The Urban Land Institute has launched its 2016 Urban Innovation Ideas Competition in Brisbane, inviting young designers to put forward their best ideas to transform the area connecting Brisbane’s CBD and Fortitude Valley.
Titled “Connecting Urban Precincts,” the competition asks designers aged 35 and under to turn the interface of the area into a connected, urban, active and subtropical place befitting a “New World City”.
The area between Brisbane’s CBD and Fortitude Valley – Brisbane’s live music and entertainment hub – has been selected due to growth causing traditional city-centre activities to expand into surrounding inner-city neighbourhoods. The aim of the competition is to connect the two places.
Competition co-director Annabelle Matthews said the competition would provide an opportunity for people to express ideas that seek to rejuvenate the quality of the public interface between Brisbane’s CBD and Fortitude Valley with interventions that add social, cultural, ecological and economic value through the potential of both urban design and urban commerce.
“The revitalization of this area is an opportunity [to create] a high-quality urban fabric, as well as to drive economic growth between the city centre and Fortitude Valley, and we welcome all ideas that could improve the gateway between the CBD and the Valley, no matter how big or small they are,” Matthews said.
The competition will be held in two stages. Stage one is the ideas competition, which will see entrants submit their ideas using one 30-second video, one A3 image and 500 words of text describing their concept. Stage two is concept development, where the jury will shortlist up to three entrants to refine and develop their idea to a professional standard for consideration by the jury, before a winner is chosen.
The stage one prize is $2,000 per team selected by the jury. The shortlisted teams will progress to stage two, the winner of which will receive flights, accommodation and entry to the 2017 ULI Asia Pacific Conference, as well as an additional $2,000. There will also be a popular vote, with the winning team receiving $500.
The Queensland government’s 2014 Brisbane City Centre Masterplan listed Fortitude Valley as an area of interest. The area was also identified as a pilot location for initiatives of the Digital Brisbane Strategy, a five-year plan launched by the City of Brisbane in 2012 to speed up the pace of change and kickstart a business revolution in Brisbane.
The competition follows the inaugural 2015 ULI ideas competition, which asked young designers to re-imagine Sydney’s main street, George Street.
Stage one submissions are due at 5 pm on 20 September 2016. Finalists will be announced on 29 September 2016. Stage two commences at 9 am on 11 October 2016 and closes at 5 pm on 17 November 2016. The winner will be announced on 17 November.
Registrations open on 23 August 2016 and close on 16 September 2016.
