Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 172 November 2021 i Landscape Architecture Australia

Award of Excellence Ngajarli Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Aboriginal Nation Ngarluma, Yindjibarndi, Yaburara, Mardudhunera, Woon-goo-tt-oo (collectively known as Ngarda-Ngarli) Location Burrup, Western Australia Client Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Jury comment Situated on the Burrup Peninsula in Murujuga National Park, Ngajarli (Deep Gorge) seamlessly weaves together cultural expression with a deep knowledge of the site. The project is a remarkable example of collaboration between disciplines and demonstrates how scientific knowledge can be mixed with traditional knowledge to achieve a design outcome that is respectful, contemporary, sensitive and durable. The project overcomes the many challenges of its remote location, and enables and encourages access while respecting the sensitive nature of the site and its significance for the Nanda people. The design enhances the area’s particular sense of place…

Award of Excellence Pacific Highway Upgrade AECOM, Arup, Conybeare Morrison, Context Landscape Architecture, Corkery Consulting with Studio Colin Polwarth, DEM Architects, DesignInc, Environmental Partnership, HBO+EMTB, Hassell, Jackson Teece, KI Studio, Spackman Mossop Michaels, Tract and Centre for Urban Design Aboriginal Nation Worimi, Biripi, Dainggati, Gumbaynggir and Bundjalung Location Hexham to the Queensland border, New South Wales Client Transport for NSW Jury comment In this legacy project that has been undertaken over a 24-year period, the landscape architect has been instrumental in the delivery of sustainable outcomes associated with the planning, design and implementation of the 675-kilometre duplication of the highway between Hexham, New South Wales and the Queensland border. This sweeping green highway provides panoramic views to the Great Dividing Range and forests, farmland and coastline. The sustainable outcomes have…

Award of Excellence Riverside Green – South Bank Parklands Hassell Aboriginal Nation Turrbal and Yuggera Location South Bank Parklands, Queensland Client South Bank Corporation Jury comment Riverside Green provides a completely new offering within an iconic destination. The project sits within South Bank’s highly trafficked waterfront area, but does not compete with or overshadow surrounding attractions. It is a stunningly elegant approach to re-imagining the site that demonstrates a clever spatial resolution. Each part of the design has its own character and intent. The river lawn is a spacious setting that is always in demand; the rainforest deck and pavilion offers an equitable and programmable space perfectly shaded for the climate; the rainforest supports the site’s subtropical character; and the grotto provides a sunken, seasonally dynamic treasure. The designers have…

Award of Excellence Albert Park Office and Depot Openwork and Christina Silk Office of Planting Aboriginal Nation Kulin Location Albert Park, Victoria Client Parks Victoria Jury comment Albert Park Office and Depot provides a new base for the caretakers of the park and the wider region for Parks Victoria. A masterfully conceived and detailed interplay between the landscape and the architecture helps to blend the building into the park grounds. It creates a structure that is clearly of the park, where the boundaries between inside and outside, and public and private, are blurred. The architecture is cleverly articulated to provide a diversity of habitats and favourable microclimates for planting and people. A variety of planting forms are successfully applied for passive climate control while still allowing for visual permeability. The…

Barossa Adventure Station Birdseye Studios Aboriginal Nation Ngadjuri Location Angaston, South Australia Client Barossa Council Jury comment This bespoke play and open space park is an exceptional example of a community asset from which the community will benefit for the foreseeable future. Multi-level terrain cleverly integrates play elements with a natural and curated landscape, resulting in a space that intersects the natural with the industrial. Art is embedded into the site in unexpected ways, encouraging people to interact with the environment. The project provides passive and active recreational opportunities that foster community connectivity and provide safe, accessible and engaging spaces to gather. The station is a space for everyone. It creates an abundance of amenity value that integrates well with the surrounding infrastructure and encourages the community to actively utilize…

Award of Excellence Fish Lane Town Square RPS Aboriginal Nation Turrbal and Yuggera Location South Brisbane, Queensland Client Aria Property Group Jury comment Fish Lane Town Square reinstates the ability for underutilized, urban and heavily infrastructure-focused spaces to become vibrant and ecologically interesting, beneficial to the public and supportive of local businesses. The project was recognized by the jury as a standout project for a number of reasons – including best-practice client and stakeholder engagement, its collaborative design process, and the delivery of a grounding, “lost landscapes” narrative that was implemented through the planting of more than 3,500 low-light-tolerant species. While considering and maintaining local character within a complex project, RPS has provided user groups with a truly unique green space that offers varied experiences and elevates landscape architecture. Design…

Award of Excellence The Phoenix Gallery 360 Degrees Landscape Architects Aboriginal Nation Eora Location Chippendale, New South Wales Client Judith Neilson Jury comment The Phoenix Gallery demonstrates a harmonious integration of nature, sculpture and space. The maturity of the design is revealed in the artistic and restrained yet bold selection of species to create interest and drama through the interplay between form, texture and lighting. Both courtyards demonstrate how multifunctional spaces can play host to a range of programmatic requirements without compromising their integrity as calming, tranquil places that can be enjoyed equally by individuals or groups. The roof garden highlights Sydney’s diverse species range and proves that a xerophytic landscape need not be devoid of interest or softness. The courtyard garden takes advantage of its microclimate to introduce a…

Award of Excellence Lalang-gaddam Marine Park Visitor Plan Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Aboriginal Nation Dambeemangarddee Location Western Australia Client Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation Jury comment The Lalang-gaddam Marine Park Visitor Plan sets a benchmark for partnerships with key stakeholders in visitation management of the remote Kimberley coast to ensure sustainable and culturally appropriate tourism. The plan proactively strategizes the complex balance between land, people and tourism. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions’ heavy investment in mapping and understanding the values of the Dambeemangarddee people, while remaining considerate of all stakeholders, has resulted in a clearly articulated map for culturally sensitive, respectful future access and use. The leadership role of the landscape architect is outstanding and deserving of the Award of Excellence.…

Award of Excellence Deep Creek Eco Play Playce with Agency of Sculpture Aboriginal Nation Kulin Location Pakenham, Victoria Client Cardinia Shire Council Jury comment Deep Creek Eco Play celebrates play experiences that are challenging, imaginative and inclusive. Embodying an important progression in terms of how we approach play space design, the project approaches equitable design not just by providing separate opportunities for play, but by developing a holistic approach that opens up opportunities for personal liberation. The strength of the project lies in its rich consultation process and deep understanding of how to design play opportunities for all abilities. This has resulted in an outcome that connects to the sensory and tactile aspects of landscape in a fun and extremely playful way. Lead designer Playce Artist collaborator Agency of Sculpture…

Award of Excellence Kaju Yatka (Kalbarri Skywalk) Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Aboriginal Nation Nanda Location Kalbarri, Western Australia Client Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Jury comment This striking project encapsulates two spectacular lookouts projecting out over the rim of the Murchison River Gorge. The highly successful outcomes of the work include the creation of site-specific and cultural interpretations of art with Nanda Traditional Owners and artists. The lookouts, while technically heavy pieces of infrastructure, nonetheless look and feel light – the result of an exceptional design effort and innovative thinking. The design marries structural and landscape design to create an experience that is visually and tactilely light, and entwined with deep cultural storytelling and cultural messaging by the Nanda people. The project encourages longer visits to the…

Award of Excellence Nayara Tented Camp Vida Masterplanning and Design Location La Fortuna, Alajuela, Costa Rica Client Nayara Resorts Jury comment This project demonstrates the ecological impacts and striking experiential outcomes made possible by the leadership of landscape architects in the ecotourism space. The landscape team weaves a strong appreciation for site and ecology through all aspects of the brief, which introduces a new resort to an eight-hectare former agricultural site in Costa Rica. At all phases and scales of the project, the design responds sensitively to context. At a large scale, it balances the requirements of the resort with a comprehensive reforestation strategy, extending an existing sloth sanctuary; at a site scale, a well-researched planting strategy establishes habitat corridors and privacy for guests; at a small scale, details incorporate…

As Australia’s largest supplier of Super Advanced Trees, Established Tree Transplanters (ETT) has learnt what the key markets are after and how to ensure that the best quality trees are available. Today’s landscape and garden sectors require advanced, healthy trees that facilitate their design needs quickly. While Super Advanced Trees might not be as cheap as smaller trees, it’s hard to put a value on a tree when you don’t want to wait for it to grow. ETT’s Matt Davis says clients don’t want to wait 10 years for a two-metre tree to grow to six metres. “We do all the growing work for them – basically, we are giving them tomorrow’s trees today,” he says. ETT’s range of Super Advanced Trees includes oaks, elms, magnolias and liquid ambers, as…

Award of Excellence Inglenooks Four Landscape Studio Aboriginal Nation Whadjuk Nyoongar Location Inglewood, Western Australia Client Inglewood on Beaufort Jury comment This project demonstrates the transformative outcomes that can be achieved through creative and authentic collaborations between landscape architects and local communities. Inglenooks comprises two small pocket parks and a connecting footpath. Despite its small scale, the project demonstrates significant strategic thinking and impact. The jury commends the project’s innovative approach to engagement; throughout the design process and through its constructed outcomes, the project has fostered a high level of community investment in the precinct and formed a range of new connections within Inglewood. The project also demonstrates leadership in its inventive approaches to funding and its overall framing as an advocacy initiative, promoting further council investment in community landscapes…

Award of Excellence Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) and Public Realm, Herston Quarter Hassell Aboriginal Nation Turrbal and Yuggera Location Brisbane, Queensland Client Australian Unity Jury comment This is a brave and significant landscape. Lush and intense planting fills the spaces generously, supporting therapeutic principles and biophilic design by relieving the senses for patients and medical workers. The Herston Quarter has benefitted greatly from these works, articulated as a series of intimate spaces that combine into one cohesive and bold vision. The iconic Spanish Steps effectively connect the facilities across a major level change and provide a strong visual presence. An exemplary project, the landscape is so deeply integrated with the hardscapes of the built environment that the result is simultaneously dramatic and sensitive. Design practice Hassell Civil and…

Landscape Architecture Award A Manual for Evaluating the Visual Impact of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Inspiring Place with assistance from Entura Aboriginal Nation Big River Location Cethana, Tasmania Client Hydro Tasmania Jury comment The jury was impressed by the landscape architect’s leading role in creating a layman’s manual for evaluating the visual impact of construction, specifically pumped hydro projects. Defining landscape, its importance and how to evaluate its worth with appropriate sensitivity, the manual clearly articulates how to identify and recognize view types and landscape value for preliminary landscape assessment work. The project scope included education on its application as a tool for a large infrastructure company. The potential of this manual extends beyond its current tenure. Its ability to provide an understanding of early mitigation opportunities and the impact…

Award of Excellence LXRP Indigenous Design Guidelines Level Crossing Removal Project Aboriginal Nation Kulin Location Melbourne Victoria Client Level Crossing Removal Project Jury comment The LXRP Indigenous Design Guidelines introduce a new dimension to the thinking around infrastructure in Victoria and form a valuable Indigenous-led design and advocacy resource for Australian designers. The guidelines recast infrastructure as spaces that can express and support culture and promote the role of landscape architects in developing Indigenous-led design approaches and outcomes. Concise but comprehensive, the document provides guidance around meaningful collaboration with Traditional Owners throughout the design process and around the respectful integration of Aboriginal knowledge and culture into the built environment. These best-practice approaches are presented clearly and illustrated by local precedents, forming a valuable resource that is transferable to other disciplines…

Award of Excellence Design King William City of Unley with Outerspace Landscape Architects and BMD Group Aboriginal Nation Kaurna Location Unley, South Australia Client City of Unley Jury comment In terms of its aim of creating a “more beautiful street,” Design King William has undoubtedly succeeded. With a significant amount of new planting (including street trees), additional pedestrian safety and comfort outcomes, technical innovations and improved functionality, King William Road in inner-city Adelaide now shines as a main street. In awarding this project, the jury acknowledges the rigorous and collaborative process that has thoughtfully responded to the interests and ideas of stakeholders and the local community. Design King William stands out as an inspiring example of civic design and a great community achievement that is notable for the journey undertaken…

Pamela Conrad (CMG Landscape Architecture, USA) for Pathfinder Award citation Generally awarded to a member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, at the discretion of the board the President’s Award may be given to a non-member who has shown commitment and support for landscape architecture in Australia. This contribution may be in the form of financial, organizational, political and/or media support that increases the profile and capability of landscape architecture. Pamela Conrad is the recipient of the 2021 AILA President’s Award in recognition of her global leadership in the development of the Pathfinder landscape carbon calculator app. The app helps landscape architects, including those in Australia, understand how to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions embodied within or produced by projects, and how to increase their sequestration capacity. It will…