2019 SA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARDS WINNERS

Felixstow Reserve | Play & Go Adelaide

The South Australian jury included:

• Grace Lin (Jury Chair) – City of Adelaide
• Peter Semple – PSLA
• Alex Lock – TCL (Taylor Cullity Lethlean)
• Simon Bradley – City of Prospect
• Richard Stranger – Renewal SA

29 entries were nominated across 10 categories, with projects located in urban, suburban and regional contexts around the state, and 15 entries receiving awards. From thoughtful small-scale innovations and delightful garden sanctuaries, verdant and vibrant places, engaging inclusive play spaces and activated open spaces, to integrated landscape and building settings. From places that celebrate cultural diversity and heritage significance, to major infrastructure projects and urban design frameworks, and all that fits between.

Through these entries, the ability of the landscape architecture profession to lead and influence greater benefits for our communities, environment and economy is unquestionable.

“At the core of what we do is a healthy measure of optimism, the conviction that we are contributing to such things as quality of life, rich human experiences, building capacity, well-being and resilience, to outcomes that largely stretch far beyond the present, and thinking that reaches further than the confines of any site,” states Grace Lin, Jury Chair. “A common thread of the 2019 entries is a confidence in the role of a genuine, inclusive engagement process to contribute to meaningful outcomes for our communities and environments, without pre-determining what may come from cross-cultural or inter-generational engagement, and to open up space and time to allow for a shared design process.

“Given the often-contested space that we work in, particularly in the public realm, we appreciate the foresight and commitment of practitioners representing the client and consultants to these entries. The excellent quality of entries is a testament to the productive and collaborative partnerships required between all involved.”

2019 marked the first year that AILA has facilitated a Presentation to Jury Day, where entrants were provided with the opportunity to share insights into their projects with the broader profession, and included a Q&A session with the Jury. 

CIVIC LANDSCAPE

Civic Landscape | Award of Excellence Pridham Hall

Entrant Practice JPE Design Studio with Snøhetta & Jam Factory

Pridham Hall represents an innovative approach to the design of social fabric within the University of South Australia’s City West campus. The project reimagines the building’s interior and exterior as a single immersive experience, with the folding of the building façade reflecting this integrated approach to landscape and architectural design.

The jury commends the design teams’ collaborative approach to the constrained site which has resulted in a successfully delivered project that enhances the vibrant culture and amenity of the urban environment.

Civic Landscape | Landscape Architecture Award Westfield Tea Tree Plaza

Entrant Practice Outerspace Landscape Architects

The redevelopment of Westfield Tea Tree Plaza redefines the conventional design model for shopping centres to deliver a first of its kind in South Australia. The project evokes a ‘village’ in a central public plaza that facilitates community activities and offers unique experiences to re-engage the interest of its shoppers.

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

Civic Landscape | Landscape Architecture Award Acknowledgement of Aboriginal Country Signage

Entrant Practice Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

The Aboriginal Country Signage Strategy has made a significant visual contribution within the South Australian landscape. This robust and powerful statement acknowledges and educates the wider community to the existence and diversity of our state’s Aboriginal nations.  The installations are thoughtful and involve considerate engagement to draw out the site-specific content. The success of the project has seen a continuing program of installations with the intent that all Aboriginal nations in South Australia will be formally recognised on its completion. 

Pridham Hall | University of South Australia

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Cultural Heritage Award of Excellence Felixstow Reserve Redevelopment

Entrant Practice City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, in association with ASPECT Studios, Kaurna Nation Cultural Heritage Association, Paul Herzich, Oxigen and Integrated Heritage Services

This meaningful, sensitive and thoughtfully considered reserve upgrade has been informed by an exemplary process to engage and collaborate with the Kaurna community. The jury commends the project team for their approach to cross-cultural engagement and collaboration, which has clearly demonstrated the benefits of intentional and genuine reconciliation approaches to design. Felixstow Reserve is now an important and meaningful place for Kaurna people as well as for the broader community to gain an appreciation and respect for Kaurna cultural history.

GARDENS

Gardens Landscape Architecture Award Jones Residence

Entrant Practice TCL (Taylor Cullity Lethlean)

Working closely with architects, TCL have delivered a distinctive garden environment for a new residence that incorporates a previously degraded creek and a number of significant Eucalypts and mature Palm Trees. Subdued material selections and a palette of hardy Mediterranean trees and plants create multiple layers of textures, hues and forms to each of the distinctive courtyard settings.

Regeneration of the creek with sandstone boulders and planting with mostly native indigenous vegetation ensures the health and longevity of the existing significant trees and enhancement of the garden setting.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure Award of Excellence City Bikeways - North South Bikeway

Entrant Practice City of Adelaide

With over 100,000 riders recorded since it has opened in 2018, the success of the North-South separated bikeway is undeniable in its high level of use and broad acceptance by the community. The completed section of the bikeway caters for traffic movement, while also providing a comfortable and pleasant walk for pedestrians, and a safe and enjoyable ride for cyclists. The jury commends the project team for their leadership and collaborative process that has ensured the delivery of an exemplary model for separated bikeways in Adelaide. They keenly anticipate the completion of future stages to build on the quality and success of this initial stage of work to further support active, and environmentally responsible modes of travel.

Infrastructure Landscape Architecture Award Aldinga Township Project

Entrant Practice City of Onkaparinga

The Aldinga Township Project provides a pedestrian orientated street that celebrates the unique character of the coastal town and creates a vibrant destination for the local community and its businesses. The transformed shared street is now a place for people, with avenue trees, and design elements, such as street furniture and pavement treatments, that are in character with the relaxed coastal environment, while also encouraging vehicles to slow down and prioritising the safety and experience of pedestrians.

The jury looks forward to the principles and concepts developed in this project to be potentially replicated through other streetscape projects driven by the City of Onkaparinga and further afield.

PARKS AND OPEN SPACE

Parks and Open Space Award of Excellence Pelzer Park / Pityarilla (Park 19) Activity Hub

Entrant Practice ASPECT Studios, City of Adelaide and The Office for Design and Architecture SA

An extensive program of engagement was specifically crafted to involve and inspire the community, to ensure that the built outcome of Pelzer Park/Pityarilla reflected their values, needs and aspirations. Kaurna representatives assisted to develop a thematic narrative around the idea of ‘weaving’ together the diverse cultural elements of the site.

The park actively promotes social inclusion by incorporating spaces and play elements to appeal to a broad user group, as well as large gathering spaces to facilitate community events. The jury congratulates the project team for achieving excellent results through a commendable design and engagement process.

Parks and Open Space Landscape Architecture Award Felixstow Reserve

Entrant Practice ASPECT Studios and Oxigen

Felixstow Reserve demonstrates best practice in contemporary design, incorporating considerations of site, water, community engagement and facilities. Together with the preservation and restoration of the natural environment and celebration of rich local history and living culture from a bi-cultural perspective, the jury commends the project team for delivering a great outcome for the Kaurna and broader community.

Westfield Tea Tree Plaza | Outerspace.net.au

PLAYSPACES

Play Spaces Landscape Architecture Award Hendrie Street Reserve – a great place for all.

Entrant Practice City of Marion

The inclusive play space at Hendrie Street Reserve is a sensory wonderland that engages children’s minds as much as their bodies. As a first for South Australia, the inclusive play space has been designed to cater for all ages and abilities and includes elements suitable for a broad range of disabilities. As a testament to the success of the project, since the opening of the play space in August 2018, the Council has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from special needs groups and the community.

Play Spaces Landscape Architecture Award Hilton Memorial Gardens Playspace

Entrant Practice WAX Design

The Hilton Memorial Gardens Play Space is a dynamic new play experience that connects the diverse local community through play. The successful engagement of the culturally diverse community during design through to post-occupancy, with the experience and expertise of the landscape architects in the design of play spaces, has certainly delivered a refined, engaging, and enticing play space.

SMALL PROJECTS

Small Projects Landscape Architecture Award Virginia Grove Active Branding Project

Entrant Practice WAX Design

The Virginia Grove Active Branding demonstrates the value and innovation a landscape architect can bring to small projects. The project grew from a need for fitness facilities and has extended to creatively engage a community through the delivery of an installation that is multilayered; with branding, signage, recreation value, fitness, play and identity. 

URBAN DESIGN

Urban Design Award of Excellence Lot Fourteen Master Plan & Protocols

Entrant Practice: Oxigen

The Lot Fourteen Master Plan & Protocols capture a unique and significant opportunity to humanise and green the city, while being reflective of the qualities of place, history and the future aspirations of the site. The jury commends the landscape architects for their leadership in city making by demonstrating the critical contribution of the public realm to city vibrancy, environmental sustainability, community well-being and resilience, and to driving economic benefits.

Urban Design Landscape Architecture Award Design King William

Entrant Practice City of Unley with Communikate, Village Well and Outerspace Landscape Architects

This innovative community co-design approach has set a benchmark for community engagement and urban design planning. This ambitious project was completed within a tight timeline yet provided an ‘open door’ policy to ensure that all stakeholders and the wider community were fully involved for the duration of the project. The success of the project is evident in its high levels of community engagement and Council support, and extremely positive feedback received on the final design outcomes. The jury eagerly anticipates the construction of the planned works in the near future.

Extracted from AILA’s Media Release.

CLICK HERE for more information on the event and the winners.