The Australia Award for Urban Design

The Australia Award for Urban Design was presented last week on June 26 at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. The AAUD is Australia’s premier award for urban design achievement. It was proposed by the Urban Design Task Force under former Prime Minister Paul Keating and first presented in 1996. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is now the Award Patron and the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) hosts the Award, which is split into 4 categories. They are:

Policies, programmes and concepts - large scale

French-Australian art and urban design collective Campement Urbain has received the AAUD under the category Policies, programmes and concepts-large scale for their project 'The Future of Penrith, Penrith of the Future.'

The design team was made up of Sylvie Blocher, François Daune and Tim Williams. In the words of architect Tim Williams: "The artistic process undertaken by Sylvie Blocher allows for an urban fiction to be told about the city, which captures the thoughts and emotions of the many people of Penrith from all walks of life. The people of Penrith have clear and well-articulated ideas about what is important. They speak of re-establishing a connection to the river, of providing better public space and transport, of celebrating the many cultures of the city and its aboriginal origins."

Tim will present a paper on the project at the 5th International Urban Design Conference in Melbourne from the 10th to the 12th of September 2012.

Image: proposed Jane Street perspective render, The Future of Penrith/ Penrith of the Future, 2011, Image courtesy and © Campement Urbain.

Policies, programmes and concepts - small scale

The Sydney and Melbourne based urban design and landscape architecture practice McGregor Coxall won the Policies, Programs and Concepts - small scale category of the AAUD for their highly acclaimed Parramatta River Urban Design Strategy in Sydney. The design stretches a kilometre of Parramatta CBD riverfront, encompassing a 31 ha site. Adrian McGregor said: “The strategy proposes to create ‘Parramatta Quay’ as the sister to ‘Circular Quay’, revitalising the western most point of Sydney Harbour and creating a vibrant riverfront urban quarter for living, working, dining and entertainment.” He added: “Australian cities need to make much greater use of their wonderful waterfronts citing Oslo and Hamburg as good examples for waterfront regeneration.”

Image: proposed Parramatta River Urban Design Strategy in Sydney, courtesy and © McGregor Coxall.

Delivered Outcome - large scale category

The Darling Quarter precinct, located between the Sydney CBD and Darling Harbour South, has taken out the Delivered Outcome - large scale category. The project was completed in 2011 and involved a large team consisting of: ASPECT Studios, Lend Lease, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt), Arup and Hyder Consulting.

The jury praised the redevelopment for the way it creates a vibrant and dynamic mix of commercial and public space with grassed community areas, a children's theatre, retail terrace and a large illuminated water playground. PIA National President Dyan Currie said Darling Quarter represents an iconic and significant space in a major Australian city.

"This is an innovative design that offers a more activated public domain with great connectivity to create a place that can be shared by a wide range of city users," Ms Currie said. "Darling Quarter contributes significantly to its surrounding urban environment and has great presence with eye catching architecture and sustainability features."

Image: Darling Quarter Sydney, photo © Florian Groehn.

Delivered Outcome - small scale category

Brisbane's newest dining precinct on the river's edge at the southern end of South Bank has taken out the Delivered Outcome - small scale category. The project involved Arkhefield Architects and Interior Design and Cardno S.P.L.A.T Landscape Architects.

Ms Currie commented that River Quay was an excellent example of waterfront enhancement with open space and elevated decks. "This is an excellent redevelopment of the old Expo 88 Boardwalk precinct that not only recognises the past but delivers modern infrastructure and facilities,” stated Ms Currie.

"The jury was impressed with the way the riverside park blends into a well designed arrangement of restaurants and buildings to create intimate meeting and gathering spaces."

Image: River Quay by Arkhefield Architects and Interior Design and Cardno S.P.L.A.T Landscape Architects, photo © John Gollings.