The University of Canberra has announced the winners of the Light, Colour, and Humanity design competition, with second year design students invited to participate as part of their coursework.
The design competition asked students to create an extension of Canberra’s light rail service, creating a meeting place along the city’s Acton waterfront that allows for ease of access for lakeshore attractions and events.
UC students Joseph Fitzsimmons, Nicholas Heerdegen, Ana Nguyen, and Zoe Sizer were declared the winners of the competition, with their design encapsulating the theme of a ‘threshold’ at the precinct, between West Basin and Commonwealth Park. Their entry is pictured in this article.
University of Canberra student and competition participant Lola Sedran says the industry-like experience puts both her and other students on the path to full time work in the built environment.
“I was one of five group members, working with industrial design, interiors and two other architecture students,” she says.
“It was the first experience we had working with multiple disciplines, and I think it reflects what working in industry is like. You don’t just work with architects, you work with a range of different people.”
UC Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Design, Jason Bainbridge, says the experience provides students with the ability to hone their skillset.
“When they graduate, these students are going to be out in Canberra, designing the future of our city.
“This practical hands-on experience that our students will take into the marketplace on graduation is invaluable, and UC is uniquely placed to provide our students with these experiences through our partnerships with Canberra’s creative industries and organisations like the Alastair Swayn Foundation and the ACT Government.”
The competition was made possible and sponsored by the Alastair Swayn Foundation. The Jury featured Annabelle Pegrum AM (Alastair Swayn Foundation), Andrew Smith (National Capital Authority), Lucy Wilson (City Renewal Authority), Rebecca Garratt (Transport Canberra), and Narda Gilmore (ABC).
