Precinct Plans – City of Melbourne

Landscape Architecture Awards
Sydney Green Grid – NSW Government Architects Office
The Adelaide Design Manual – Design and Strategy, Adelaide City Council
Urban Green Cover in NSW Technical Guidelines –NSW Government Architects Office

COMMUNITIES

Award of Excellence
Afghan Bazaar Cultural Precinct –Hassell/Sinatra Murphy

Landscape Architecture Awards
Get Sunflowered – OUTR Research Lab, RMIT University
The Green Space Strategy – John Mongard, Gavin Hardy, Alvin Kirby, Michelle Kirby-Brown

GARDENS

Award of Excellence
Forest Edge Garden – Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture

Landscape Architecture Awards
Garangula Gallery – Tract Consultants
North Shore Estate – CALDesign

INTERNATIONAL

Award of Excellence
Nanjing Tangshan Geopark Museum –Hassell

Landscape Architecture Award
Surabaya Urban Corridor Development Program – Hansen Partnership