The NSW AILA Awards were presented to this year's winners on Friday 11 September at the Gehry Building on the UTS Campus in Sydney. 2015 marked the biggest awards entry field in a number of years. 49 projects in total were submitted, with 17 winners and 3 Future Leaders awarded on the night.
Julie Marler, Chair of the Jury, remarked, “The jury day was highly enjoyable and our joint decision making was equitable and decisive. Many of the submissions demonstrated best practice and complex thinking at every scale, with good team collaboration across public and private practice.”
The 2015 Medal for Landscape Architecture went to McGregor Coxall for the Parramatta City River Strategy. The jury were impressed by the scope of the plan which not only reactivates the Parramatta River corridor, it also cleverly connects it to the City Centre through a sequence of open spaces, access ways and structured ‘quarters’.
The NSW President’s Choice Award went to Peter Walker and Partners, Johnson Pilton Walker, Stuart Pittendrigh, Ron Powell and Tract Consultants for their collaboration on Barrangaroo Reserve. The group was awarded for creating, “A place where the people of Sydney, NSW, Australia or the world can marvel at the city; experience the ecology; play, relax, climb, cycle; learn about the past landscape; and see at first hand the amazing contribution that landscape architects can make.”
The winners on the night were:
AILA NSW 2015 Medal for Landscape Architecture
McGregor Coxall, in partnership with Parramatta City Council, Parramatta City River Strategy
NSW President’s Choice
Peter Walker and Partners, Johnson Pilton Walker, Stuart Pittendrigh, Ron Powell and Tract Consultants
PLANNING
Award for Planning
Corkery Consulting, Rhodes Peninsula Open Space Master Plan & Plan of Management
Award of Excellence for Planning
NSW Government Architects Office, The Sydney Green Grid
URBAN DESIGN
Award for Urban Design
Hassel, The Sydney Light Rail
KI Studio, Nepean River Green Bridge, Penrith-Concept Design Vision
Hassell, Darling Harbour Precinct
RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION
Award for Research and Communication
Christine Hay, The Governor's Gift, Phillip's Landscape Vision, Research Paper
NSW Government Architects Office Landscape and Urban Design Group, Urban Green Cover in NSW Technical Guidelines
FUTURE LEADERS AWARDS
AILA NSW Graduate Landscape Architect Award
Alexander Georgouras
Future Leaders Student 2nd Prize Recipient
Brinlee Pickering
Future Leaders Student 1st Prize Recipient
Allison Sainty
DESIGN
Award for Design
GroupGSA in collaboration with Western Sydney Parklands Trust, Wylde Mountain Bike Trail
KI Studio, SWRL, Glenfield to Leppington-Integrated Art and Heritage Strategy
Sturt Noble Associates, Edmonson Park
Tract Consultants, Garangula Gallery
Jeppe Aagaard Andersen and Turf Design Studio, Chippendale Green
Award for Design Excellence
Aspect Studios, UTS Alumni Green
Award for Residential Designed Landscapes
Sturt Noble Associates, Quay Apartments
Award for NSW Public Practice
Sutherland Shire Council – Design Services, Where the Shire meets the Sea: the Cronulla Esplanade and Seawall upgrade
Images (top to bottom): McGregor Coxall, Parramatta City River Strategy; Peter Walker et al, Barrangaroo Reserve; Hassel, Sydney Light Rail; GroupGSA, Wylde Mountain Bike Trail; Aspect Studios, UTS Alumni Green.
