ENTRIES have flooded in from across the globe, and the winners of the Queanbeyan Business Chamber's $62,000 Downtown Q 2025 competition have now been announced.
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An all-star architecture and design panel led by Melbourne architect and Adjunct Professor in Architecture, John Wardle, met in Queanbeyan last week to view the 30 detailed entries from across Australia and the world, with the winners announced at The Q on Monday.
Competition coordinator and former head of the National Capital Authority, Annabelle Pegrum of Canberra architecture firm Pegrum Judd, said the jury were impressed with the depth and quality submitted in the 30 entries and over 100 drawings.
"They were greatly impressed by both the imagination and the breadth in what was behind so many of the proposals," Ms Pegrum said.
"They felt that what the competition did was to respond to a number of issues that were pertinent to the future of Queanbeyan, including: the role of the river; the notion of what 'gateway' is; urban scale; and ways of rediscovering and repairing the pedestrian, the vehicular, and the business fabric of Downtown Q."
The competition broke the Queanbeyan CBD down into four distinct quarters- Downtown Q, Civic Q, Commercial Q and Residential Q- with significant prize money for each, including a $30,000 first prize for the Downtown Q sector.
The top prize was won by 'Rivertown', an entry from a coalition of three firms -Colin Stewart Architecture, Stewart Hollenstein and ASPECT Studios- working on one, comprehensive plan for the city. That team also took out first prize for the Civic Q quadrant, netting a total of $40,000 in prize money.
Judges commented that the team's city design brought a 'big idea' to the CBD in the shape of a revamped Queens Bridge, reimagining the CBD's boundaries and the role of the Queanbeyan River.
"This design presented a 'big idea' with the strategic potential to retain and enhance the best of Queanbeyan while facilitating essential future growth and diversification," the jury's comments said.
"The reinvention of Queens Bridge as the extension of Mainstreet across the river establishes a 'new town' in counterpoint with 'old town' and re-positions the river at the centre rather than the edge of the CBD."
Another coalition, made up of architects Adrian McGregor, Maria Sabria, Matt Ritson, Peta Miskovich, Hong-in Lee, Ann Deng and Alex Breedon, won the Commercial Q quadrant, while Spanish firm Impuls Arquitectos impressed with their Residential Q submission, winning $10,000.
The Queanbeyan Business Chamber commissioned and funded the design competition as a way to boost business confidence in the city.
Former president Jamie Cregan said the competition had "promoted Queanbeyan to Australia and the world," and generated fresh, new ideas to improve the city.
"Queanbeyan will have more than 100 drawing boards of [architectural design] concepts peer reviewed by the best people in this industry- this is worth millions of dollars to the town," he said.
The Queanbeyan Public is also being urged to cast their vote on which design they think is the best, with entries viewable at www.downtownqcompetition.com.au.
DOWNTOWN Q 2025 WINNERS
Downtown Q First Prize- $30,000
RIVERTOWN- Colin Stewart Architecture with Stewart Hollenstein and Aspect Studios
Downtown Q Commendation- $2,000
CLEARWATER- Adrian McGregor, Maria Sabria, Matt Ritson, Peta Miskovich, Hong-in Lee, Ann Deng and Alex Breedon.
Civic Q First Prize- $10,000
CIVIC SQUARE- Colin Stewart Architecture with Stewart Hollenstein and Aspect Studios
Commercial Q First Prize- $10,000
NGAMBRI Q- Adrian McGregor, Maria Sabria, Matt Ritson, Peta Miskovich, Hong-in Lee, Ann Deng and Alex Breedon.
Residential Q First Prize -$10,000
Entry 773- Impuls Arquitectos
Community Vote- $2,000
Open now - Vote online at www.downtownqcompetition.com.au.