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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