Victoria’s finest outdoor spaces and landscape architects were recognised during a virtual Victoria Landscape Architecture Awards event on Wednesday.
The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) recognised seven Awards of Excellence and 11 Landscape Architecture Awards across 13 categories, highlighting landscape architects that delivered above and beyond the sole purpose of the project, championing collaboration, placemaking and commitment to the community.
The virtual event commended outstanding individual contributions to the profession, for their commitment to supporting public life as critical to both the revitalisation and recovery plan of Victoria’s cities and economy.
AILA Victoria Landscape Architecture Awards Jury Chair, Naomi Barun, said this year’s winners challenged and pushed the boundaries of landscape and architecture practice and demonstrated a continued commitment to creating high-quality places that support public life.
“The past year has seen changes in the way public places are valued, with the rediscovery and enabling of new forms of connection and expression. These places became the backdrop for social exchange, exercise and mental reprieve,” Ms Barun said.
“The demand for locally accessible outdoor areas saw privately managed open space repositioned. Private landscapes were used as venues for organised gatherings and work meetings and communities relied on public spaces for economic recovery of our cities.”
“This year saw a record number of entries, reflecting a desire to celebrate the amazing successes but importantly acknowledging the significant contribution both before and during 2020,” she said.
“Submissions were centred around Victoria’s need to connect, play, roam, to give back to the community and to proactively adapt for the unforeseen.”
Across the Civic Landscape and Urban Design categories, the jury saw value placed on connecting people and elevating elements required to make it successful in a new COVID-world.
Winners in these categories embodied a commitment to bringing life to a city that was concealed from its community during a vulnerable 12 months, prioritising healthy communities in their response to the needs of an ever-growing population in the inner suburbs.
Landscape architects continued this theme through the Parks and Open Space, Play Spaces, and Gardens categories, highlighting the importance of green space and the vital role it plays.
AILA Victoria President, Heath Gledhill, said the annual awards program is an opportunity to provide insight into the way the industry is responding to public needs, showcasing the many creative ways in which leading landscape architects interpret space, context and connection to a place.
“The awards provide a vehicle to publicly promote and demonstrate 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,” Mr Gledhill said.
“We are proud to celebrate the talent and commitment of the industry and are thrilled to see the depth and breadth of all entries and their commitment to ensuring the values of the profession are articulated throughout.”
“Collectively, this year’s recipients stood out as exceptional places that connect communities, bring comfort by adapting micro-climates, and reveal the beauty of our state and our relationship with it,” he commented.
“The range of diverse projects awarded set an inspiring benchmark for landscape architecture and give the industry inspiration to continue to think bigger and broader into the future.”
Winners in the 2021 Victoria Landscape Architecture Awards
Award: Award of Excellence
Category: Health and Education Landscape
Project: Albert Park Senior College Campus
Landscape Architect: Site Office
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Award of Excellence
Category: Civic Landscape
Project: Station Street Mall Frankston
Landscape Architect: Site Office & City of Frankston
Aboriginal Nation: Bunurong
Award: Award of Excellence
Category: Infrastructure
Project: Reimagining Your Creek
Landscape Architect: REALMstudios with Alluvium Consulting and E2DesignLab
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Award of Excellence
Category: Urban Design
Project: Brunswick Street Streetscape Plan
Landscape Architect: RushWright and Associates
Aboriginal Nation: Wurundjeri
Award: Award of Excellence
Category: Research, Policy and Communications
Project: LXRP Indigenous Design Guidelines
Landscape Architect: Level Crossing Removal Project
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Award of Excellence
Category: Small Projects
Project: Albert Park Office + Depot
Landscape Architect: Openwork + Christina Silk Office For Planting
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Award of Excellence
Category: Gardens
Project: Coastal Woodland Garden
Landscape Architect: Robyn Barlow Design
Aboriginal Nation: Bunurong
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Health and Education Landscape
Project: SALESIAN COLLEGE SUNBURY Earth & Sky Forecourt (Stage 1)
Landscape Architect: Orchard Design
Aboriginal Nation: Wurundjeri
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Health and Education Landscape
Project: MLC Nicholas Learning Centre and Principal’s Terrace
Landscape Architect: Taylor Cullity Lethlean
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Parks and Open Space
Project: Tullamore Southern Gully Reserve
Landscape Architect: MDG Landscape Architects
Aboriginal Nation: Wurundjeri
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Play Spaces
Project: Eltham North Adventure Playground
Landscape Architect: Jeavons Landscape Architects with Gardiner Architects and Naturform
Aboriginal Nation: Wurundjeri
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Play Spaces
Project: Deep Creek Eco Play
Landscape Architect: Playce Pty Ltd with Agency of Sculpture
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Cultural Heritage
Project: Wunggurrwil Dhurrung
Landscape Architect: REALMstudios with Paul Thompson, E2Design Lab, Vicki Couzens, Gresley Abas, Greg Burgess and Philip Chun
Aboriginal Nation: Wadawurrung
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Tourism
Project: Penguin Parade Visitor Centre
Landscape Architect: Tract Consultants
Aboriginal Nation: Bunurong
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Urban Design
Project: Mount Street Pocket Parks
Landscape Architect: GLAS Landscape Architects
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Landscape Planning
Project: Greater Shepparton City Council Play Space Strategy
Landscape Architect: Spiire
Aboriginal Nation: Yorta Yorta
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Research, Policy and Communications
Project: The Politics of Public Space
Landscape Architect: OFFICE
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Landscape Architecture Award
Category: Gardens
Project: Caribbean Park Public Realm (Stages 1+2)
Landscape Architect: OCULUS
Aboriginal Nation: Kulin Nation
Award: Regional Achievement Award
Category: Regional Achievement
Project: Strathdale Park Play Space
Landscape Architect: City of Greater Bendigo
Aboriginal Nation: Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung
Award: Regional Achievement Award
Category: Regional Achievement
Project: Greater Shepparaton City Council Play Space Strategy
Landscape Architect: Spiire
Aboriginal Nation: Yorta Yorta
Future Leaders (Student) Award: Prue Batchelor