In the first major live property industry function in the Covid recovery era, Urban Taskforce Australia has celebrated a vast quality and scope of winning projects.
Urban Taskforce Chief Executive, Tom Forrest said the Development Excellence Awards have clearly demonstrated the property development industry’s passion and commitment for the sustainable growth Australia’s cities.
“The winner of Urban Taskforce Australia’s Development of the Year 2020 is Walker Corporation for their commercial office towers at 4 Parramatta Square.
“The Walker Corporation development was at the heart of the transformation of Parramatta.
“The project represents a significant investment into the centre of Parramatta by the Walker Corporation. Parramatta Square is the new heart of Parramatta, located adjacent to the railway station, the transport interchange and directly connected by a pedestrian walkway to the transport hub. This is Transport oriented development at its best”, Mr Forrest said.
The independent jury was chaired by Chris Johnson, former NSW Government Architect and former CEO of the Urban Taskforce.
“The jury was very impressed by the number and the quality of entries in this year’s awards”, Jury Chair Chris Johnson said.
“We had a record number of entries including developments from most capital cities, across a range of building types. Continuing a trend in recent years apartment buildings were strong contenders for awards and winners included Mirvac’s St Leonard’s Square towers, Cbus Property’s Newmarket Randwick mid-rise housing and Crown Group’s amazing roller-coaster complex next to Green Square station.
Mr Johnson said three awards also went to large commercial buildings that have re-energised the city centres of Parramatta, Adelaide and Melbourne.
“Each of these projects has delivered significant new jobs to its city centre and has been a confidence boost to the city”, Mr Johnson said.
“80 Collins Street in Melbourne by Dexus received the 2020 Commercial Office Development Award. Dexus used a number of local and international architects on the project as well as 6 artists to deliver a state of the art 51 storey commercial tower with a two level retail precinct.
“The Sustainable Development Award went to Arkadia a housing development for Defence Housing Australia in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria. The development designed by Breathe Architects and DKO, sets a new sustainability standard for affordable housing being built of half a million recycled bricks.
“The Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre in Melbourne also had significant sustainability features, winning the Retail Development Award. The shopping centre developed by Frasers sets out to be the most sustainable shopping centre in the world. It produces more energy than it consumes, reuses rainwater and uses biophilic design.
“The Affordable Housing Development Award went to St George Community Housing (SGCH) for their Brickmakers Precinct comprising 194 apartments built over 5 sites across South West Sydney. The mid-rise buildings, designed by Smith and Tzannes and DKO, were delivered with an affordable final average unit cost (including land) of $415,000 (compared to a median price in the area of $550,000).
“Seven of the 16 awards for 2020 went to apartment buildings reinforcing the major investment in this building type that is occurring in Australian cities particularly in Greater Sydney,” said Mr Johnson.
“The Innovative Development Award went to Infinity by the Crown Group. The Koichi Takada designed building that sweeps up from a 9 storey base to a 20 storey height all connected by a sinuous flowing form, sits right on top of Green Square Railway Station in inner Sydney.
“The High Density Residential Development Award went to Mirvac for St Leonards Square. Mirvac’s two residential towers of 35 and 27 floors containing 527 apartments, adjacent to St Leonards station, were awarded as an excellent example of ‘Transit Oriented Development’.
“The Medium Density Development Award went to Cbus Property’s Newmarket Randwick. This high quality, mid-rise apartment development incorporating a widely applauded, new interactive children’s playground was successfully designed by Bates Smart and Smart Design”, Mr Johnson said.
The judges for the 2020 Development Excellence Awards were Chris Johnson – Chief Judge, Peter Poulet – District Commissioner Central City and South, Carolyn Cummins – Commercial Property Editor Sydney Morning Herald, John Wynne – Director Urbis, John Ferrarin – Director Ferrarin Consulting Services, David Tanevski – Managing Director KWC Capital Partners.
The 2020 Development Excellence Award winners are as follows:
- Development of the Year – 4 Parramatta Square, Walker Corporation
- Industrial Development – Quarry at Greystanes, Dexus
- Adaptive Reuse High Density Development – TNT Tower, Deicorp Properties
- Mixed Use Development – 60 Bathurst, SHOKAI AUSBAO
- Affordable Housing Development – Brickmakers Precinct, SGCH
- Innovative Development – Infinity by Crown Group, Crown Group
- Retail Development – Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre, Frasers Property Australia
- Seniors Living Development – Edensor Gardens, Advantaged Care
- Commercial Office Development – 80 Collins Street, Dexus and DWPF
- Highly Commended Commercial Office Development – GPO Exchange, Charter Hall
- Adaptive Reuse Medium Density Development – Gentry, Thirdi Group
- Sustainable Development – Arkadia, Defence Housing Australia
- Medium Density Development – Newmarket Randwick, Cbus Property
- Masterplanned Community Development – Emerald Hills Estate, Macarthur Developments
- High Density Residential Development – St Leonards Square, Mirvac
- High Density Metro Apartments Development – Park One, Golden Age Group
Link to images:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ajw3aqoyx3d2yt8/DEA%20Winner%20Images%20for%20Media.zip?dl=0
