2021 VICTORIA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARDS

Albert Park Office + Depot - 2021 AILA Victoria Award of Excellence for Small Projects

AILA recognised seven Awards of Excellence and 11 Landscape Architecture Awards across 13 categories, highlighting landscape architects that delivered above and beyond the sole purpose of the project, championing collaboration, placemaking and commitment to community.

The virtual awards event commended outstanding individual contributions 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.

AILA Victoria Landscape Architecture Awards Jury Chair Naomi Barun said this year’s winners challenged and pushed the boundaries of landscape and architecture practice and demonstrated a continued commitment to creating high quality places 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,” said Ms Barun.

“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.”

Eltham North Adventure Playground - 2021 AILA Victoria Landscape Architecture Award for Play Spaces

Across Civic Landscape and Urban Design categories the jury saw value placed on connecting people and elevating elements required to make it successful in 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 said the annual awards program was a poised opportunity to provide insight into the way the industry is responding to public needs, showcasing the many 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,” said Mr Gledhill.

“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.

“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.”

To view the full list of winner CLICK HERE