Australia has a great history of garden design, and a dynamic, supportive industry of landscape design professionals. This award aims to promote the importance of Landscape Design within the context of the broader Australian creativity and design communities.
This category seeks to award one standout Australian Landscape Design project, completed in the last three years. Residential, public and community gardens are all eligible within this category.
One winner in the Landscape Design category will be awarded a $2000 cash prize. Up to two commendations will also be awarded.
The Landscape Design category will accept submissions that have been developed in the past three years. Ie projects completed between January 1st 2018 and April 27th 2021 are eligible in this category.
Applications have been shortlisted by The Design Files team. Shortlisted entries will be assessed by three expert judges, on the following criteria :
Fulfilment of the client brief / project objective
Originality – something we haven’t seen before, something invented from scratch.
Visual Appeal – beauty, boldness, aesthetic appeal.
Function – how well does this space deliver the desired functional outcomes?
Mastery – how well does this project demonstrate a mastery of horticultural principles and practices?
Sustainability – how well does this project contribute to positive environmental outcomes, with specific consideration of local environmental impact, management and reduction of waste, and water and energy consumption.
Visionary thinking – does this project push boundaries, does it achieve something bigger than the intended commercial outcomes?
Bonus points will be awarded to projects with pro bono or community focussed outcomes, and/or projects limited by an unusually tiny budget.
The Victoria Emergency Services Memorial designed by Rush Wright Associates in Treasury Gardens is a place of sanctuary and reflection to reflect on the service and sacrifice of loved ones.
For this reason, the design has evolved to become a ‘garden memorial’. This strategy differs from other memorials in Melbourne’s parklands, which are largely sculptures and objects placed into the larger parkland scene.
The design integrates the six emergency service organisations into one landscape setting and
draws on historical references to transform the experience of a meandering walk at the edge of the lake into an evocative memorial response.
A beautifully detailed stone wall follows the path to establish six discrete lobes – one for each agency. Two damp, planted reed beds and soaks with mist fountains form the heart of the memorial space.
A juxtaposition of old and new, this front garden takes its cues from the house itself with its bungalow facade and contemporary interior. This project combines elements usually found in traditional front gardens, giving them a contemporary twist to make it feel current and yet timeless. Simple in design, the garden contains many layers and textures making the space feel comfortable and well balanced.
A private sancutary for a weekender where the clients could escape for the weekend and comfortably accommodate their family of five, with an element of surprise. The clients wanted to create a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that included plenty of flowers while giving a subtle nod to its coastal surrounds and making use of the natives already established on the property.
Paul Bangay is widely regarded as the foremost garden designer in Australia today, having completed an extensive list of private and public commissions across the world. In 2001, Paul was awarded the Centenary Medal for his contribution to public design projects, and in 2018, he received a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to landscape architecture. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Horticulture) from the University of Melbourne.
Amanda Oliver is the founding director of Amanda Oliver Gardens – a Melbourne-based landscape design and garden company with a reputation for creating plant-focused gardens and spaces. The practice is renowned for its collaborative design expertise, alongside extensive plant and horticultural knowledge.
Myles Baldwin is a horticulturist, writer, and one of Australia’s leading landscape designers. Trained at The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Myles developed an interest for a broad diversity of plant material and a passion for period garden design. He founded his self-titled practice in 2000.
Phillip Withers and his team have created a series of luscious garden spaces that are beautiful to look at, presenting views through the architecture and garden. The garden is focused on use closer to the house, and becomes more natural and wild as one immerses themselves deeper.
Studio Bright have created a series of outdoor courtyards that provides multipurpose spaces for this growing family. The palette was a nod to nostalgia, hobby-making and pottering, while incorporating contemporary, green plant textures. Nostalgic plants have been mixed with more contemporary textures support a sense of comfort and familiarity in the outdoor spaces.
Designed to complement an innovative new architectural build, this garden blurs the lines between inside and outside. Focused around a maple tree, the design invites people in while providing a sense of protection and privacy to the home.
This project by Peachy Green can best be described as a gardener’s garden, full of mixed ornamental grasses flowering perennial woody meadow style planting, natives, and shady trees. It is a lawn free space that is natural, loose, fun, playful, with plenty of relaxed places to sit.
Outdoor Establishment based their design response around the client herself – a woman with a passion for gardens, who has lived most of her life in Sydney’s Hills, and enjoys the area’s aesthetic. The site was transformed from a large, barren plot to a thriving garden full of flowers , with a focus on accessibility, refuge, social opportunity, and views.
The brief for Phillip Withers was to provide a garden that celebrated the locality, the natural landscape within the area, and to build a story. The design response was to gain inspiration from the local You Yangs and define an environment that reects the indigenous vegetation and local materials from the regional park.
A vacant cow paddock transformed by Fig Landscapes into a relaxed country garden filled with native plantings and raw, earthy materials that complement the surrounding landscape. A circular pool built into a long deck provides a focus on relaxation and enjoying the spectacular views.
A private sancutary for a weekender where the clients could escape for the weekend and comfortably accommodate their family of five, with an element of surprise. The clients wanted to create a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that included plenty of flowers while giving a subtle nod to its coastal surrounds and making use of the natives already established on the property.
This native garden showcases a diversity of plants from all over Australia. The clients desired a garden from which they could make their own flower arrangements, provide habitat for animals and create a backdrop for their architectural home.The response is a meandering garden with pathways throughout, taking influence from Californian gardens and positioned to capture the sunset.
A juxtaposition of old and new, this front garden takes its cues from the house itself with its bungalow facade and contemporary interior. This project combines elements usually found in traditional front gardens, giving them a contemporary twist to make it feel current and yet timeless. Simple in design, the garden contains many layers and textures making the space feel comfortable and well balanced.
The design integrates the six Emergency Service organisations into one landscape setting and draws on historical references to transform the experience of a meandering walk at the edge of the lake into an evocative memorial response. A beautifully detailed stone wall, follows the path to establish six discrete lobes- one for each agency.
Given the brief for ‘a nice easy garden that the dogs can’t dig up’, Dan Young presents a functional and robust repsonse. The small space is densely planted and responds to the rhythms of daily occupation.