Winners gallery revealed in Parramatta City design competition

Sydney's Parramatta Council recently congratulated its 2011 Ideas on Edge competition winners, the ideas now being taken on board in creating a functional brief for the site.

An Expression of Interest will be issued later this year.

Venice-like islands along Parramatta River, laneway jetties and rooftop gardens were among the winning concepts.

The winners were selected for their innovation, the ability to leverage on the site’s waterfront exposure, river activation and viability for a commercial development.

In all, the competition received more than 150 entries from countries, including designs from the United Arab Emirates, China, Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom and America. More than 40 per cent of submissions were international.

The council has now published a gallery that includes the winning submissions online.

The three winners were:

• Peter Bednar and Zack Cooley — Arkansas, USA (Parramatta Islands)
• Rick Hill and Leon McBride and Josh Spillane) — Brisbane (Vertical Farming and Laneway Jetties)
• Daniel Griffin and Mark Tyrrell — Sydney (Innovation Ecosystem)

An image of an entry by David Spurrier /via the competition blog gallery

Parramatta Council statement

The Mayor of Parramatta, John Chedid said the competition “sparked the interest of top architects, designers and artists all over world”.

The competition called on people all over the world to present an innovative, bold and creative vision for the development of a site covering 2.2Ha, located between Lennox and Bernie Banton bridges. It is connected to transport, shopping facilities and Parramatta’s thriving dining precinct, ‘Eat Street’.

Judges said the three winners demonstrated an ability to capture the City’s relationship with the River.

“Parramatta Islands” for instance takes advantage of Parramatta’s waterfront access, by opening up the area to business, culture and social life, based on similar principles adopted in the cities of Venice, Amsterdam and Suzhou.

Another winning submission “Vertical Farming and Laneway Jetties” was recognised for its ability to reduce transport costs.

“The ‘Innovation Ecosystem’ submission was chosen as a winner after the judges found that “it brings nature and commerce together and encompasses mixed-use development, including housing, an aged care facility and just about everything you can think of.”

An entry under the nameTiberiu Florescu Bogdan Jantea Ioana Zachia Zlagtea Radu Barota Ariadna Popescu Romania