2025 Minister's Award for Urban Design
Winner
Project: Kangaroo Point Bridge
Location: Brisbane
Team: Blight Rayner Architecture & Dissing + Weitling and BESIX Watpac with Brisbane City Council, concept and reference design by Brisbane City Council with Arup and COX Architecture
Over 100 years in the making, Brisbane’s newest river crossing, The Kangaroo Point Bridge, is celebrated by the jury as a masterful balancing of complex functional and structural priorities with a deeply generous program of urban experiences well worthy of the adage of journey being the destination.
The Kangaroo Point Bridge is outstanding in its delivery of efficient and equitable everyday amenity while embedding many small acts of urban kindness for a truly enriched public realm. The crafting of unique and highly memorable urban experiences above and below deck rewards both the everyday active user and visitor alike.
A civic project of international standing this highly considered piece of urban infrastructure is an important driver for improved liveability through prioritising efficient and equitable active movement while also delivering a new suite of public spaces encouraging people to slow down and connect to the river city.
Image credit: Christopher Frederick Jones.
Image credit: Christopher Frederick Jones.
Image credit: Christopher Frederick Jones.
Image credit: Christopher Frederick Jones.
Image credit: Christopher Frederick Jones.
Winner
Project: Mary’s Place
Location: Dalby
Team: Blight Rayner with Western Downs Regional Council
Mary’s Place, Dalby, is a story of regional resilience and rebirth—a space serving as a physical community heart while also commemorating the figurative heart of a regional Queensland community.
The name refers to beloved Mary Barry—the long-time publican of the Commercial Hotel, which tragically burnt down in 2018. Mary was renowned for her warm character and generosity—funding several of Dalby’s civic improvements.
Mary’s warmth and generosity have been immortalised through urban design, uniquely celebrating the resilience of Queensland communities to not only rebuild and recover after disasters, but to celebrate them as opportunities.
Faced with tightening budgets and social challenges, it can be difficult to justify investments in public spaces that bring people together and celebrate community life. The jury commended the entrants for their commitment to promoting social behaviour through thoughtful design, clever landscaping choices, and maximising a modest budget.
Image credit: Scott Burrows.
Image credit: Scott Burrows.
Image credit: Scott Burrows.
Commendation
Project: Future South Bank Master Plan
Team: South Bank Corporation and Urbis
The Future South Bank Master Plan exemplifies innovative urban design through its fusion of ecological sensitivity, cultural expression, and social inclusion. It reimagines Brisbane’s riverside as a green spine, integrating lush parklands with pedestrian connections, while celebrating the city’s subtropical identity. Emphasising flexible public spaces, indigenous storytelling, and climate resilience, the plan elevates design innovation to a civic art form. Its commitment to collaboration with the community ensures a living blueprint rooted in local values and a clear vision. This master plan doesn’t merely improve a destination—it reimagines South Bank into a dynamic canvas of shared experiences, environmental care, and urban excellence.
Image credit: Masterplan by South Bank Corporation with Urbis.
Commendation
Project: Village Precincts Projects
Team: Brisbane City Council, Design Brisbane
Brisbane City Council’s Village Precinct Projects Program demonstrates a strong and sustained commitment to place-based urban renewal underpinned by meaningful community engagement. Through the delivery of 23 transformative neighbourhood projects, the program has collectively enriched Brisbane’s public realm. It exemplifies how well-considered design can shape vibrant, connected, and culturally sustainable communities. By embedding core design values and amplifying local voices, the Village Precinct Projects Program reinforces community identity and celebrates Brisbane’s distinctive subtropical character. The Jury commends its enduring legacy of social, environmental, and cultural impact across the city’s diverse suburbs.
Manly Harbour | Image Credit: Hex Flix.
Ashgrove | Image Credit: Jinni Lee.
Talina Lane Coorparoo | Image Credit: Joe Ruckli.