2019 Queensland Landscape Architecture Awards honours local green spaces
Landscape architects carry enormous environmental and social responsibilities, as their work has the potential to unite communities and offer vital leisure and lifestyle benefits to residents. These awards have given well-earned praise to some of the state’s best experts in the industry.
The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) has recognised 20 practices across the 12 categories of its 2019 Queensland Landscape Architecture Awards. Held at The Calile Hotel late last month, the awards showcased the impressive range of projects across our state, from nature-based play areas to forward-thinking residential communities and repurposed urban areas. AILA presented five Awards of Excellence, 11 Landscape Architecture Awards and four Regional Achievement Awards, in addition to a State President’s Award and two Fellowship Awards.
RPS Group’s Eden Lane in Woolloongabba took out an Award of Excellence – Small Projects for the lush revitalisation of what was formerly a narrow exit shaft of a subterranean tunnel boring machine. The project gave new life to the abandoned inner-city area by widening the space to create a subtropical, Queensland-centric urban laneway. RPS Group was also presented with a Landscape Architecture Award – Civic Landscape for its uniquely green take on the traditional square at West Village Common. Lat27 and Oxley Creek Transformation Pty Ltd received an Award of Excellence – Land Management for unlocking the potential of the Oxley Creek corridor with the Oxley Creek Transformation Master Plan. Wilson Architects’ All Hallows’ School – Places in the Landscape and Lat27’s 900 Ann Street & Holy Trinity Church were also praised for their work preserving the cultural and historic heritage of their sites.
Tracking south to the Gold Coast, the City of Gold Coast’s Arundel Wetlands and Form Landscape Architects’ Forest Green Park received Awards of Excellence in Infrastructure and Play Spaces respectively, for playing a significant role in bringing benefits to the wider community. The Arundel Wetlands project saw the transformation of what had become illegal landfill into a scenic, natural conservation area, while Forest Green Park sets a new standard for suburban play areas. All Queensland winners will gain automatic entry into the national awards, which will be held on October 10 in Melbourne, in conjunction with the annual International Festival of Landscape Architecture. Find a list of Queensland entrants and winners online.