HASSELL takes out top prize at AILA 2019 WA Landscape Awards

HASSELL has received five awards from the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (Western Australia), with Hibernian Place taking out the top state prize for 2019 – the AILA WA Award – as well as the Award of Excellence for Urban Design.

The Hibernian Place project – a redevelopment of Perth’s old Fire Emergency Services Headquarters – was a rare opportunity to shape a landmark city location. HASSELL created a mixed-use development for this prominent city site that draws people in and seamlessly blends inside and out to amplify the site's social, economic and cultural value for the client, and the city.

The AILA WA jury said, from an urban design perspective, the project is a sophisticated and elegant response to location.

“Transcending potential site level challenges, what is delivered is a simple yet masterful place including a well-used central green retreat, permeable ground plane, activated edges and highly-connected land uses. The urban design layout maximises the opportunity for sun and shade, whilst also successfully planning for potential future development. All of this is achieved whilst utilising a coherent, contemporary design approach that will leave a lasting legacy for future generations,” the jury said.

HASSELL also received an Award of Excellence in the Gardens category for Carine St Ives retirement village; and the Sunset Heritage Precinct and Karratha Health Campus received Awards for Landscape Architecture in the Cultural Heritage and Civic categories.

HASSELL Principal Anthony Brookfield said there was a satisfying philosophical aspect to this year’s awards success – an assurance that thoughtful public realm design that carefully balances visual, cultural and environmental impacts is valued and embraced by the wider community.

“Our design approach across all of these diverse projects – large and small, old and new, public and private – was focused on simplicity, refinement and a response to environment that is clearly appreciated by the jury, our clients and their communities,” Anthony said.