The recent Victorian AILA’s awards have just been announced.
Keast Park, Frankston
Keast Park, Frankston
The Victoria Medal for Landscape Architecture was awarded to Site Office for Keast Park, the client being Frankston City Council. The citation describes it as ‘…a finely crafted project that sits firmly, yet gently in the landscape, marrying architecture and landscape to define the transition from coastal dune to the built environment. The jury was impressed by the understated design, and the way it subtly embraces and reveals the landscape. The project demonstrates an exemplary sensibility to landscape and community. The project explores the integration and overlap of multiple community facilities and activities, promoting a stronger sense of community ownership and engagement.’
Lonsdale Street, Dandenong
Lonsdale Street, Dandenong
The Excellence Award was given to Taylor Cullity Lethlean for the Lonsdale Street Dandenong project, for client Places Victoria with the Greater Dandenong City Council. The citation said ‘Transforming a busy urban thoroughfare in a declining urban centre to a vibrant pedestrian boulevard has injected activity and life back into the heart of Dandenong. TCL in collaboration with BKK, rethink the traditional car-dominated thoroughfare function of a major road through the city centre and re-orientate it towards pedestrians.
With this single gesture, they transform Lonsdale Street into a more civilised street…A strong vision and a ‘principle-led’ urban design approach guided complex and difficult negotiations with stakeholders. The successful reconciliation of competing user needs demonstrates the critical role landscape architects play in leading large multi-disciplinary public realm infrastructure projects.’
