Queensland’s landscape architects celebrated the best new landscapes across the state in an awards show on Thursday night, where 6 projects won awards of excellence for their work across the field.
The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Queensland Awards had more than fifty projects nominated for awards at Blackbird Brisbane, in an event that covered accomplishments in fields such as parks, infrastructure and climate positive design.
Future South Bank Master Plan, by Urbis and South Bank Corporation. Urbis won three awards of excellence at Thursday night’s awards show for Queensland landscapes. Picture: Urbis
One of the night’s most successful companies was design firm Urbis, which won three awards of excellence and two landscape architecture awards.
Their work on the Northshore Brisbane Street renewal program received an award of excellence for the infrastructure category, and the company shared an award with South Bank Corporation for the Future South Bank Master Plan.
Glen Power, Director of Urbis, said the team was proud of their work over the past year, and appreciated the recognition within the field.
“It’s obviously an honour to be nominated amongst all the other incredible submissions,” he said. “It’s more of a celebration than it is a competition.”
18 landscape architecture awards were given out, to projects such as Red Note Courtyard Queensland Conservatorium at Griffith University, by TCL Taylor Cullity Lethlean. Picture: Christopher Wardle
Urbis also scored an award of excellence for the parks and open space category, with their work on the Archerfield Wetlands District Park.
Mr Power said his team was especially proud of creating spaces within the park both for community members and the redevelopment of the Oxley Creek corridor.
“We’re proud to create an environment for flora and fauna that’ll … continually keep giving back to the community,” he said.
Wallumburn at Lake Cooroibah, by Coco-Dash Landscape Architecture, was the only project to win an award in the gardens category. Picture: James Peeters
Meanwhile, the master plan for Washpool Creek Catchment by Tract received an award of excellence for landscape planning, along with an award for climate positive design, a regional achievement award and a ShadeSmart award.
Judges said the project’s plans for transforming the catchment over the next three decades represented a strong vision for the area, and credited their work in mapping out the technical stormwater engineering.
The University of Queensland Ampitheatre from Hassell was awarded for how it adapted to post-pandemic lifestyles in an education environment. Picture: Scott Burrows
Other awarded projects included the Archerfield Wetlands Land Management project from the Brisbane Sustainability Agency. The project was given an award of excellence for land management, while the University of Queensland Ampitheatre from Hassell took home one for the health and education landscape category.
The jury described Hassell’s work on the project as thoughtful response to post-pandemic attitudes, “reinviting students outdoors and reinvigorating campus life through a landscape that is culturally aware, ecologically attuned, and beautifully resolved.”
Overall, 18 landscape architecture awards were also given out on the night, along with several regional achievement awards, ShadeSmart awards and one award for climate positive design.
Finally, Caloundra Community and Creative Hub from Jacobs and Sunshine Coast Council won the people’s choice award that evening.
Several projects in Archerfield received awards at the event, including the Archerfield Wetlands Land Management by the Brisbane Sustainability Agency. Picture: Cathy Finch
AILA Queensland Jury Chair, David Hatherly, said judges saw “a strong commitment” across the board to designing with climate and community in mind, when creating public spaces across Queensland.
“Landscape architecture is playing a critical role in connecting policy, infrastructure and biodiversity with how people connect with and experience their everyday environments,” he said. “The profession’s leadership is helping guide our cities, towns and regions towards more inclusive, sustainable futures.”
Many of the night’s winners will now be heading to the National Landscape Architecture Awards, to be hosted in Hobart in October.
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