The top projects in the 2019 Australian Urban Design Awards have been revealed. From 52 shortlisted entries, five have been awarded and five commended, including an education/community precinct in Melbourne, a building height standards review in Hobart, a level crossing removal project in Melbourne and a mixed-use precinct on the site of heritage-listed wharves in Brisbane.
The awards, announced at a special event in Melbourne on 30 October, recognize contemporary Australian urban design of the highest quality and aim to encourage cities, towns and communities across the country to strive for best practice. Projects are recognized for their excellence across categories for built projects as well as for leadership, advocacy and research.
Malcolm Snow, jury chair and CEO of the City Renewal Authority in Canberra, said that exemplary urban design thinking and practice is central to shaping a sustainable, socially responsible and prosperous future for Australia’s towns and cities. “At a time when the ‘wicked problems’ confronting our urban environments and the communities they support are dramatically rising, this year’s award winners are proof positive that Australia’s urban designers are equal to that challenge,” Snow said.
“All of the winning projects unequivocally demonstrate that their designers and clients have both the insight and skills to make places that are beautiful, welcoming and sustainable. In their different contexts they all put people and the quality of the place experience at the centre of their design research or solutions. This is a hallmark of outstanding urban design ensuring that both current and future generations of Australians are the beneficiaries.”
The winners are:
Built projects – city and regional scale
Maitland Levee and Riverlink Building (NSW) – McGregor Coxall and Chrofi
Howard Smith Wharves (Qld) – HSW Nominees, Urbis and Woods Bagot
Built projects – local and neighbourhood scale
Ferrars Street Education and Community Precinct (Vic) – Tract
Flour Mill of Summer Hill (NSW) – Hassell
Leadership, advocacy and research – city and regional scale
Building Height Standards Review project (Tas) – Leigh Woolley Architect + Urban Design Consultant
The Australian Urban Design Awards are organized by Architecture Media and convened by the Planning Institute of Australia, Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, and Australian Institute of Architects.
The awards are generously supported by Holcim, the Queensland Government, Stormtech and Tait. urbandesignawards.com.au