Allan Correy Award
Allan Correy was one of a handful of landscape architects who trained overseas in England and America in the 1950s, and returned to be one of Australia's landscape architecture pioneers.
He applied systematic ecological planning for the first time in Australia and used the overlay mapping techniques he learned in England and America to inform the design. He was responsible for the Mt Lofty Botanic Garden Masterplan in SA and the Australian Section of Taronga Zoo, Sydney. In private practice, he designed domestic gardens using recycled building materials, ground modelling, local stone, native trees and mass shrubs and groundcover to create places that soothe the human psyche and celebrate nature. In both his public and private works he used local plant species and materials to create a strong Australian identity.
His later work in the public domain helped to build a framework for environmentally responsible site evaluation and impact assessment as an essential part of landscape architecture. He also applied his knowledge to teaching, writing and speaking, thereby contributing to landscape architecture in an all-embracing way.
Our Institute was very proud to have Allan as its Patron until he resigned due to poor health in 2012. Allan Correy passed away in May 2016. The Allan Correy Award is given in his memory to the entrant whose work best represents the values he is espoused.
JUDGING GUIDELINES -
Does the Applicant reflect the following values in their work, relative to Allan Correy’s vision:
Does their work sooth the human spirit?
Does it celebrate nature?
Do their designs sit ‘gently’ on the land?
Is there something ‘special’ or ‘unique’ about their work?
Has there been an environmentally responsible site evaluation and consideration of environmental impact?
Are their designs compatible with their surrounding environments, both built and natural?
Do their designs consider the long-term sustainability of the site?
And do they consider longevity in their work? Or does their work only hold a temporary value?
Do they cater for natural habitat?
Do they consider site water retention?
Do their designs function well?
Is the work innovative and displaying new ideas in landscape design?