Queensland’s urban design award winners announced

The recipient of the 2023 Minister’s Award for Urban Design in Queensland has been revealed along with the winners of two newly introduced subcategories, the Malcolm Middleton Award for Liveable Design and the Movement and Place Award.

Twenty-nine nominations were received across all categories, resulting in four innovative projects taking out top accolades and another six receiving commendations for their willingness to push the envelope when it comes to producing non-conventional architectural urban designs of the highest quality.

Minister’s Award for Urban Design

The Department of Education and BVN were announced as the winners of Queensland’s top urban design prize, for the design of the Brisbane South State Secondary College (BSSSC) vertical campus. Situated on a significant historical site once used by local First Nations people, the jury congratulated the design team for incorporating elements of rich local Indigenous heritage into the design, while simultaneously offering a contemporary and cutting-edge education facility. Designed in a skilful yet sympathetic way, the project was praised by the judges as being an “important benchmark in its quality, vision and clarity in an emerging typology of vertical campus design.”

The judges commended three projects for their outstanding urban design: Logan Village Green Revitalization by Logan City Council, TLCC, Bligh Tanner, Fleetwood Urban, Convic and Dot Dash; the Fifth Lane Revitalization by Mackay Regional Council; and Student Central – The University of Queensland by Hassell and the University of Queensland. In addition, the jury also recognized Ipswich Central Revitaliation and Your Home and Living Guidelines by Moreton Bay Regional Council.

Malcolm Middleton Award for Outstanding Liveable Design

Refresh Studio for Architecture with the Department of Housing were the recipients of the 2023 Malcolm Middleton Award for their social housing project, Habitat on Juers.

The jury unanimously declared Habitat on Juers as the winning project, applauding the design team for demonstrating that small-scale social housing developments can comfortably co-exist within a neighbourhood of primarily free-standing suburban houses, without drawing too much attention. The jury deemed the housing complex a safe, secure, socially inclusive, and accessible place to live, with its offering of 16 accessible dwellings in gold, silver, and platinum levels and an average 8.5 NatHERS star rating. Impressed by the adaptable and versatile nature of the design, the jury said the project had the potential to be replicated across the entire housing market.

The Nobel Carter Architects received a commendation for their work on their project Middle House.

Movement and Place Award, in partnership with the Department of Transport and Main Roads

Logan City Council, TLCC, Bligh Tanner, Fleetwood Urban, Convic and Dot Dash with Logan City Council, Epoca, Burchills and DotDash were announced joint winner of the 2023 Movement and Place Award, following their design of the Logan Village Green Revitalisation.

Image:

Image Courtesy of Alexis Turner.

Logan City Council, TLCC, Bligh Tanner, Fleetwood Urban, Convic and Dot Dash with Logan City Council, Epoca, Burchills and DotDash were announced joint winner of the 2023 Movement and Place Award, following their design of the Logan Village to Yarrabilba Rail Trail.

Image:

Image courtesy of Logan City Council.

The Logan Village Green Revitalization and Logan Village to Yarrabilba Rail Trail jointly won the Movement and Place Award for connecting two independent communities through the transformation of an underutilized open space and an idle rail spur. The project team of Logan City Council, TLCC, Bligh Tanner, Fleetwood Urban, Convic and Dot Dash with Logan City Council, Epoca, Burchills and DotDash were praised for their collaborative, place-based approach to planning and addressing the emerging needs of both communities. The jury recognized the crucial and complementary role both projects play in delivering environmental, economic, and social benefits, as well as promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.

Vee Design, Bark Architects, Fourfold Studio with Harrison Infrastructure Group and SMEC with Western Downs Regional Council were commended for their efforts on the Miles CBD Streetscape as well as Toowoomba Regional Council for Russell Street Refresh.

Nominations for the 2024 Minister’s Awards for Urban Design, the Malcolm Middleton Award for Liveable Design and the Movement and Place Award will open in March 2024 and typically includes entries from the Australian Urban Design Awards held in the preceding year.