14 October 2013
Winning student designs for Hobsonville
heritage gardens wow judges
Winners of the Unitec
Student Landscape Design Competition were announced at a
prize-giving event at Hobsonville Point’s Catalina Café
last week, as part of the Auckland Heritage Festival.
The
competition saw Diploma in Landscape Design students at
Unitec put forward their makeover ideas for Sunderland
Avenue, a heritage street located in Hobsonville Point in
Auckland’s Upper Harbour, and for a garden at the
Hobsonville Point Primary School.
Judges were impressed by
the high calibre of the winning designs, which were in
keeping with the sustainable coastal community and
celebrated the heritage value of the area.
Students
submitted their designs in three categories:
1. Heritage
streetscape proposals for Sunderland Avenue
2. Garden
designs for individual houses in Sunderland
Avenue
3. Garden designs for Hobsonville Point Primary
School
Sunderland Avenue was formerly part of the Air
Force base at Hobsonville and features original late 1930s
homes and gardens. Now an integral part of the new
Hobsonville Point development, plans for the restoration of
the heritage street are subject to design controls to
maintain the unique character.
Competition organiser
AVJennings, along with Hobsonville Point development partner
Hobsonville Land Company, are supportive of developing
practical skills within the industry. Providing students
with real-life learning opportunities today will help them
to deliver tomorrow’s solutions, such as efficient housing
for Auckland where shortages exist.
The students’
designs were judged by an expert panel and prizes awarded,
including work experience at leading landscape design and
construction company Natural Habitats.
The judges were:
Project Director Rod Chadwick of AVJennings, development
partner to land owner Hobsonville Land Company; Grant Bailey
of Hobsonville Point landscape and urban design consultants
Isthmus; Sally Peake, President of the New Zealand Institute
of Landscape Architects; and Michael Barrett, editor of
Landascape Architecture New Zealand magazine.
To help
celebrate the Auckland Heritage Festival, a ‘Peoples’
Choice’ award, as chosen by the public, will also be
decided. The public are invited to view the students’
designs, and vote for the ‘Peoples’ Choice’ award, at
Catalina Café, corner of Buckley Avenue and Hastings
Crescent, Hobsonville Point, up until 17
October.
Category Winners and Judges’
Comments:
Winner of Primary School Garden Design:
Andrew Priestley
Judges’ comment: “Very impressed
with the conceptual thinking and the transition to a final
design. The complex layering inherent in the design worked
on numerous levels.”
Winner of Sunderland Avenue
Streetscape: Gary Hicks, Val Puxty Jala
Raimon
Judges’ comment: “A sophisticated and
innovative design response with strong heritage values. The
winning design successfully captured the essence of
community.”
Winner of Sunderland Avenue Garden Design:
Amelia Ward
Judges’ comment: “Very impressed with the
indoor-outdoor flow, variety of landscaping, and the
garden’s strong interconnection with the community
space.”
Rod Chadwick, competition judge and Project
Director, AVJennings:
“Hobsonville Point is well on
the way to being transformed into a modern and vibrant
community. But while much of the new built environment and
landscapes reflect contemporary design values, we’ve been
really careful to celebrate the wonderful heritage and
stories that make up the history of Hobsonville. This
competition will certainly contribute to this celebration of
our heritage, particularly in Sunderland
Avenue.”
Penny Cliffin, Senior Lecturer at Unitec’s
Department of Landscape Architecture:
“It’s
invaluable for our students to get experience with real
design projects, especially those involving heritage
restrictions because heritage is such an important issue for
Auckland. Their work on these projects shows real talent and
creativity and sends a strong message that the future of
landscape design in New Zealand is very bright
indeed.”
About AVJennings
AVJennings is a
residential property development and home building company
operating throughout Australia and in New Zealand. The
company is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange
(ASX) and Singapore Exchange (SGX), directly employs more
than 350 people and has been responsible for a number of
highly successful developments over the past 80 years.
AVJennings provides a range of living solutions including
land sales, completed homes and apartments, and house and
land packages. Hobsonville Point on Auckland’s upper
Waitemata Harbour is AVJennings’ first project in New
Zealand. The company was chosen to partner with Hobsonville
Land Company in the first stage of development, which
started in October
2009.
ENDS
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