A playground at Perth Zoo designed by Hassell, a unique estuary pool in the City of Mandurah, and a housing development in Perth with landscaped streetscapes and dedicated public open space are among the winning projects at the 2024 WA State Awards announced by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) at an event held recently at Perth Zoo.
The jury honoured 23 winners from 35 entries across 11 categories. Jury chair Bel Foster said this year’s winners created beautiful and engaging places that are also clearly successful in their community, ecological and environmental outcomes.
Hassell won the top Award of Excellence in the Play Spaces category for its design of the new Perth Zoo Playground, which aimed to create a bold new visitor experience. The playground, which also supports the Zoo’s groundbreaking conservation work, is already delivering results in terms of visitor numbers.
“This is play space design at its best: functional, fun and just that little bit magical too. The design is strongly linked with the character of the site, celebrates local fauna and offers moments of delight, intrigue, danger and pause,” the jury said.
Kwillena Gabi Pool by the City of Mandurah took out an Award of Excellence in the Tourism category. An iconic feature of Mandurah’s City Centre redevelopment, this unique swimming area featuring a curved floating walkway embraces the Djilba (estuary) and creates a circular pool with an access ramp.
“This nuanced and inclusive project works as an iconic attraction for tourists, but also adds significant local benefits. The design response to the tidal environment and minimal below-water infrastructure is coupled with the incorporation of Indigenous culture, attention to safety and accessibility, and preservation of the site’s public use through creative, inclusive and thoughtful planning,” the jury said.
Josh Byrne & Associates and Development WA’s OneOneFive Hamilton Hill won an Award of Excellence in Landscape Planning. Spread across 12 hectares, the development will offer 244 lots of diverse housing options along with two hectares of public open space, retained Banksia woodland, and landscaped streetscapes to create a thriving community.
“This is a benchmark project for future development across Perth. OneOneFive Hamilton Hill is an exemplary project showcasing the pivotal role landscape architects play in the planning and design of our urban and suburban landscapes. The project directly embraces the issue of Perth’s drying climate and responds with best practice sustainability strategies that can be tested, measured, and replicated across a diverse range of applications,” the jury said.
Bulwer Avenue Garden by banksia & lime won the top Award of Excellence in the Gardens category. The homeowners’ vision of “a quirky bush garden with a homestead feel” was delivered by mirroring house utility areas in the garden and strategically placing diverse native trees and shrubs to create a woodland feeling of being surrounded by nature.
“banksia & lime has crafted a project that has a reach beyond an expression of client taste or nostalgia, giving back to not only the family, but also the street and urban ecosystem, with potential to give residents and neighbours ongoing amenity and delight over future years,” the jury said.
All winners at the State Awards level will proceed to the National Landscape Architecture Awards to be held later this year.
2024 WA State Awards – Winners
Category | Project | Winner | Award
Civic Landscape
Kal City Centre Redevelopment | ASPECT Studios with Iredale pedersen hook, ETC Solutions, TABEC, Terpkos and CADsult | Landscape Architecture Award
Parks and Open Spaces
Didaalamaap – Western Foreshore | City of Mandurah | Landscape Architecture Award
Merredin CBD Stage 1A | PLACE Laboratory | Landscape Architecture Award
Play Spaces
Perth Zoo Playground | Hassell | Award of Excellence
Koolaanga Waabiny Playground | City of Mandurah + PLAN E | Landscape Architecture Award
Infrastructure
Cecil Avenue | PLACE Laboratory Landscape Architect in collaboration with City of Canning | Landscape Architecture Award
Tourism
Kwillena Gabi Pool | City of Mandurah | Award of Excellence
Kal City Centre Redevelopment | ASPECT Studios with Iredale pedersen hook, ETC Solutions, TABEC, Terpkos and CADsult | Landscape Architecture Award
Urban Design
SubiPOP – Postal Walk | Propagule | Landscape Architecture Award
Manatj Park | PLAN E | Landscape Architecture Award
Landscape Planning
OneOneFive Hamilton Hill | Josh Byrne & Associates and Development WA | Award of Excellence
City of Perth Urban Greening Strategy – developing an integrated planning framework for a greener city | City of Perth | Landscape Architecture Award
City of Vincent ‘Link and Place’ Guidelines | UDLA, with Hames Sharley and ARUP | Landscape Architecture Award
Fremantle Prison Heritage Landscapes Strategy | UDLA | Landscape Architecture Award
Community Contribution
My Home, North Fremantle (Whadjuk Noongar Country) | LD Total | Landscape Architecture Award
Gardens
Bulwer Avenue Garden | banksia & lime | Award of Excellence
Victoria House | PLACE Laboratory | Landscape Architecture Award
Small Projects
From Sumps to Micro Parks: Vic Park’s Green Basins Program | Town of Victoria Park | Landscape Architecture Award
Regional Achievement Award
Kal City Centre Redevelopment | ASPECT Studios with Iredale pedersen hook, ETC Solutions, TABEC, Terpkos and CADsult | Regional Achievement Award
Margaret Knoll Lookout | NewScape Design | Regional Achievement Award
ShadeSmart Award
Cecil Avenue | PLACE Laboratory Landscape Architects in collaboration with City of Canning
Bulwer Avenue Garden | banksia & lime
WA Medal
Mandurah Foreshore Redevelopment Projects | City of Mandurah
Source: architectureanddesign.com.au
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