Australian Good Design Awards 2024: Celebrating the Transformative Impact of Design.
Sydney, Friday 20 September 2024 – The 2024 Australian Good Design Awards were unveiled, showcasing the pinnacle of design excellence in a grand ceremony at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney, attended by over 1000 distinguished guests from design, architecture, engineering and business sectors.
This year’s theme, ‘The Design Effect’ underscored the crucial role design plays in shaping better products, services, spaces, and experiences while driving the transition to a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive future.
Among the standout winners was City Plan – Adelaide 2036: A Place-Based Blueprint for Growth, which received a prestigious Good Design Award Gold Winner Accolade for exceptional design and innovation.
The Jury praised City Plan – Adelaide 2036: A Place-Based Blueprint for Growth commenting:
The City Plan is a comprehensive urban design framework that integrates engagement, data, and design to support Adelaide’s ambitious growth objectives. It aims to double the residential population while enhancing accessibility, environmental sustainability, and regional infrastructure. The Jury commends the City of Adelaide’s approach for its strategic use of engagement and data in urban planning. By addressing critical goals such as population growth and climate adaptation through a participatory framework, the City Plan sets a precedent for how local governments can tackle complex urban challenges. Its innovative strategy serves as a model for other municipalities seeking to balance development with sustainability and liveability.
Lord Mayor of Adelaide Dr Jane Lomax-Smith thanked the jury for recognising the bold approach and foresight taken by Council, staff and our consultant partners, ARUP to conceive and deliver a City Plan that will support and guide the future growth of our city.
“Gathering evidence with intent, purpose and an appreciation of function and aesthetics allows a city to seize opportunity and demonstrate ambition and audacity,” said the Lord Mayor.
“This award shows we have been recognised as a leading local government agency delivering the capacity and tools to allow our community to progress.”
This accolade reinforces Adelaide’s status as a top ten Most Liveable City by The Economist, the World’s Most Beautiful City by American Architectural Digest, and Australia’s Coolest City by the Washington Post. These achievements reflect our commitment to innovation, effective city planning and development, enhancing our unique identity through our Park Lands, heritage, and architecture.
Rachel Wye, Managing Director of Good Design Australia, remarked, “This year’s Awards reflect the profound ripple effects that exceptional design can have on people, place and planet. The projects honoured in these Awards exemplify how thoughtful design can drive meaningful change, not only enhancing user experiences and the way people interact with the world, but also contributing to a more sustainable and more prosperous future. The Australian Good Design Awards are proud to recognise the truly inspirational work that is being done across different design disciplines, sectors and industries in Australia and overseas.”
The 2024 Awards highlighted excellence across 12 Design Disciplines, covering more than 32 Categories.
The Awards recognise a diverse range of projects from Australia and abroad, encompassing architectural design, engineering, digital and communication design, and emerging fields such as design strategy, social impact and policy design – a new standalone category introduced in 2024.
This year’s entries were rigorously evaluated by more than 80 distinguished Jurors from around the globe, including designers, engineers, architects, and industry leaders.
The evaluation process focused on three core criteria: Good Design, Design Innovation, and Design Impact, ensuring that each winner demonstrated outstanding design quality and effectiveness. The Awards showcase the best in design, reaffirming the critical role design plays in shaping a better, more sustainable future for businesses and society alike.
“The Australian Good Design Awards celebrate the transformative power of design in solving complex business, environmental and societal challenges. This year’s winners showcase how design can help drive innovation, generate growth and embed sustainability principles,” Ms. Wye added.
With its roots dating back to 1958, the Australian Good Design Awards, is the country’s most prestigious international accolade for design and innovation. As the Awards mark another year of excellence, they continue to reflect the rich heritage and future potential of Australian and international design.
Ms Wye concluded, “We are honoured to celebrate this year’s Winners, whose work not only represents design excellence, but also inspires future designers, architects and innovators. These projects stand as a testament to the power of good design and its ability to make a significant, positive impact in our world.”
PROJECT DETAILS:
Project Title: City Plan – Adelaide 2036: A Place-Based Blueprint for Growth
Designed in: Australia
Designed by: City of Adelaide
Commissioned by: City of Adelaide
