2018 WA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARD WINNERS
24 Jul 2018
Friday 20 July saw the winners announced for AILA’s 2018 WA Landscape Architecture Awards. From an ambitious riverside parkland to a new park for Optus Stadium, the awards celebrate and recognise the best architectural achievements in the state.
Optus Stadium Park | HASSELL
The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) have a nationally recognised annual award event that showcases and rewards significant successes in the landscaping industry. According to AILA, the awards provide, “A key vehicle for the promotion of the achievements and work of landscape architects in WA. The Awards process is an opportunity for public and peer recognition of landscape architect’s work, and demonstrates to industry, business, government and the wider community the positive impact the profession has on Australian lives through the planning and design of the built and natural environments”. 
Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park | Plan E
Hassell’s design for the Optus Stadium parklands received two Awards of Excellence in the Parks & Open Space and Play Spaces categories, in addition to a Landscape Architecture Award for Urban Design. Place Laboratory’s transformation of the historic Midland Rail workshops also received two Awards of Excellence in the Civic Landscape and Cultural Heritage categories.
The jury included Walter Van Der Loo (FAILA), manager Infrastructure Parks, Town of Cambridge; John Carey (MLA), Member for Perth; Kate Hislop, dean and head of School of Design at the UWA; Marion Fredriksson (FAILA), principal at Marion Fredriksson Design Consultancy; and Robyn Renton, senior landscape architect at Josh Byrne & Associates. 
Railway Square | Place Laboratory
AILA WA President, Andrew Thomas, said the Awards are an important reminder of how landscape architects are at the forefront of making our cities more liveable, green and healthy.
“With increasing densities in our residential areas and the pressure this can place on the quantity of private open space, it is becoming increasingly important that our public spaces respond to the needs of our communities and provide appropriate opportunities for social interaction, recreation and connection to nature that are inclusive and environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. Quality design is critical in achieving these outcomes.”
The winners were announced at an event in Perth on 20 July 2018. Excellence and Landscape Award winners will proceed to the National Landscape Architecture Awards which will be held at the Festival of Landscape Architecture on 11 October 2018. 
Optus Stadium Park | HASSELL
The awards are as follows:
CIVIC LANDSCAPE
Award of Excellence
Railway Square | Place Laboratory
Landscape Architecture Awards
Newman Town Centre | UDLA
PARKS AND OPEN SPACE
Award of Excellence
Optus Stadium Park | HASSELL
PLAY SPACES
Award of Excellence
Optus Stadium Park | HASSELL
Landscape Architecture Award
Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park | Plan E
INFRASTRUCTURE
Landscape Architecture Award
Mills Park | Cardno (WA) and City of Gosnells
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Award of Excellence
Railway Square | Place Laboratory
URBAN DESIGN
Landscape Architecture Award
Optus Stadium Park | HASSELL
LANDSCAPE PLANNING
Award of Excellence
The Living Knowledge Stream Design Guidance for Curtin University | Syrinx Environmental
Landscape Architecture Award
Urban Forest Plan (City of Fremantle) | Ecoscape
RESEARCH, POLICY AND COMMUNICATION
Award of Excellence
Green Infrastructure: Planning a National Green Network for Australia (NGN) | Simon Kilbane
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION
Award of Excellence
“Place of Healing” | Visioning and Development Plan for Sister Kate’s Home Kids “Bush Block” – UDLA
WA MEDAL
Optus Stadium Park | HASSELL
