The Gold Coast’s largest ever urban renewal project and a Melbourne-inspired laneway adapted for a subtropical setting have received gongs at the 2018 Minister’s Awards for Urban Design in Queensland.
Nineteen nominations were received for what is just the second iteration of the program, with two projects receiving awards and three receiving commendations.
Parklands by AAA (Arkhefield, ARM and Archipelago) and Lat27 with Grocon received one of the two awards. The project will accommodate 6,500 athletes as part of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games before transitioning into an integrated, transit-oriented community within the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.
“More than a commonwealth games village, Parklands is a microcosm of sustainable urban living,” the jury stated.
“Critically, the project creates a walkable pedestrian friendly environment that supports future affordable housing adjacent health and educational facilities.”
Fish Lane, by Aria Property Group and Brisbane City Council, was the other award winning-project, with the jury noting that it was “a demonstration of what is possible when once-forgotten city spaces are loved and valued.”
Located in South Brisbane, the project has transformed an unsafe and neglected service lane into a “vibrant laneway experience.”
Receiving commendations were: Big Plans for Small Creek: Small Creek Naturalization by Landscapology and Bligh Tanner with Ipswich City Council; St Lucia Campus Master Plan by Urbis with University of Queensland; and Rockhampton Riverside and CBD Redevelopment by Urbis with Rockhampton City Council.
Awards and commendations are bestowed on projects that that “challenge the status quo, demonstrate leadership and design excellence and will leave lasting, sustainable legacies for the broader community.”
The awards are conducted in partnership with the Australian Urban Design Awards. Queensland Government Architect Malcolm Middleton is chair of the judging panel, which which includes experienced design professionals from both government and industry.
