Mandurah scoops landscape prize

Mandurah’s foreshore revitalisation has been given the top prize at the Western Australian landscape architecture awards, where more than $55 million of projects were recognised.

The City of Mandurah won the WA Medal at the recent Australian Institute of Landscape Architects WA awards for its achievement across three projects all linked to the foreshore.

Didaalamaap, an activity space on the foreshore including a skate park and custom play tower, Koolaanga Waabiny Playground, and Kwillena Gabi Pool were each recognised with individual awards, and collectively for the main state prize.

The Kwillena Gabi Pool, a circular swimming area that utilises the estuary water, won the award for excellence in the tourism category.

OneOneFive Hamliton Hill. Photo: Phase 3

AILA secretary and jury chair Bel Foster described the project as nuanced and inclusive.

“The design response to the tidal environment and minimal below water infrastructure is coupled with the incorporation of Indigenous culture, attention to safety and accessibility, and preservation of the site’s public use through creative, inclusive and thoughtful planning,” she said.

“Local government leadership shines in this complex coastal project, creating a beautifully simple, inclusive space that is understated and dramatic all at once.”

Josh Byrne & Associates and DevelopmentWA’s OneOneFive project in Hamilton Hill won an award for excellence in landscape planning.

The development, across 12 hectares, is set to include 224 residential lots, public open space, retained banksia woodland and landscaped streets.

Ms Foster said the project set a benchmark for future development across Perth “showcasing the pivotal role landscape architects play in the planning and design of our urban landscapes”.

A private garden in Perth, dubbed Bulwer Garden, by banksia & lime won the award for excellence in gardens.

Ms Foster said the landscape architects had crafted a project that had reach beyond an expression of client taste or nostalgia, with the potential to provide amenity in years to come.

All 23 winners, selected from more than 35 entries, will proceed to the national awards later this year.