Manukau a winner in landscape architecture awards

A park bridge project and town centre revitalisation project have won landscape architecture gold awards for Manukau City Council.

The Te Puru Bridge in Whitford’s Te Puru Park and the Northcrest Plaza improvement project in Manurewa town centre won the golds at the prestigious Landscape Architecture Awards. Two other Manukau Parks projects also won a silver and bronze award.

Staged at Te Papa Tongarewa, the awards event, titled the 'NZILA Resene Pride of Place Landscape Architecture Awards 2010', provided a record 127 entrants. Award-winners are chosen just once every two years and receive golds, silvers and bronzes, while a select few receive additional titles of excellence.

In the Landscape Design – Urban Design section, Gold was awarded to Manurewa's Northcrest Plaza improvement project, designed by Thresher Associates. The judges commented that the design was a lovely treatment to a small corner town centre site.

“This design elegantly integrates a sense of community into the town centre with the use of whanau seating and a simple and well executed palette of materials which link with the remainder of the existing town centre. The judges could see the public using the space in the way it was intended, which highlights the potential influence of a small but simple design on an overall sense of community and social environment.”

Manukau City Council Town Centres and Business Precincts Manager Sue Marshall says the award is great recognition for a project that was aimed at creating a more attractive area for shoppers and addressing concerns about safety.

The three Manukau Parks projects, designed and managed by Isthmus Group, which received recognition were:
Te Puru Bridge, Whitford – gold
Barry Curtis Park, web based consultation for skatepark - silver
Barry Curtis Park, northern section – bronze.
When commenting on the Te Puru Bridge, the judges said, “Brilliant; a real joy. A completeness from design through detailing to construction. It worked on many layers, social, cultural and physical. The bridge connected well with the existing path system.”

The skatepark consultation won silver for being, “an excellent example of original and innovative consultation, appropriate to the target audience and attractively presented.”

Judging comments for the design of the northern section of Barry Curtis Park included, “A very impressive design and park, modern, and a good comprehension of the scale of the site…..Detailing was exceptional.”

Manukau Parks Group Manager Johan Ferreira says the results are fantastic. “My thanks to council staff and Isthmus for their hard work and dedication.”