ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ

Queensland 2021 Awards

The commemorative book is now available here and we encourage you to share across your networks. It contains full details of Award for Excellence Winners and Commendations.

The photos of the night are available on flickr

The winners and commendations are listed below and we wish the Awards for Excellence recipients the best of luck at the National Awards in 2022!


OVERALL WINNER

Logan Village Place to Play Stakeholder Engagement
Logan City Council

Generations of Queensland children were given sub-optimal playgrounds devoid of the things that most interest their users, but not at Logan Village. The Place to Play initiative displays the very best in Queensland planning: best-practice approaches and methods, excellence within particular practices of the discipline (especially stakeholder engagement and urban design) and excellence in demonstrating the role, values and importance of planning for people's lives.

The Judges were particularly impressed with the stakeholder engagement with young children. The effort placed on children's knowledge, desires and developmental needs is unusual. Such stakeholder engagement is always difficult, requiring dexterity, finesse, and great empathy from the planners involved, and whole new ways of 'doing' planning. The approaches used at Logan Village and the design outcomes achieved on-the-ground are highly commendable. The planning team has brought to light the interests of children and young people, and involved them, their parents, local residents and others in the co-design of a great place. Excellent planning generated great design, increased care for and community-ownership of the playground, and better outcomes for the Village. Place to Play promotes the importance of planning to the wider community. It is for these reasons the judging panel considers Place to Play to be the worthy Overall Winner for 2021.


GREAT PLACE

Fish Lane Town Square
Aria Property Group, RPS Group, Richards and Spence, Urbis, Shape Construction

Located on land owned by Queensland Rail under a railway overpass which is leased to ARIA Property Group (Aria), Fish Lane Town Square (FLTS) was once a dark, derelict undercroft car park which has been innovatively transformed into a subtropical civic destination for dining and culture.

As the owners of the adjoining buildings to this space, Aria saw an opportunity to create a public space that is developed and maintained by the private sector to provide significant community benefit and enhances surrounding landholdings. Aria have created a tranquil sub-tropical green oasis set amongst a harsh urban environment & under hundreds of tonnes of steel and concrete.

FLTS now provides public space linkages between Melbourne Street and Fish Lane and is home to over 3000 plants, outdoor dining, three vitrines housing art installations, lighting and music as well as a bespoke event space which can be formatted to accommodate 10 – 1,000 people.

Delivered through the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact, the project has still managed to see new venues exceed revenue forecasts and has seen increased revenues for existing venues since opening. This is a testament to the success and popularity of the place.

FLTS has provided a tranquil, accessible place that improves the lifestyle of surrounding residents and commercial tenants. It has repurposed space that previously locked out the local community and transformed it into the welcoming, inviting heart of the neighbourhood.


HALL OF FAME



South East Queensland Regional Plan and
South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program (2005)

Office of Urban Management

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Queensland Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence. We are proud to be the longest running PIA awards program in Australia.

To celebrate, PIA has established a new ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Award ‘Hall of Fame’ to recognise the enduring and significant contribution of past winners. Starting this year, we will recognise and induct a past Queensland Overall Award recipient for their ongoing contribution to planning excellence in Queensland. PIA Qld has conferred Awards on a large number of incredibly worthy projects in past years, however one project only is the recipient of the Overall Winner each year.

Our inaugural inductee was decided by a vote of PIA members in Queensland, who cast their vote from a shortlist of seven noteworthy Overall Award winners. The shortlisted projects represent some of the best planning in Queensland over the last 35 years, as recognised by past ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Awards for Excellence.

On behalf of our members, PIA Queensland was pleased to honour the South East Queensland Regional Plan and South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program (2005) as the first inductee to our Hall of Fame.


YOUNG PLANNER OF THE YEAR

Nicholas Kamols PIA (Assoc.)

Nick is an innovative, passionate, highly motivated young planner, who is re-defining what it means to be a part of our profession,. Nick has already gained expertise across local government, private practice and social enterprise. .

Nick uses his unique perspective to devise creative solutions to systemic planning problems. Nick has been bridging the gap between academia and planning practice through his Masters of Philosophy and PhD, where Nick is studying and working to solve systemic workplace issues, such as how institutional cultures affect participatory planning, and institutional decision-making processes.

In addition to Nick’s academic work, through PowerWells, the social enterprise Nick co-founded; Nick and his team are repurposing used lithium-ion batteries, paired with solar panels, to give renewable energy to off-grid communities in Indonesia. Nick and his team have already given ~200 homes renewable electricity, and saved 7,000 battery cells from landfill – simultaneously inspiring other young planners to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

Nick has also contributed strongly to others’ professional development and is the convenor of the Queensland Young Planners committee. Nick is receiving this award because he is an inspiration to all planners, young and old. Nick is not an emerging leader - he is an established leader. Nick is not an excellent professional by “young planner” standards - he is an excellent planner by any standard. Nick has achieved so much in 5 years and will continue to forge new paths, defy archetypes, push boundaries, innovate and inspire all of those around him for a long time to come. The judges were left with no doubt that Nick makes a deserving Young Planner of the Year for 2021.

Commendation




Madison Ruygrok MPIA


PLANNING CHAMPION

Sheree Hughes

Sheree Hughes is a champion for Healthy Liveable Communities. She has a Master of Scientific Studies (UQ) specialising in Clinical Exercise Physiology for Special Conditions. Graduating with a Dean’s commendation, she knew she was destined to focus prevention, upstream in the Health System.

Sheree has built a solid reputation as one of Queensland’s most identifiable and expert spokespersons on walking, cycling and active living. Sheree has worked closely with Local and State Government at both Councillor and Ministerial level.

In the last 2 years, Sheree has played an important role in the development and delivery of suite of policies and tools that will change our communities for the better, including:

  1. First Australian State Walking Strategy.
  2. State Government’s Walkability Improvement Tool (together with the Model code for neighbourhood design and the Street Design Manual)
  3. State Government’s Activate! Queensland 2019–2029 - Government’s 10 year strategy to further enrich the Queensland way of life; harnessing the pride of our great sporting traditions, embracing our iconic natural environment and building on our strong community foundations to deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes, especially for those most vulnerable.

Sheree has an ability to translate principles into practice in simple ways – such as her ability to explaining how ‘Walkability’ describes the factors within the built environment that make it convenient, comfortable, and safe to walk.

“The hallmarks of Sheree’s contribution to helping design better cities and communities extends well beyond her day job around the excellent publications she helped the Heart Foundation create to advance the agenda of better designed and healthier urban environments. She is a passionate and energetic advocate and tireless contributor to this agenda, and a great collaborator who is well respected across all in her network. She is knowledgeable, good hearted and committed to helping make our cities and communities more liveable and healthier, and to building broader knowledge and understanding of the significant links between these components.”

It is for these reasons, Sheree is the 2021 recipient of the ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Champion Award.


NATIONAL PRESIDENT'S AWARD

Rosanne Meurling PIA (Hon. Fellow)

As many of you will know, Rosanne stood down this year as the Convenor of PIA’s Professional Development Committee, as well as a member of the Queensland Division Committee.

Rosanne led the PD committee for almost 20 years and worked tirelessly to shape and deliver PIA’s approach to professional development in Queensland.

Rosanne’s dedication to the Institute and our profession cannot be understated – indeed, it is arguably unmatched when you consider the impact and longevity of her contribution.

We have previously recognised the significance of Rosanne’s involvement. In 2008, she was made an Honorary Fellow of the Institute, and more recently was named ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Champion in 2017.

Through her tireless efforts, she has helped to develop the knowledge and expertise within our profession for more than a generation, and through this she has helped shape the growth and development of our state.

In her retirement from the Professional Development Committee and Queensland Division Committee, Rosanne leaves a lasting legacy.

Rosanne is the worthy recipient of the 2021 National President’s Award in recognition of her contribution to planning and the planning profession, particularly for her enormous impact on planning and planners in Queensland.

Presented by Darren Crombie RPIA (Fellow), PIA National President


Secondary Student Project

Award

Proposal for the redevelopment of the Parmalat milk distribution and processing facility located at 65 Montague Road, South Brisbane
Lachlan Munns - St Laurence's College

Commendation

Landcover Change on Cylinder Beach, Minjerribah
Lani Raghavan - Wavell State High School


Tertiary Student Project

Award

Extreme Heat and Urban Design: How can urban design policy play a greater role in mitigating heat-health risks?
Ryan McNeilly Smith - University of the Sunshine Coast


ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Research

Award

Protect the Brisbane Backyard! (Except from subdivision for additional house construction)
Rachel Gallagher - The University of Queensland

Commendation

Making the Change - New Thinking and Bold Ideas
Queensland Policy Forum

Commendation

Is there a better approach to providing urban greenspace?
The CityGreen Lab Pty Ltd, Griffith University, and University of Tasmania


Community Wellbeing & Diversity

Award

Back on Track: Positive Attention to Road Safety and Behaviour Change using the Power of Theatre
Planz Town ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ, JUTE Theatre Company, Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council, Isaac Drandic (playwright)

Commendation

Cape, Torres and Gulf Food Production Hub Study
Arup Australia Pty Ltd


Climate Change & Resilience

Award

Toowoomba Region Bushfire Risk Analysis
Toowoomba Regional Council and Meridian Urban

Commendation

The City of Logan Climate Change Resilience Framework
Logan City Council Health Environment & Waste Branch


Strategic ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Project

Award

North Queensland Regional Plan 2020
Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ

Commendation

Mirani Community Precinct
Mackay Regional Council, Deicke Richards, Wolter Consulting

Commendation

Sunshine Coast Design
Sunshine Coast Council


Improving ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Processes

Award

Statutory and Non-statutory Land Management Tools for Threatened Species + Ecological Communities
Kelly Reaston Development and Property Services, Planz Town ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ, Terrain NRM, Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils

Commendation

Designing for Density in the Tropics Design Guide
Cairns Regional Council and Place Design Group

Commendation

Townsville City Plan Performance Indicators
Townsville City Council and Ethos Urban


Stakeholder Engagement

Award

Logan Village Place to Play Stakeholder Engagement
Logan City Council


Technology & Digital Innovation

Commendation

Cross River Rail: A digital-first, city-shaping project
Cross River Rail Delivery Authority


Wendy Chadwick Encouragement Award

Award

ENVI Micro Urban Village
degenhartSHEDD architecture + urban design, Nicole Bennetts, Urbis, Civity

THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING SPONSORS


PRINCIPAL


SILVER


CATEGORY


DINNER AFTER PARTY


SUPPORTERS


YOUNG PLANNER BURSARY

  • Contact PIA today
  • membership@planning.org.au
  • 02 6262 5933
  • 02 6262 9970
  • PO Box 5427 Kingston ACT 2604