Lahznimmo Architects received the top honour for urban design at the 2016 National Architecture Awards, pipping Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects along with a whole host of shortlisted projects to win The Walter Burley Griffin Award.
Bowen Place Crossing (ACT) by Lahznimmo Architects was placed first by the jury ahead of Lennox Bridge Portals in NSW by Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects which received a National Architecture Award.
Lahznimmo Architects was awarded the prize at the 2016 National Architecture Awards ceremony held in Sydney on 3 November.
View the full list of winning projects from the 2016 National Architecture Awards here.
Read the full jury citation for Bowen Place Crossing (ACT) by Lahznimmo Architects and see the other awarded projects in the Urban Design category below:
The Walter Burley Griffin Award for Urban Design—Bowen Place Crossing (ACT) by Lahznimmo Architects
Photography by Brett Boardman
Jury citation: Bowen Place Crossing is a refined and confident piece of urban design, with a graceful pedestrian and cycling path inserted along a popular route at Lake Burley Griffin. This generous pathway carves an elegant arc as the user descends from Kings Avenue towards the lake, replacing a busy and hazardous crossing. The result transforms what could have been a traditional underpass into an immersive and pleasurable experience. Cutting the curve into the slope, precast concrete segments line the outer wall and form a sweeping path.
The wall rises as you approach the road above, which has been split in either direction, allowing ample light underneath. The effect is uplifting. Rather than the claustrophobic underpass of memory, there is instead a feeling of lightness and increased security. With Corten steel lining the inner wall and subtle landscaping, the new path offers framed views as well as a new landscaped inner garden that gives a sense of continuity with the nearby National Gallery of Australia sculpture garden. This is an exceptional project, highly considered and an enduring contribution to Canberra’s public domain.
OTHER AWARDS
- National Award for Urban Design—Lennox Bridge Portals (NSW) by Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects
Photography by Alex Rink
