The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) has announced this year’s honours list for the 2021 Victoria Landscape Architecture Awards, with the winners of their respective categories praised for their collaborative and placemaking efforts, as well as a commitment to community.

AILA recognised seven Awards of Excellence and 11 Landscape Architecture awards spanning 13 categories, as those that went above and beyond the sole purpose of their project rewarded for their efforts.

The virtual event commended the outstanding individual contributions of architects to the profession, for their commitment to supporting public life as critical to both the revitalisation and recovery plan of Victoria’s cities and economy.

coastal woodland garden robyn barlow

Naomi Barun, the AILA Victoria Landscape Architecture Awards’ Jury Chair, says the adversities faced and dealt with head on by winning projects outlines the commitment shown by architects to create spaces that support public life.

“The past year has seen changes in the way public places are valued, with the rediscovery and enabling of new forms of connection and expression. These places became the backdrop for social exchange, exercise and mental reprieve,” she says.

“The demand for locally accessible outdoor areas saw privately managed open space repositioned. Private landscapes were used as venues for organised gatherings and work meetings and communities relied on public spaces for economic recovery of our cities.

“This year saw a record number of entries, reflecting a desire to celebrate the amazing successes but importantly acknowledging the significant contribution both before and during 2020.

“Submissions were centred around Victoria’s need to connect, play, roam, to give back to the community and to proactively adapt for the unforeseen.”

station street mall frankston by site office

Across Civic Landscape and Urban Design categories, the jury saw value placed on connecting people and an evolution in design to ensure the places would transition successfully into a new COVID-world.

Winners in these categories embodied a commitment to bringing life to a city that was concealed from its community during a vulnerable 12 months, prioritising healthy communities in their response to the needs of an ever-growing population in the inner-suburbs.

Landscape Architects continued this theme through the Parks and Open Space, Play Spaces, and Gardens categories, highlighting the importance of green space and the vital role it plays.

AILA Victoria President Heath Gledhill says the annual awards program is an opportunity to showcase an architects’ ability to respond to public needs, and highlight the various creative ways in which leading landscape architects interpret space, context and connection to a place.

“The awards provide a vehicle to publicly promote and demonstrate to industry, business, government and the wider community the positive impact the profession has on Australian lives through the planning and design of the built and natural environments,” he says.

“We are proud to celebrate the talent and commitment of the industry and are thrilled to see the depth and breadth of all entries and their commitment to ensuring the values of the profession are articulated throughout.

deep creek echo play by playce

“Collectively, this year’s recipients stood out as exceptional places that connect communities, bring comfort by adapting micro-climates, and reveal the beauty of our State and our relationship with it.

“The range of diverse projects awarded set an inspiring benchmark for landscape architecture and give the industry inspiration to continue to think bigger and broader into the future.”

Please find the full list of winners for the 2021 Victoria Landscape Architecture Awards below.

Health and Education Landscape: Albert Park Senior College Campus by Site Office

Civic Landscape: Station Street Mall Frankston by Site Office & City of Frankston

Infrastructure: Reimagining Your Creek by REALMstudios with Alluvium Consulting & E2DesignLab

Urban Design: Brunswick Street Streetscape Plan by RushWright and Associates

Research, Policy and Communications: LXRP Indigenous Design Guidelines by Level Crossing Removal Project

Small Projects: Albert Park Office + Depot by Openwork + Christina Silk Office For Planting

Gardens: Coastal Woodland Garden by Robyn Barlow Design

Health and Education Landscape: SALESIAN COLLEGE SUNBURY Earth & Sky Forecourt (Stage 1) by Orchard Design

Health and Education Landscape: MLC Nicholas Learning Centre & Principal's Terrace by Taylor Cullity Lethlean

Parks and Open Space: Tullamore Southern Gully Reserve by MDG Landscape Architects

Play Spaces: Eltham North Adventure Playground by Jeavons Landscape Architects with Gardiner Architects and Naturform

Play Spaces: Deep Creek Eco Play by Playce Pty Ltd with Agency of Sculpture

Cultural Heritage: Wunggurrwil Dhurrung by REALMstudios with Paul Thompson, E2Design Lab, Vicki Couzens, Gresley Abas, Greg Burgess and Philip Chun

Tourism: Penguin Parade Visitor Centre by Tract Consultants Bunurong

Urban Design: Mount Street Pocket Parks by GLAS Landscape Architects

Landscape Planning: Greater Shepparton City Council Play Space Strategy by Spiire

Research, Policy and Communications: The Politics of Public Space by OFFICE

Gardens: Caribbean Park Public Realm (Stages 1+2) by OCULUS

Regional Achievement: Strathdale Park Play Space by City of Greater Bendigo

Regional Achievement: Greater Shepparaton City Council Play Space Strategy by Spiire

Future Leaders (Student) Award: Prue Batchelor

Jarrod Reedie

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