Light, colour and humanity
2022 Competition
In 2022, the Alastair Swayn Foundation collaborated with the University of Canberra to produce the inaugural ‘Light, Colour, Humanity: The Swayn Student Competition’. Open to second year design students, the competition saw 25 brilliant entries that fully encapsulated the brief to create not simply a transport stop, but a functional and community-minded gathering place for the Acton waterfront.
Alastair Swayn had a strong belief in building up the next generation of architects and designers led him to establish the Foundation for the purpose of advancing Australian design, architecture, and education. In subsequent years, the Foundation has developed rich and diverse funding programs and collaborations with organisations that promote Australian design.
Alastair’s architecture reflected light, colour and humanity. He believed that architecture and design were a genuine way of approaching humanity, to believe that everybody can and should experience spaces equally.
‘Light, Colour, Humanity: The Swayn Student Competition’ provided an opportunity for students to critically engage with design principles and ideas that enhance could enhance the city of Canberra and the way the community experiences it.
The competition provided an opportunity to propose a hypothetical new light rail stop on Commonwealth Avenue for the next stage of the project’s extension into southern Canberra.
Documents
Overview
Overall Winner
Commonwealth Circle
Joseph Fitzsimmons, Nicholas Heerdegen, Anna Nguyen and Zoe Sizer
Judges’ comments:
A sophisticated proposal that used the light rail interchange to create a new public destination to seamlessly connect Commonwealth Park and West Basin. The scheme took head on the challenge of going under Commonwealth Avenue to create the shelter in a bigger public space that would cater well for the crowds attending events in Commonwealth Park, or residents of West Basin strolling out for coffee. The Jury was impressed with the integration of the landscape and architectural concepts as well as the high level of design resolution in the spaces at the larger scales. Indeed, the Jury felt the scheme, through its crisp presentation and clear representation of the detailed program, demonstrated a team that had worked collaboratively and with great focus.
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Curation of Connections
Julia Bassett, Monica Gair, Cameron Roxburgh, Hugh Swann and Jacob White -
Axis
Alyssa Biden, Debyani Debnath, Jessica Tuttle and Lynden WoodwardBetween the Hills
Anastasia Bradshaw, Joshua McDonald, Victor Phan, Axel Philp and Shaelagh SutherlandH & A
Henry Eklund, Jesse Groch, Pamela Luangraj and Zachariah Prowse -
Connections for the Future
Rebeka Abraham, Azure Dove, Jacqeline Giron, Claire Ison and Lola SedranMura Gadi
Alexis Bocking, Dechen Clarke, Nic Lucchesi, Beau Rosewood and Sid SellUntitled
Harry Briggs
Winners
Annabelle Pegrum, Alastair Swayn Foundation and The Swayn Gallery of Australian Design
Andrew Smith, National Capital Authority
Rebecca Garret, ACT Government
Lucy Wilson, City Renewal Authority
Narda Gilmore, ABC News