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2021 PLACE LEADERS AWARDS

THURSDAY 4 NOVEMBER 2021 (ONLINE EVENT)


Place Leaders Asia Pacific is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2021 Place Leaders Asia Pacific Awards.



JURY MEMBERS


Professor Helen Lochhead (Jury Chair), LFRAIA AILA MPIA RIBA(Hon) AIA(Hon) RAIC(Hon) FAICD Pro Vice-Chancellor, Precincts UNSW Sydney.

Dr Niels Wouters (Jury Member), Senior Design Researcher, Paper Giant

Marcus Westbury (Jury Member), Founding CEO of Contemporary Arts Precincts Ltd Former CEO of Collingwood Yards, Founder of Renew Newcastle and Renew Australia, Author of Creating Cities




2021 AWARD WINNERS



CENTREPIECE AWARD


WINNER: Place, Design and Public Spaces, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, for Portfolio of Place Design and Public Spaces Programs


NSW Department of Planning Infrastructure and Environment (DPIE) with the portfolio of Place, Design and Public Spaces programs have enhanced the appreciation and quality of public spaces and places across NSW. A great initiative from State Government empowering Local Government and communities. Of particular note is the large scale roll out of the ‘Streets as Shared Spaces’ Program that transformed roads into places for people and ‘The Festival of Place – Digital Placemaking Dance Locale’ that steps beyond the traditional remit of DPIE to engage arts and culture in performances that bring to life familiar places and animate them through dance.


Photos: supplied by Place, Design and Public Spaces, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. (1) Sydney-Square-Dance, Photo by Cassandra Hannagan; (2) Summer Fund, A Sunday Session @ Moama Soundshell, photo by Rebecca Pilgrim Photography; (3) Alfresco dining on George street, Place Design and Public Spaces program; (4) Streets as Shared Spaces - Morph It, Maitland City Council ; (5) Streets as Shared Spaces, Fairfield City Council, Cabramatta, Photo by Ken Leanfore; (6) Sydney Square Dance, underpass; (7) Summer Fund, Pioneer Park Discovery Day, Blank Page Studio; (8) Streets as Shared Spaces, Testing the Tool in City of Sydney; (9) Cabramatta Lunar New Year 2021 Market Series, phot by Ken Leanfore; (10) Sydney-Square-Dance, Dance Cinema, Photo by Cassandra Hannagan; (11) Streets as Shared Spaces, Broken Hill Council, Car Park, Photo by Dionne Devlin; (13) Streets as Shared Spaces, Gilgandra Shire Council, Meet Me @ Miller Street.



PLACE LEADERSHIP AWARD


WINNER: Frith Walker, for the development, growth and advancement of placemaking at Eke Panuku Development Auckland and across Aotearoa

Over the past ten years as Head of Placemaking at Eke Panuku, Frith has contributed in a visionary way to the development, growth, and advancement of placemaking there, and across New Zealand (Aotearoa). Her advocacy in this space includes the development of a local placemaking network in Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau), the establishment of a national placemaking collective, and as a champion of regenerative and Indigenous placemaking, she has emerged as an inspirational leader, having a significant impact across Aotearoa. For all this and more, Frith Walker has been recognised on a global scale for her collaborative and restorative approach to placemaking so relevant to the times.


Photos supplied by Eke Panuku Development Auckland: (1) & (2) Silo Park Cinema, Eke Panuku; (3) Temporary Public Space Takapuna, photo by Fresh Concept; (4) Waterfront swimming platform access, photo by Paul Nicoll; (5) Kakano temporary greenway, photo by Edward Peni; (6) Te Ara Awataha Restoration, Eke Panuku; (7) Pukekohe family fun placemaking, photo by Ole Maiava, (8) Eke Panuku, Daldy Street Garden


PLACE LEADERSHIP COMMENDATION: Brisbane City Council, for Design-Led City Strategy


Brisbane City Council’s Design-Led City Strategy introduces 12 bold and timely design values that developments and projects in the Brisbane are encouraged to achieve. We commend Brisbane City Council not only for proposing a unique set of design values, but also for including, interpreting and appreciating community feedback to shape people-centric design outcomes. The significance of the Strategy is illustrated by the demonstrated impact on City of Brisbane’s policies and a range of active renewal projects that leverage community participation.




PLACE GOVERNANCE AWARD


WINNER: Leederville Connect, for Leederville Connect’s Design Resources


Leederville Connect is an innovative civil society organisation that brings together interested citizens, developers, design professionals, academics, Local and State Government officers and local businesses. Their Design Resources are a practical tool that isn’t constrained by design or planning procedures or confrontational processes and instead brings together the ideas and interests of a wide range of stakeholders.


Photos supplied by Leederville Connect; (1) Jane's Walk Leederville, format for introducing urban design to residents, local architect Simon Venturi giving a talk, 2018; (2) Workshop developing the UX at the 21 Amendment Bar; (3) Leederville Centre User Experience Map; (4) Street Party, photo by Jools Ink; (5) Street party, two MC’s doing battle; (6, 7) Post COVID Kids Party, Kids Arty Farty Christmas Party; (8) Closing down party, One of the retail shops closed indicative of the challenges.



PLACE GOVERNANCE COMMENDATION: Sydney Metro, for Dulwich Hill Station Plaza

Transport projects have often prioritised infrastructure at the expense of place, but this is changing with the roll-out of Sydney Metro and this shift is to be commended. At Dulwich Hill, a new public plaza adjacent to the station is planned that will enhance the station precinct’s public domain and provide a new public space for the community. Developed in collaboration with Council and local stakeholders, the design responds to the site’s challenging topography, incorporating heritage interpretation, accessible connections, better amenity, and landscaping. In tandem, it will provide an improved interface with adjoining development to create new opportunities for activation.


Images: by Sydney Metro, artist Impressions; (1) Dulwich Hill Station Plaza interface; (2) Dulwich Hill Station Plaza interface with adjoining development; (3) View from new station entry; (4) view from Ewart Lane


PLACE PROCESS AWARD


WINNER: Barbara Flynn Pty Ltd, for Central Park Sydney

The Central Park development demonstrates an exemplary collaborative approach to placemaking by strategically incorporating the arts to enliven the precinct’s public spaces and foster community involvement. From 2008-2019, the developers, Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House, engaged both local and international artists, through short-term studios, and temporary and permanent site-specific installations responsive to the context. Reflecting the diverse character of Chippendale and greater Sydney, these artists, working methods and materials, are equally diverse. The careful integration of artworks into the urban design has given this former industrial site a vibrant new identity that is embraced by locals and visitors alike.


Images: (1) Installation view of Jennifer Turpin and Michaelie Crawford, Halo, 2010; (2) Central Park, 2019, Precinct Render; (3) Students dancing in Pipilotti Rist video installation, photo by Mark Pokorny; (4) Students observing light in Pipilotti Rist video installation, photo by Mark Pokorny; (5) Installation view of Tadashi Kawamata, Big Nest in Sydney; (6) Installation view of Justine Varga, Fusuma, 2019, photo by Mark Pokorny; (7) Installation view of Yhonnie Scarce, Ectopia, 2019, photo by Mark Pokorny.


PLACE PROCESS COMMENDATION: City of Parramatta Council, 2020/21 Centres Review


The City of Parramatta Council’s 2020/21 Centres Review is to be commended, not just for the strong collaboration between Council’s in-house team and the community, but for its innovative use of quantitative and qualitative datasets to inform evidenced-based decision-making that helps prioritise future capital works projects and ensure best practice placemaking across the LGA.


Images supplied by City of Parramatta Council, 2020/21 Centres Review: (1) Centres Review map with all 51 local centres mapped for community feedback; (2) Screenshot of asset condition audit at Waratah Shopping Centre; (3) Have Your Say placard in one of Councils local centres; (4) Excerpt from weekly team meeting presentation seeking review of public domain design; (5) Image gallery of Centres to assist the community to contextualise centres under review.



PLACE PROCESS COMMENDATION: City People, for Western Sydney Parklands Arts and Cultural Accelerator

City People and Western Sydney Parklands Trust have created and leveraged a holistic, participatory process to generate creative placemaking concepts for Western Sydney Parklands. A 10-day intensive placemaking activity and on-site accommodation for participants have enabled the development of collaborative creative practice. We commend Western Sydney Parklands Art and Culture Accelerator for delivering placemaking concepts that interpret, reflect, and celebrate First Peoples connections to the fauna and flora of the parklands.


Photos: by City People, Western Sydney Parklands Arts and Cultural Accelerator, 2020; (1) Provocateur, (2) Site visit; (3) Sleeping on Country, (4) Aunty Leanne Tobin talk on country.

LARGE SCALE PLACE PROJECT AWARD 


WINNER: Gap Filler, for Placemaking at One Central with Fletcher Living


Placemaking at One Central is a 5-year-long placemaking programme in central Christchurch that spans 5 blocks of the central city that were demolished as a result of the 2010/2011 earthquakes. The project has broken new ground in reconciling the requirements of a developer and the needs of a wider neighbourhood in a post-disaster city.


Photos supplied by Gap Filler, Placemaking at One Central, 2016-2021; (1) Street Art Space; (2) Good Spot City Tool

Lendery; (3) Hammock Forest; (4) Chchswing ; (5) Detour Snake Run; (6) Heritage Mini Golf (7) Drone shot of Placemaking at One Central; (8) Gloucester Green Event Space, Extravanagza Fair; (9) Kids Street Art Workshop, 2018; (10) Heritage Mini Golf ; (11) Good Spot Garden Car; (12) Good Spot City Memory Signage.


LARGE SCALE PLACE PROJECT COMMENDATION: Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation, for the Leagues Club Park, Gosford

Gosford’s Leagues Club Park has been transformed from an under-utilised nondescript space into a versatile, culturally significant place for the community. Designed in collaboration with the local Aboriginal Land Council, the design incorporates interactive elements to foster connection and understanding of the rich history of the place. It also enables play, sport, exercise, community events, and environmental stewardship within its 2.4 hectares. Notably the park design has enhanced the link between the city, the park and its beautiful Brisbane Water’s setting.