The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) has announced the winners of the 2020 VIC Landscape Architecture Awards.
Twenty-six projects were awarded across 12 categories from a total of 50 entries. Jury chair Jocelyn Chiew said that places designed with, and for community, were the strongest performers in this year’s program.
“The awards demonstrate that landscape architects play an essential role in effecting quality public realm outcomes that support wellbeing, biodiversity, social inclusion and sustainability. This is even more important in the context of a pandemic and the new urban metric of social distancing,” said Chiew.
Among the projects that received Awards of Excellence were a trails strategy for the Eastern Metropolitan Region by Fitzgerald Frisby Landscape Architecture; a series of new civic spaces in Brunswick by Moreland City Council and the RMIT University Building 100 project by Openwork.
“The Building 100 project is an ingenious solution to a common problem. It not only serves the purpose of preventing undesired vehicular activity, it enhances the pedestrian experience and offers an object of wonder; an intriguing punctuation of space that provides an appropriate adjunct to the adjoining architecture and a delightful alternative to the ubiquitous bollard,” said Chiew.
Chiew also noted a strong representation of regionally located projects among the winners.
North Gardens Sculpture Park Landscape Master Plan by Mandy Nicholson (Tharangalk Art), Glenn Romanis, Isobel Paton (Basalt: Art, Landscape, Sculpture) and David S Jones (Deakin University) presented a framework for the ongoing restoration of the Lake Wendouree landscape.
“The master plan for North Gardens Sculpture Park demonstrates leadership in new processes of engagement, embedded in deep listening,” said Chiew. “The team has demonstrated how cultural knowledge can enrich the ways in which Australians understand and manage local landscapes, setting a benchmark that will inform the practice of landscape architecture for years to come.”
AILA Victoria chapter president, Heath Gledhill, said the projects showcased in this year’s awards demonstrated the positive impact that landscape architects have on designing public space for community wellbeing.
“Amid the isolation of COVID-19, we’ve been reminded of the value of our gardens, parks, playgrounds and reserves. Outdoor spaces are essential to healthy community life, and are now more important than ever,” says Gledhill. “This year’s top landscapes showcase the importance of high-quality design for these outdoor spaces.”
Civic Landscape
Award of Excellence
Brunswick Town Hall Precinct Streetscape Upgrade by Moreland City Council
Landscape Architecture Award
Union Road Streetscape Improvements by Moonee Valley City Council
Community Contribution
Award of Excellence
The Living Pavilion by Brimbank City Council
Landscape Architecture Awards
Ferrars Street Education and Community Precinct by Tract
Tiny Wetland By GLAS Landscape Architects
Cultural Heritage
Award of Excellence
North Gardens Sculpture Park Landscape Master Plan by Mandy Nicholson – Tharangalk Art, Glenn Romanis, Isobel Paton – Basalt: Art, Landscape, Sculpture, and David S Jones – Deakin University
Landscape Architecture Award
Behan Carpark – Trinity College, Melbourne University by John Patrick Landscape Architects
Gardens
Landscape Architecture Awards
320 George Street By Fiona Harrisson and Simon Ellis Landscape Architects
Nightingale 2.0 by SBLA Studio and Rebecca White
Health and Education Landscape
Landscape Architecture Awards
Jona Children’s Sensory Garden by Jeavons Landscape Architects
St Bernards College Chapel Forecourt by Papworth Davies
The Giant’s Causeway – St Francis Xavier College GPFLA by Orchard Design
Infrastructure
Award of Excellence
Eastern Regional Trails Strategy by Fitzgerald Frisby Landscape Architecture
Landscape Architecture Award
Maribyrnong Waterfront IWM by Realmstudios
Landscape Planning
Award of Excellence
Siting and Design Guidelines for Structures on the Victorian Coast by Realmstudios
Landscape Architecture Award
Quarry Hills Whittlesea by City of Whittlesea
Parks and Open Space
Award of Excellence
Sunvale Community Park by Brimbank City Council
Landscape Architecture Award
Monash University Valley Creek by GLAS Landscape Architects
Play Spaces
Landscape Architecture Award
Olinda Playspace by Fitzgerald Frisby Landscape Architecture
Norris Bank Reserve Play Space by City of Whittlesea / Playce
Research, Policy and Communications
Award of Excellence
WaterLore: Learning from the Drylands by Antonia Besa and Gini Lee
Landscape Architecture Award
The Future Park by Jillian Walliss, Kirsten Bauer and Cassandra Chilton
Visual Impact Assessment Research in Urban Environments by Ata Tara
Small Projects
Award of Excellence
RMIT Building 100 Pedestrian Improvement by Openwork
Landscape Architecture Award
System Garden Rainforest Walk by SBLA Studio
Urban Design
Landscape Architecture Award
Wangaratta Railway Precinct Master Plan by Hassell
Future Leaders Graduate Award
Esther Ziebell, Tract Consultants
Future Leaders Student Award
Michelle Zacharias, RMIT University
Regional Achievement Award
Eaglehawk Regional Play Space by City of Greater Bendigo
North Gardens Sculpture Park Landscape Master Plan by Mandy Nicholson (Tharangalk Art), Glenn Romanis, Isobel Paton (Basalt: Art, Landscape, Sculpture) and David S Jones (Deakin University)
Wangaratta Railway Precinct Master Plan by Hassell
WaterLore: Learning from the Drylands by Antonia Besa and Gini Lee