Three urban design projects received awards last night at the 2017 Australian Urban Design Awards, the nation’s leading prize for excellence and innovation in urban design.

Another nine projects received commendations, from an initial shortlist of 33 entries.

The awards were presented at the State Library of Queensland, Brisbane.

The Australian Urban Design Awards are designed to encourage cities, towns and communities across the country to strive for the best urban design principles.

The program is open to engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, and planning, and only recognises projects, policies and initiatives that blend disciplines, acknowledging that good urban design comes from integrated responses.

The awards program, originally known as the Australia Award for Urban Design, was initiated by Paul Keating’s Urban Design Task Force in 1994. It is well known that Keating was keen for the government to play an active role in the urban design of Australian cities.

Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull are patrons of the awards.

Winners, Australian Urban Design Awards

Delivered outcome - large scale

• Tonsley Innovation District – Oxigen, Woods Bagot, KBR, WSP, Tridente Architects and RenewalSA (SA)

Commendations:

• Elizabeth Quay – Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, ARM Architecture and Taylor Cullity Lethlean (WA)
• Junction Place, Wodonga – ASPECT Studios, Development Victoria, City of Wodonga (Vic)
• Maitland Levee – McGregor Coxall, CHROFI, Northrop, City Plan Heritage, MBM, MGAC, JBA, Alluvium (NSW)

Delivered outcome - small scale

• Orange Regional Museum – Crone (NSW)

Commendations:

• Sixth Street Revitalization Project – Jensen Plus and The Rural City of Murray Bridge (SA)
• Tanderrum Bridge – John Wardle Architects and NADAAA in collaboration (Vic)

Image: Tanderrum Bridge – John Wardle Architects and NADAAA in collaboration (Vic).

Policies, programs and concepts - large scale

• Better Placed - An integrated design policy for the built environment of New South Wales – Government Architect New South Wales (NSW)

Commendations:

• Smart Seeds – GHD
• Transport for NSW Urban Design Guidelines – Transport for New South Wales Precincts and Urban Design team (NSW)

Policies, programs and concepts - small scale

• No award given.

Commendations:

• Fremantle 2029 Transformational Moves – Cox Architecture and City of Fremantle (WA)
• Parramatta Civic Link – SJB and ASPECT Studios (NSW)

The jury consisted of:

• Jon Clements (director, Jackson Clements Burrows)
• Malcolm Snow (chief executive, National Capital Authority)
• Jill Garner (Victorian Government Architect)
• Neil Savery (general manager, Australian Building Codes Board)
• Cindy Varnier (infrastructure sustainability consultant, GHD)
• Tim Hunt (Melbourne leader, lighting, Arup)
• Davina Knox (senior sustainability consultant, WSP)
• William Chandler (director, Chandler Consulting Services)

To find out more visit the Australian Urban Design Awards web site.

Read more about urban design:

The science behind our desire to live in a leafy neighbourhood

Why poor suburbs are hotter

Sydney will spend $8m on trees to cool the city