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CONGRATULATIONS TO 
PLACE LEADERS AWARDS RECIPIENTS!

The Place Leaders Asia Pacific Awards recognised the leaders, visionaries, and innovators shaping the future of our public spaces. Hosted in Port Macquarie, and co-hosted with Port Macquarie Hastings Council, the Awards showcased projects from across Australasia and the Asia Pacific that demonstrated innovation, collaboration, and measurable place impact. From Indigenous leadership to design excellence, these Awards celebrated the very best in placemaking and inspired others to rethink how we create vibrant, inclusive, and resilient communities.

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ABOUT THE AWARDS

The Place Leaders Asia Pacific Awards recognise the groundbreaking work that is shaping the future of
placemaking across the Asia-Pacific.

 

From visionary leadership to creative use of technology, to community-driven design, these Awards honour those who are creating lasting social, economic, and environmental impact in our shared spaces. Whether you’ve revitalised a neglected space, integrated sustainability into urban design, or leveraged technology for better
placemaking, these awards are a chance to highlight your placemaking impact and contribute to the ongoing conversation on how we can build better places for people.


Entering the awards offers more than just recognition, it provides a platform to share your work with an Asia-Pacific audience and connect with other leaders in the field. By recognising these efforts, the Place Leaders Awards aim to inspire others to rethink how we create vibrant, inclusive, and resilient communities.

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AWARDS JURY

Our Awards Jury brought together Place Leaders who embody the vision, resilience, and creativity that defines place leadership.

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Partner & Managing Director (Europe, Gulf & Asia), Gehl People​

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Henriette is a global authority on people-centred urban design. A founding member of Gehl, she has led city-shaping projects from Sydney’s George Street to London’s Thrive Zones and New York’s City Strategy. Trained under Jan Gehl, her work has influenced urban transformations across Europe, the US, India, Australia and New Zealand. Henriette brings incredibly valuable expertise in embedding human-centred design into complex urban projects, ensuring that thriving, inclusive cities are built for people first.

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President, Open House Melbourne

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Sam is a cultural leader and creative producer with over 30 years shaping bold public projects. As former CEO of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation and Executive Director of MPavilion, he delivered internationally acclaimed commissions and the Living Cities Forum (Highly Commended -Design Excellence Award 2024). Now President of Open House Melbourne, Sam continues to champion architecture and design as catalysts for inclusion, sustainability and city liveability. Sam’s bring expertise in connecting ambitious ideas with practical delivery, and influencing the role of culture in the urban fabric.

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Director, Planning and Development, City of Whittlesea

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Emma is a highly experienced urban strategist with international experience in regeneration, housing and city renewal. As Director of Planning and Development at the City of Whittlesea, and formerly Director of City Strategy at the City of Melbourne, Emma has delivered transformative programs that balance growth, design quality and community outcomes. Emma is known for her integrity and collaborative leadership and brings an established record of shaping complex urban projects into great places for people.

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Place Manager, Ipswich City Council

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Erin is a nationally recognised young leader in placemaking whose work in Ipswich Central was awarded the inaugural Jan Gehl Centrepiece Award for Excellence in Placemaking in 2024. With experience across Australia and abroad, Erin’s expertise is in combining strong community engagement with evidence-based design. Erin’s leadership delivers places that respect heritage, support creativity and build community wellbeing, embodying the people-first ethos at the heart of placemaking.

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Group Manager, Liveable Communities, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council

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Lucilla is an award-winning placemaking leader with more than two decades of experience across councils and private practice. As Group Manager, Liveable Communities at Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Lucilla oversees placemaking, social planning, culture, and inclusion, with her leadership recognised through a Highly Commended in the 2024 Place Governance Award. A landscape architect by training, Lucilla is a powerful advocate for co-design and inclusive play, creating lasting places that support community life.

AWARDS RECIPIENTS

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WINNER - JAN GEHL CENTREPIECE AWARD
The GreenWay (Transport for NSW, NSW Department of Planning, Inner West Council) 

The prestigious Place Leaders Asia Pacific Centrepiece Award is now named the Jan Gehl Centrepiece
Award - with Jan Gehl’s enthusiastic support. This Award celebrates Jan’s transformative impact on placemaking and firmly establishes the Place Leaders Asia-Pacific Awards as one of the region’s premier accolades for excellence in creating vibrant, people-focused spaces. Jan is a global icon of people-centred
urban design and Jan delivered an exclusive acknowledgment via video link for the Jan Gehl Centrepiece Award 2025 winner, bringing his inspiring vision directly to the Awards and Presentation Dinner in Port Macquarie on 26 March 2026.

 

The Jan Gehl Centrepiece Award goes to Transport for NSW, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, and Inner West Council for The GreenWay, a transformative six-kilometre environmental and active transport corridor connecting the Cooks River to Iron Cove. Conceived over two decades ago through passionate grassroots advocacy, this project perfectly embodies Jan’s philosophy of putting people first by reclaiming complex urban infrastructure for community life. By navigating challenging interfaces alongside the light rail corridor and major roads, the project partners successfully resolved critical "missing links" to deliver a continuous, safe route for walking and cycling. The design seamlessly integrates active travel with ecology, recreation, and culture, featuring new tunnels and underpasses, eight integrated public artworks, and the comprehensive upgrade of community nodes like Johnson Park.

The enduring success of the corridor is born from its participatory governance model. Sustained by a steering committee of residents, councils, and advocacy groups, hundreds of volunteers dedicate thousands of hours annually to manage 16 bushcare sites and facilitate community arts programs. Early post-opening data already demonstrates a clear increase in active transport among the 48,000 residents living in the catchment. The GreenWay stands as a benchmark for human-scale urban design, demonstrating how sustained community grit and cross-government partnership can deliver a lasting, multi-functional asset for community wellbeing.

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The GreenWay is open!

The GreenWay - Map

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1. WINNER - PLACE LEADERSHIP

Safer Cities Program (Transport for NSW) 

This Award recognises individuals or organisations demonstrating bold leadership that inspires and delivers long-term place outcomes through strategy, innovation, and whole-of-place thinking. 

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The Place Leadership Award goes to Transport for NSW for the Safer Cities Program, the first statewide initiative of its kind globally to specifically address perceptions of safety, gender, and mobility in public spaces. Working in partnership with 10 councils and 12 state agencies, the program championed a co-design approach to ensure women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals actively shaped the places they use. Through night-time walkshops and targeted community surveys engaging nearly 24,000 people, the team delivered 460 trial interventions, including 136 lighting projects, public art, and accessibility upgrades, with 100 becoming permanent fixtures. The results were transformative, driving a massive improvement in how people experience these environments. The proportion of people feeling safe at project locations increased from 21% to 80% during the day and from 4% to 41% at night, while feelings of community connection among women soared from 27% to 70%. The Safer Cities Program demonstrates that when you empower vulnerable users to lead urban design, you create vibrant, inclusive places that improve autonomy and set a new standard for gender-responsive placemaking.

NSW Guide to gender-inclusive placemaking​​
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Safer Cities program - Case studies -Transport for NSW

Safer Cities program Impact Report - Transport for NSW

Shaping places together - Transport for NSW

Evaluation Tool for Public Space and Public Life version 2

Community Survey Tool for Public Space and Public Life

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - PLACE LEADERSHIP
Christopher Manoski (Cumberland City Council)

Christopher Manoski of Cumberland City Council is awarded Highly Commended for his exceptional leadership in advancing placemaking, smart places, and economic development across Western Sydney. Driven by a people-first philosophy, Christopher has delivered high-impact initiatives like the Cool Carparks prototype and the revitalisation of Guildford Laneway, which saw a 600% increase in footfall and a massive boost in night-time safety perceptions. By breaking down internal silos and partnering with universities, community groups, and state agencies, he consistently turns complex place challenges into scalable, community-backed outcomes. Christopher exemplifies dynamic and inclusive place leadership.

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - PLACE LEADERSHIP
Balam Balam Place (Merri-bek City Council)

Merri-bek City Council receives a Highly Commended recognition for Balam Balam Place, a visionary creative and community hub in the heart of Brunswick. Starting as a temporary trial to meet the need for affordable spaces, Council’s $30 million investment has transformed the site into a permanent oasis that retains the raw energy locals loved. By embedding expert community operators, incorporating Indigenous heritage through art and naming, and mixing commercial, creative, and health tenancies, the site has already welcomed over 67,000 visitors. This project demonstrates how long-term place leadership can turn a trial activation into a thriving, sustainable community institution.

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Balam Balam Place

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - PLACE LEADERSHIP
Shaping Perth City Centre: Towards 2036 and Beyond (City of Perth Council)

The City of Perth Council receives a Highly Commended recognition for Shaping Perth City Centre: Towards 2036 and Beyond, a people-first, evidence-led framework guiding the long-term transformation of the city on Whadjuk Noongar Country. In partnership with Gehl Architects, the City built upon an extraordinary three decades of Public Space Public Life research to shift away from reactive, project-byproject interventions. By conducting 59 observational studies capturing over 155,000 people, they developed a comprehensive Public Life Report Card. This framework embeds climate adaptation, blue-green infrastructure, and authentic Indigenous narratives directly into place planning, alongside clear governance models and funding pathways for implementation. By grounding its strategy in a longitudinal dataset, the project successfully united state agencies, landowners, and the community around shared, objective priorities. This framework is a great example of civic stewardship, showing how sustained, data-driven place leadership can align diverse stakeholders and secure a resilient, inclusive future for a capital city.

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Shaping Perth City Centre - Towards 2036 and Beyond

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2. WINNER - PLACE GOVERNANCE
Place Activation Governance Framework (City of Joondalup)

This Award recognises effective, transparent, and collaborative management of place, underpinned by clear processes and measurable outcomes. 

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The Place Governance Award goes to the City of Joondalup for its Place Activation Governance Framework, an organisational shift that successfully embedded placemaking into everyday local government decision-making. Starting with just a twoperson team, the City established a resilient tiered structure connecting cross-functional working groups directly to an Executive Steering Committee. This
collaborative framework busted silos, enabling the delivery of complex, high-impact projects like Bloom Joondalup and the weekly Night Markets, which drew 70,000 visitors and generated over $4 million for the local economy. Joondalup’s framework is a masterclass in breaking down internal bureaucracy to create shared accountability, showing that great governance is the foundation of great places. 

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Place Activation Strategy

Joondalup City Centre Place Activation Plan​

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - PLACE GOVERNANCE
Shared Stewardship in Action: City of Vincent’s Co-Funded Framework for Town Centre Transformation (City of Vincent Council)

The City of Vincent Council receives a Highly Commended recognition for Shared Stewardship in Action, an innovative governance model that empowers local businesses to co-invest in town centre improvements. By integrating the Vibrant Public Spaces Policy with targeted enhancement grants, Council shifted from a government-led delivery approach to genuine shared stewardship. In just three years, $270,000 of public funding successfully leveraged over $750,000 in private investment, resulting in 28 new public spaces, 50 shopfront upgrades, and 15 murals. This transparent and supportive policy framework shows how local government can sustain vibrant, economically resilient high streets through continuous, design-led collaboration.​​

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - PLACE GOVERNANCE

Katoomba Civic Centre Revitalisation (Blue Mountains City Council)

Blue Mountains City Council is awarded Highly Commended for the Katoomba Civic Centre Revitalisation, an exercise in resilience and adaptive governance. Faced with funding shortfalls, pandemic delays, and significant cost escalations, Council pivoted its approach to deliver flexible, high-impact interventions to a challenging 1960s brutalist site. Through a strong partnership with the local chamber of commerce and the community, they introduced pop-up visitor information centres, gig spaces, and innovative urban canopies, driving increased footfall and dwell time in the precinct. This project highlights how agile, persistent place governance can breathe new life into a town centre despite complex delivery hurdles.​​

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3. WINNER - PLACE ENGAGEMENT
Arts, Play and Discovery (City People)

This Award recognises exceptional engagement that empowers communities to influence and co-create place outcomes through inclusive and creative processes. 

 

The Place Engagement Award goes to City People for their Arts, Play and Discovery program, a sensitive initiative giving children and young people the agency to shape the design of two major Sydney children’s hospitals. Through extensive co-design committees, interactive art workshops, and a "Kids Reporters" program, they brought the unfiltered voices of young patients, families, and paediatric staô€†¯ directly to architects and builders. This process led to 19 co-created artworks, including imaginative lift designs and interactive digital experiences in clinical spaces to reduce treatment anxiety. This program is a powerful example of sensitive, trauma-informed engagement, proving that when you empower the most vulnerable users to co-create their environments, you can create spaces of genuine healing and joy.

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​Arts, Play and Discovery: The Children's Hospital at Westmead

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - PLACE ENGAGEMENT
The GreenWay (Transport for NSW, NSW Department of Planning, Inner West Council) 

Transport for NSW, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, and Inner West Council are awarded Highly Commended for The GreenWay, a 6- kilometre environmental and active transport corridor sustained by years of community advocacy. Initiated by residents in the late 1990s, this multi-functional green spine now links the Cooks River to Iron Cove, incorporating new shared paths, playgrounds, and public art. What sets this apart is its participatory governance, with hundreds of local volunteers driving bushcare, arts, and cycling initiatives year after year. The GreenWay shows how sustained collaboration and engagement between state government, local councils, and passionate residents can deliver city-shaping infrastructure.

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - PLACE ENGAGEMENT
Mrs Yorks Garden (Port Macquarie Hastings Council)

Port Macquarie Hastings Council receives a Highly Commended recognition for Mrs Yorks Garden, an extraordinary decade-long, community-led restoration of a beloved coastal headland. Initiated by residents and sustained by the Friends of Mrs Yorks Garden, volunteers have contributed over 30,000 hours to plant 13,500 native plants and build accessible walkways, boat-themed shelters, and mosaic story poles. Council’s supportive engagement enabled locals to take full ownership of the space, learning horticulture, governance, and construction along the way. This garden is a literally a living testament to the power of grassroots stewardship and shows what can happen when a community is trusted to lead.

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Mrs York's Garden - VisitNSW

​Mrs York's Garden - NSW Government

The story of Mrs. York's Garden - Labour of love is a legacy being preserved

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4. WINNER - INDIGENOUS PLACEMAKING
Muderra Way, Noble Park (City of Greater Dandenong Council)

This Award recognises projects that embed Indigenous culture, knowledge and leadership into place outcomes, with a strong connection to Country and community. 

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The Indigenous Placemaking Award goes to the City of Greater Dandenong Council for Muderra Way, an exceptional initiative that transformed a visually hostile rail underpass into a meaningful cultural gateway on Bunurong Country. Developed in absolute partnership with the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, traditional owners held determinative authority over every stage - from the naming process to the design of a 200-metre asphalt artwork and immersive pillar murals. By prioritising Indigenous governance and navigating bureaucratic challenges to protect the artists' vision, Council restored cultural presence while also improving pedestrian safety. Muderra Way shows how genuine First Nations leadership can reclaim infrastructure and build lasting organisational capacity. 

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - INDIGENOUS PLACEMAKING
'Ngabu' by Aunty Lola Ryan - City People

City People and Aunty Lola Ryan receive a Highly Commended recognition for 'Ngabu', a monumental, temporary public art installation that reclaimed First Nations sovereignty over the colonial landscape of Sydney’s Walsh Bay Arts Precinct. Set against the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the striking pink shellwork bridge paid tribute to the matrilineal shellwork practices of Dharawal women from La Perouse. Guided by Aunty Lola Ryan, the project expanded traditional miniature shellwork into a large-scale, climbable artwork. This physical installation was paired with an augmented reality treasure hunt, allowing participants to use smartphones to uncover virtual shells, animations, and oral histories about Dharawal Dreaming, including the story of Buriburi the humpback whale. The project successfully shifted audience perceptions, with 90% of surveyed visitors reporting a better understanding of the precinct's deep First Nations history, while reaching over 1.8 million views on social media.

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5. WINNER - DESIGN EXCELLENCE IN PLACEMAKING
Barangaroo Station Park (Arcadia Landscape Architecture)

This Award celebrates outstanding design outcomes that advance public spaces, blending form, function, and cultural context to create places people value and enjoy. 

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The Design Excellence in Placemaking Award goes to Arcadia Landscape Architecture for Barangaroo Station Park, seamlessly integrating world-class transport infrastructure with the natural and cultural heritage of Sydney Harbour. Responding to a highly complex site serving 16,000 daily commuters, the team designed a transparent station plaza that frames its surroundings rather than dominating them. The design includes a stunning 50-metre interpretive seat made of white concrete and oyster shells, honouring Gadigal fisherwomen, alongside a detailed paving inlay of the historic 'Barangaroo Boat'. Arcadia has shown that design excellence in placemaking can turn an everyday transit hub into an engaging, educational, and beautiful place that deeply connects people to Country.

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Barangaroo Station Park - Arcadia Landscape Architecture

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - DESIGN EXCELLENCE IN PLACEMAKING
Mount Druitt Pavilion (Blacktown City Council)

Blacktown City Council is awarded Highly Commended for the Mount Druitt Pavilion - a bold, creative intervention that brings much-needed thermal comfort and vibrant civic life to Dawson Mall. The striking curved steel arbour, hand-wrapped in over 20 kilometres of colourful rope, directly tackles the urban heat island effect, dropping surface temperatures by 30 degrees while filtering sunlight. Its playful design pays homage to the local Garage Graphix arts collective, restoring pride and shifting legacy perceptions of the area. This Pavilion show how innovative design and rigorous engineering can create a welcoming, climate-responsive place for a town centre.

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How 20 kilometres of coloured rope transformed this town square

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - DESIGN EXCELLENCE IN PLACEMAKING
Cameron Park Queenslander Playhouse and Playground Upgrade (Ipswich City Council)

Ipswich City Council receives a Highly Commended recognition for the Cameron Park Queenslander Playhouse and Playground Upgrade - a community-driven transformation of an aging park into a vibrant destination in Booval. At its heart is the bespoke 'Booval House', a sculptural play structure interpreting the iconic local Queenslander architecture with perforated metal, latticework, and verandas. Council relocated the playground to improve safety and integrated all-abilities access, robust materials, and shaded social zones to support intergenerational gathering. This project demonstrates how thoughtful, place-based design can lift a suburban playground into a meaningful civic landmark.

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Cameron Park Upgrade

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6. WINNER - PLACEMAKING FOR PROSPERITY
Artwalk (Port Macquarie Hastings Council)

This Award recognises initiatives that have stimulated economic activity, social vibrancy, and local pride through place-based investment and activation. 

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The Placemaking for Prosperity Award goes to Port Macquarie Hastings Council for Artwalk, a spectacular culture-led night activation that transforms the CBD into an immersive, people-centric gallery. Growing from a small pilot in 2016 to an annual flagship event drawing almost 30,000 attendees, the festival directly connects artists with local businesses who voluntarily extend their trading hours to host exhibitions and performances. This collaborative approach has injected over $3 million into the local economy during a single event, generating a remarkable 97:1 return on investment. Artwalk demonstrates how embedding inclusive, high-quality public art into local businesses can stimulate the night-time economy and build an enduring, prosperous cultural identity.

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Artwalk 2026

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - PLACEMAKING FOR PROSPERITY
Mackay City and Waterfront Place Strategy (Fourfold Studio)

Fourfold Studio receives a Highly Commended recognition for the Mackay City and Waterfront Place Strategy, a collaborative and action-oriented roadmap that is unlocking the economic potential of Mackay’s city centre and riverside precincts. Rather than producing a traditional, long-term masterplan, the team focused on immediate, deliverable actions to build public life and amenity. Through extensive codesign involving over 900 community members and the signature 'SPARK' event - which allowed 1,300 attendees to physically experience the vision through temporary installations - they identified 27 community-endorsed priorities. The strategy empowered local businesses, creatives, and residents to take an active role in delivery, from community-driven riverfront activations to testing new food and retail concepts in a low-risk environment. The focus on quick, visible wins generated immediate economic results. Within just six months of endorsement, three new businesses opened, and seven commercial properties were sold, leased, or activated. In addition, the renewed vibrancy has successfully restored market confidence, prompting developers to pursue new investments on vacant sites.

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Mackay Waterfront Place Strategy - Mackay Regional Council

Mackay Waterfront Place Strategy - Fourfold Studio

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7. WINNER - ENVIRONMENTAL PLACEMAKING
Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3 (T.C.L)

This Award recognises initiatives that integrate sustainability, climate resilience and ecological value into place planning, design and activation. 

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The Environmental Placemaking Award goes to T.C.L for Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3, a masterful transformation of a harsh, engineered flood channel into a thriving, biodiverse riverine corridor. Balancing critical flood conveyance with ecological renewal, the project introduced 11,400 square metres of permanently vegetated wetlands that treat 60 million litres of urban stormwater annually before it reaches the gulf. With the planting of 245,000 native species, the creation of fauna refuge pools, and the careful integration of Kaurna cultural reflection spaces, the design vastly improved both local habitat and public access. Breakout Creek is an exceptional model of blue-green infrastructure, showing how environmental repair can simultaneously deliver a highly valued, and climate-ready community landscape.

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Breakout Creek | Purruna Pari Stage 1-3 - T.C.L

River Torrens Breakout Creek Stage 3 - GreenAdelaide

Breakout Creek

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HIGHLY COMMENDED - ENVIRONMENTAL PLACEMAKING

North Wright Sustainable Housing Precinct, Stage 1

(ACT Suburban Land Agency)

The ACT Suburban Land Agency receives a Highly Commended recognition for the North Wright Sustainable Housing Precinct, a pioneering pilot project that challenges business-as-usual suburban development. By delivering 23 compact, all- electric, and highly energy-efficient townhouses nested within generous shared landscapes, the project achieved an impressive 29% reduction in upfront carbon
emissions and halves ongoing energy costs for residents. The landscape-led design prioritises climate resilience with a 30% tree canopy target, green laneways, and water-sensitive urban design, all shaped by community and Ngunnawal cultural input. This precinct offers a scalable, commercially viable blueprint for how medium-density housing can beautifully integrate affordability, community connection, and environmental sustainability all within place.

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North Wright Sustainable Housing Precinct - Place Vision

North Wright Sustainable Housing Precinct - Stakeholder Engagement Report

North Wright Sustainable Housing Precinct - Mingle Program

Website​​

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8. WINNER - DIGITAL PLACEMAKING
'Ngabu' by Aunty Lola Ryan (City People)

This Award recognises innovative use of digital tools and technologies to enhance place experience, access, storytelling, or real-time management. 

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The Digital Placemaking Award goes to City People for 'Ngabu' by Aunty Lola Ryan, a visually striking and technologically rich installation that reclaimed First Nations sovereignty over the colonial landscape of Sydney's Walsh Bay. Centred around a monumental pink shellwork bridge, the project invited participants into the digital realm through an augmented reality treasure hunt. By using smartphones to trigger whimsical animations and oral histories about Dharawal Dreaming and intergenerational shellworking, the experience revealed 65,000 years of unbroken culture beneath the precinct's industrial facade. 'Ngabu' perfectly demonstrates how digital tools can amplify traditional cultural expressions, creating accessible, engaging, and educational connections to Country.

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9. WINNER - POP-UP PLACEMAKING
Surfers Paradise - The People's Esplanade Pop-Up (Fourfold Studio)

This Award recognises temporary or fast-delivery initiatives that activate underused space, test ideas, or foster new connections to place. 

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The Pop-Up Placemaking Award goes to Fourfold Studio for the Surfers Paradise - The People's Esplanade Pop-Up, an ambitious 12-week live activation that temporarily reclaimed 250 metres of Australia’s most famous beachfront from cars. Serving as a real-world trial for a proposed permanent road closure, the project transformed 5,000 square metres of roadway into a pedestrian-first experience featuring 90 new trees, vibrant street murals, and a giant 300-square-metre sandpit. Using a tactical "shape, activate, manage" methodology, Fourfold partnered with 39 local businesses and community groups to curate over 95 free, inclusive events. Instead of traditional consultation, the team embedded data collection within compelling community experiences, using interactive art installations to gather feedback while locals used the space. The trial successfully shifted the precinct's peak visitation to Sunday midday, drawing families and locals back to the area. Over its duration, the popup welcomed 1.3 million pedestrians, with the local Surf Lifesaving Club reporting a 143% increase in beach visitation. The People's Esplanade Pop-Up demonstrates the immense power of temporary placemaking to de-risk major capital investments and turn hesitant stakeholders into passionate advocates.

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Surfers Paradise People’s Esplanade Pop-Up - Fourfold Studio

Surfers Paradise Revitalisation - Trial Pedestrianisation of The Esplanade - Goal Coast City Council

The Surf Club extended their dining area, turning road reserve into social space (Medium).
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Hosting a watch party for the Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Lions Semi-Final on the Esplana
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HIGHLY COMMENDED - POP-UP PLACEMAKING
East Perth Power Station reignited by Perth Festival
(City of Vincent Council)

The City of Vincent Council is awarded Highly Commended for the East Perth Power Station reignited by Perth Festival, a spectacular temporary activation that opened a dormant industrial landmark to the public for the first time in 44 years. Through complex cross-sector collaboration to navigate heritage and safety compliance, the raw turbine halls and riverfront were transformed into a vibrant hub featuring free music, food trucks, and soaring Noongar projection art. Attracting over 80,000 visitors, this ambitious pop-up respected the site's delicate heritage while proving its potential as a future civic destination. It stands as a leading example of how temporary interventions can reshape public imagination and open up previously inaccessible places.

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​Off limits for 44 years, Perth’s historic power plant erupts with a new kind of energy

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Perth Festival_2025_Photo by Sky Perth_Place Leadership_5 of 5_EPPS Night (Medium).jpg
Perth Festival_2025_Photo by Sky Perth_Place Leadership_4 of 5_EPPS Dusk (Medium).jpg
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PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS

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