Community, Country and Climate all big winners at the AILA National Awards

The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) has celebrated more than 30 projects across the 17 categories of its National Awards programme.

In addition the 2025 AILA President’s Award recognised the collaborative work done under the umbrella of Green Pathways, Gold Places, an advocacy initiative by professional design and planning institutes in Australia to ensure the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games create a lasting, positive legacy of better public spaces and green infrastructure. A YouTube video of case studies can be viewed here.

The winners were announced on the night of 21st October as part of DARK, AILA’s 2025 Festival of Landscape Architecture held in Nipaluna/ Hobart, Lutruwita/ Tasmania.

AILA National Jury Chair Kate Luckraft praised the winning designers for forging vital new collaborations between landscape architects, communities and academics. She also lauded the profession’s commitment to climate-positive design.

In summarising the impact of this year’s winning work, Kate had this to share: “Across the board, projects enriched by First Nations collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking exemplify how landscape architects are shaping resilient, climate-conscious places that reflect a deeper understanding of Country and community.”

As reported by Landscape Australia, notable winners on the night included Living Lab Northern Rivers (LLNR) which took out an Award of Excellence in the Community Contribution category as well as a Regional Achievement award, and Wagonga Inlet Living Foreshore by Realm Studios which received a Climate Positive Design award, as well as an Award of Excellence in the Land Management category.

LAA readers may recall that this site provided an extensive explainer of and guide to the preceding ramp of AILA regional awards in June this year.

The full list of AILA’s 2025 National Award winners is:

Climate Positive Design Awards (3)

  • Michelle Guglielmo Park – GLAS Landscape Architects

  • Breakout Creek/Purruna Pari – Stage 3 – TCL with Green Adelaide, City of Charles Sturt and City of West Torrens

  • Wagonga Inlet Living Foreshore – Realm Studios

Regional Achievement Awards (3)

  • Maidens Reserve – Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

  • Munarra Centre for Regional ​Excellence – Emergent Studios (Bush Projects)

  • Living Lab Northern Rivers – University of Technology Sydney and Living Lab Northern Rivers

Civic Landscape (3)

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Bridge Mall Redevelopment – Hassell; Prahran Skatepark and Basketball Court – Convic; The Oval at Subi East – UDLA and Oculus

Community Contribution (3)

  • Award of Excellence: Living Lab Northern Rivers – University of Technology Sydney and Living Lab Northern Rivers

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Tiny Patches – GLAS Landscape Architects; 24 Carrot Gardens – Inspiring Place

Cultural Heritage (1)

  • Award of Excellence: The Oval at Subi East – UDLA and Oculus

Gardens (2)

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Green Our Roof – Hassell; Hedge House – Emergent Studios (Bush Projects)

Health and Education Landscape (2)

  • Award of Excellence: Moondani Balluk – Realm Studios

  • Landscape Architecture Award: Richmond High School – SBLA Studio

Infrastructure (2)

  • Award of Excellence: Barangaroo Station Park – Arcadia Landscape Architecture

  • Landscape Architecture Award: Mt Derrimut Road, Deer Park Station – Hassell

Land Management (3)

  • Award of Excellence: Wagonga Inlet Living Foreshore – Realm Studios

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Karunjie Homestead Visioning Plan – Wiliggan Aboriginal Corporation, Mudmap Studio and Conservation Management; Archerfield Wetlands Land Management – Brisbane Sustainability Agency

Landscape Planning (2)

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Washpool Creek Catchment Master Plan – Tract; Adventurous Spaces Guideline – Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure

Parks and Open Space (2)

  • Award of Excellence: Maidens Reserve – Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Wimbo Park Surry Hills – Sue Barnsley Design

Play Spaces (3)

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Archerfield Wetlands District Park – Urbis; Central Park All-Abilities Playground – SBLA Studio with City of Stonnington; Melton Botanic Garden Nature Playspace – Melton City Council

Research, Policy and Communications (3)

  • Award of Excellence: Food / Landscapes Australia – Joshua Zeunert, UNSW

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Transforming to an Age-friendly World: Models of Co-design for Creating Age-friendly Public Green Spaces in Urban Neighbourhoods – University of South Australia, City of Unley, Office for Ageing Well and Tract; Nature Co-benefits in Practice – Tract

Small Projects (3)

  • Award of Excellence: Yaluk Langa – Openwork

  • Landscape Architecture Awards: Nightingale Bowden – Landskap and Openwork; Red Note Courtyard, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, South Bank – TCL

Tourism (1)

  • Landscape Architecture Award: Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail Feasibility Study – Fitzgerald Frisby Landscape Architecture

Urban Design (1)

  • Landscape Architecture Award: Parramatta Square – JMD Design with TCL, Gehl and Tonkin Zulaikha Greer

Awards, Australia, #Around-the-worldStephen Olsen