A new hospital in Bendigo, the transformation of a former hospital site in Sydney, a design guide for central Melbourne and an urban design framework for level crossing removal are among the winning projects from the 2018 Urban Design Awards.
Australia’s best practice in contemporary urban design schemes has been celebrated at the 2018 Urban Design Awards. Five outstanding projects have been awarded and six commended from a shortlist of 38 projects.
The results were announced at a special presentation in Sydney on 25 October.
The Australian Urban Design Awards were created by former prime minister Paul Keating’s Urban Design Taskforce in 1996. The program was established to recognise contemporary Australian urban design projects of the highest quality and to encourage cities, towns and communities across the country to strive for best practice in all projects.
The 2018 results:
Built projects – city and regional scale
Award: Bendigo Hospital Project (Vic) by Silver Thomas Hanley with Bates Smart and Oculus.
Commendation: Darling Harbour Transformation (NSW) by Hassell/Hassell and Populous.
Commendation: Barangaroo South (NSW) by Aspect Oculus, Lendlease, Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners. Built projects – local and neighbourhood scale
Built projects – local and neighbourhood scale
Award: Former South Sydney Hospital Site – Stage 1 (NSW) by City of Sydney with Peter Stutchbury Architecture, Design 5, JMD, Sprout Landscape Architecture, CAB, Fox Johnston, Jane Irwin Landscape Architects and CHROFI.
Award: Main Street Barcaldine (Qld) by M3architecture and Brian Hooper Architect (architects in association).
Commendation: Railway Square (WA) by Place Laboratory. Leadership, advocacy and research – city and regional scale
Leadership, advocacy and research – city and regional scale
Award: Central Melbourne Design Guide (Vic) by City of Melbourne.
Award: Level Crossing Removal Authority Urban Design Framework (Vic) by Level Crossing Removal Authority.
Commendation: Urban Choreography: Central Melbourne 1985– (Vic) by Kim Dovey, Rob Adams and Ronald Jones. Leadership, advocacy and research – local and neighbourhood scale
Leadership, advocacy and research – local and neighbourhood scale
No award given.
Commendation: West Melbourne Structure Plan (Vic) by City of Melbourne.
Commendation: The Living Knowledge Stream Design Guidance for Curtin University (WA) by Syrinx Environmental, Sync7, Dr Noel Nannup.
Bill Chandler, Chair of the 2018 Australian Urban Design Awards jury, noted the importance of the awards in encouraging innovation and best practice.
“Australia faces many challenges in a rapidly changing world: population change, climate change, the transition of energy production from fossil fuels to renewables, transport, affordable living and sustainability. These are serious issues and urban design has a major role to play in creatively addressing them,” Mr Chandler said.
“These awards demonstrate that our urban designers must be and are skilled, innovative, and up to the task. They must be leaders, because our politicians are struggling to stay ahead of the game.”
Mr Chandler said that while the awards assessment criteria are comprehensive, “It is often the ‘X’ factor, the outstanding quality, that separates those projects that are special from those that are simply very competent.”
