AILA SA Awards Jury Chair Report

Last Friday was the AILA SA Awards night. It was an amazing night that celebrated all things landscape architecture.

This year, WAX director Warwick Keates was honoured to be the awards jury chair and co-host along with Kate Shizas & MC Kate Burr. There were 22 entries across eleven categories, showcasing the range and expertise of landscape architecture in South Australia. As chair of the awards, Warwick prepared a Jury Report, which provides a summary of the projects and the key insights into the profession.

“The 22 entries continue to demonstrate the amazing breadth and quality of landscape architecture in South Australia. From the Murray Coorong Trail Masterplan, which spans hundreds of kilometres, to the crafted Port Noarlunga South Memorial Seat, the diversity is remarkable.

Projects like the Greater Adelaide Open Space Strategy offer a long-term vision for open space planning over the next 30 years, while the Swallowcliffe Children’s Precinct Vision provide critical insights into how we should plan and design for our communities.

We continue to work regionally from the Port Lincoln Foreshore to Mount Gambier and across Greater Adelaide.

The awards also reflect the evolving role of landscape architects—as advocates, planners, scientists, co-designers, and increasingly, as leaders. Across all stages of design and delivery, we are seeing landscape architects shaping not only physical environments but also the broader social and ecological fabric of our communities.

Sustainability and resilience are strongly integrated across all projects. What is apparent is the scale and ambition of these climate-responsive designs. Projects such as Purruna Pari / Breakout Creek Stage 3, Burchell Reserve and Gumnut Garden seamlessly blend complex infrastructure with sophisticated landscape architectural solutions.

This year, it was our great pleasure to invite Auntie Margaret Brodie and Auntie Susie Dixon to review and discuss how landscape architects work with Country. While we continue to build connections with First Nations’ People, there is still work to do. We must continue to listen, learn, and deepen our engagement with First Nations Peoples.

We continue to demonstrate that landscape architects are respectful, inclusive, and innovative. What is evident is that the profession is increasingly integrating leadership and advocacy into every aspect of our profession.”