This award recognises outstanding planning work by an individual or group of tertiary students. It is awarded for a substantial project, report, book, thesis, article or piece of research which makes a significant contribution to planning and development outcomes.
Nominations can address any, or a combination, of the planning interests such as urban and regional planning, social planning, environmental planning, transport planning, urban design, economic development planning and planning law.
The award will be given to a project completed by the student during studies and assessed as part of a PIA accredited university program.
Meet the nominees:
NSW Nominee: The Public Art of Healing
Eloise Reddy PIA (Assoc.)
Artidote: The Public Art of Healing explores the link between the arts and mental wellbeing in the built environment. The project investigates how local government can facilitate a new type of 'trauma-informed public art' to support community healing following a collective tragedy.
The project combines analysis of international literature, comparative case studies, cultural policy contexts, and professional perspectives. The project weaves together disciplines that would typically not be in dialogue, forging collaboration between planning, the arts, and healthcare. The research establishes three guiding principles – community participation, site responsiveness, and transdisciplinary collaboration.
QLD Nominee: Albion Revitalisation Project
Nieve Feeney PIA (Assoc.), Alexander Gough PIA (Assoc.), Luke Jones PIA (Assoc.), Elisha Tran PIA (Assoc.), Christianna Tsiboukas PIA (Assoc.), and, Joanna Stavrianos PIA (Assoc.) - Queensland University of Technology
An innovative concept for the revitalisation of Albion to support the upcoming Brisbane Olympics in 2032.The strategies and actions within the masterplan are multi-faceted and deliver very high quality outcomes for the reinvigoration of Albion, creating a unique community identity and a legacy beyond the Olympic Games. The masterplan includes a comprehensive engagement approach, and the planning methodology would be transferrable to other revitalisation projects. The submission advances the importance of good planning and addresses important issues such as housing supply and diversity, flood resilience, liveability and walkability.
SA Nominee: Reviving Millicent Civic and Art Precinct
Anita Mandia, Nayan Khairnar, Rajat Bhatia
The project’s masterplan was based on the local history of the region combined with a broader analysis, to ensure connectivity of the master plan area with the wider township of Millicent. The project showed a clear vision for revitalisation with activities and interaction for community members and visitors to the region of all ages. The project includes a detailed plan which demonstrates thought on how the project may be implemented from the client’s perspective.
This plan was clear evidence the project team built a rapport and ongoing sustained relationship with the Wattle Range Council. From this, the project team demonstrated they had a clear understanding of the project’s scope to enable an outcome that meets the client’s needs. The project uses clear rationale and argument to reinforce recommendations and decisions. A truly outstanding tertiary student project.
VIC Nominee: Parcel Amalgamations for Urban Consolidation: The Role of Statutory Planning Mechanisms
Nick McFarlane
The need for more housing provision in established areas is widely acknowledged. Victoria’s housing statement (2023) sets a target of building 800,000 homes over the next decade, with a focus on providing a much greater percentage of housing in established areas where people have good access to transport, jobs and community facilities.
Against this backdrop, Nick’s work presents a strong argument for urban consolidation policies to move beyond blanket upzoning practice, towards more targeted intervention in strategically optimal locations. His work challenges planners and policy-makers to more closely consider how current practices may inadvertently re-direct development intensity to unintended locations. Its findings demonstrate the importance of understanding the impact ACG次元网 policy can have on speculative development and increasing costs to ensure new ACG次元网 policy works in in favour of the public good.
WA Nominee: Melbourne, Edgars Rd / Main Street Urban Regeneration Plan
Becky RuYin Liao, Yun Shu Wong, Will Jacobson, Damien Lockyer, Ashleigh Santich – Curtin University
This project demonstrates the value in multi-disciplinary teamwork. The students demonstrated an ability to leverage their diverse knowledge and skills, spanning planning, architecture, and property, bringing together their insights in addressing the complex challenge of regeneration within the built environment. The regeneration masterplan and strategies create a precinct planning outcome that addresses the social, environmental, and economic needs of Thomastown and is implementable and transferrable to other precincts and projects.
The success of the project is an exemplar for encouraging fellow students in the built environment disciplines to stretch beyond their comfort zones. Their dedication to cultivating shared language and working together serves as an inspiration for other future professionals.