The Annual Dinner and Development Excellence Awards were held on Tuesday 30 September 2009 in the grand ballroom of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. The Development of the Year 2009 was Jacksons Landing, Ultimo, by Vivas Lend Lease.

The Taskforces awards acknowledge development projects that achieve the best outcomes in terms of client requirements, environment, business and community considerations; as well as time, cost and quality.

These awards recognise the crucial role of the developer in making a new development an outstanding success. The 2009 winners are set out below.

Jacksons Landing
Vivas Lend Lease

The Distillery Hill Precinct of Vivas Lend Lease's Jacksons Landing development is an outstanding example of urban design, architecture, environmental systems and commercial success. The precinct will house around 680 dwellings of a total of 1,350 within the overall Jacksons Landing area.

Although most of the precinct is not directly on the water many of the apartments get stunning views and this has led to prices from $650,000 to $4.7 million. The project has become a commercial success with all buildings having excellent presales.

The overall approach to urban design and landscape has been excellent with 3.2 hectares of open space, an indoor pool. Sandstone has been used for retaining walls and landscape mainly features native species.

Nautical materials have been salvaged for reuse including giant 'rum balls' now featured in a park setting.Water is recycled with a 70,000 litre rainwater tank. One of the most impressive initiatives is the use of a variety of quality architects including Denton Corker Marshall, Alexander Tzannes and Jahn Associates.

Coca Cola Amatil - Eastern Creek
Goodman

Goodmans impressive industrial facility for Coca Cola Amatil at the M7 Business Hub is a good example of the impact of the M7. From numerous smaller inner city sites Coca Cola has moved the distribution centre to a central location.

The result has been to lift the percentage of on time deliveries from 77% to 93.5%. This massive centre of 31,702 square meters has 2,000 sq meters of solar collectors on the roof and 240,000 litres of rainwater collected for recycling.

The warehouse is naturally ventilated with significant natural lighting and an improved lighting system leading to savings of 1,700 tonnes of CO2 per annum.

This well designed state of the art industrial facility is still owned by Goodman and leased for 15 years giving an excellent commercial return.

101 Miller Street, North Sydney
Mirvac Group

When Optus moved out of Mirvacs 101Miller Street office tower the company had a significant challenge to attract new tenants to fill 37,000 sq meters.

Mirvac refurbished the 1990's building with new technology and new environmental features over a 12 month period.

On practical completion the building was 87% leased at substantially higher rentals.

101 Miller Street sets an important example of how to successfully refurbish an out of date office building and lift environmental performance and financial returns.

The project was also important to keep confidence in North Sydneys commercial market and to ensure that 7,000 new workers would shop and eat in North Sydney.

The impressive green credentials include tri-generation, T5 lights leading to a 5 star Green Star rating.

Workplace 6
The GPT Group

This commercial building was the first in NSW to achieve a 6 star Office Design V2 rating and a 5 star NABERS energy and water ranking.

This project is designed to reduce greenhouse emissions by 70% and water consumption by 90% compared to typical office buildings.

Water is recovered from the sewer and recycled for toilet flushing and park irrigation. The harbour is used for cooling saving about 48 million litres of water a year.

Other environmental features include tri-generation, chilled beams, roof mounted solar panels and the purchase of 25% green power.

The project has been a commercial success attracting Google and Accenture as tenants.

Park Central
Landcom

Park central is an excellent example of how a master planned approach can lead to a successful result.

Located near the centre of Campbelltown on the old golf course Park Central has 177 houses, 50 terraces and 186 apartments as well as a 310 apartment retirement village and 22,000 square meters of retail and commercial space clustered around a 10.5 hectare town park.

The plan cleverly manages water with water sensitive urban design and bio-swales. The park has already become a major amenity for the residents and the workers. Design Guidelines led to high quality housing incorporating ESD.

The end product is a village atmosphere all are proud of and a best practice example of mixed development close to a transport node. Importantly, Landcom has set a bench mark for the industry that should encourage others

Valentino Place, Rosebery
Meriton Apartments Pty Limited

Valentino place is a robust architectural solution to a large site in Rosebery. The aim according to the submission was to provide "a city living lifestyle without the normal pricetag".

The project includes 266 apartments priced at the affordable end of the market. BASIX environmental standards are exceeded and significant ameneties include a swimming pool, gym, cafe and a 56 place child care centre.

Ground floor units are designed as dual use facilities that could become home offices or regular commercial spaces. The building wraps around a central landscaped park and the architectural expression includes curved balconies on the corner and a series of cantilevered rooftops at the upper level.

Through the use of simple detailing and the use of simple materials Valentino Place is able to keep prices down while providing a handsome architectural expression.

Alexandra - Camperdown
Frasers Property Australia
Suters Architects

The former Camperdown Childrens Hospital Administration Building has been converted and adapted to incorporate 10 apartments, offices, a pool and a gym.

The 3 storey heritage building was for many years the symbolic face of the Childrens Hospital. From the front nothing appears to have changed yet from the other side an entirely new glass and steel modern apartment building emerges.

The heritage building still has its Pixie O'Harris murals but they have been relocated from the 3rd floor with the brickwork intact down to the main foyer.

Considerable innovations were required to achieve fire and acoustic separation with the existing timber floors. By all accounts the apartment tenants are very satisfied as are the tenants from the wider campus who use the pool and the gym.

The Bondi
Rebel Property Group & Capit.el Group
PTW Architects

The adaptive reuse of the previously unsightly motel on Campbell Parade Bondi has turned an ugly duckling into a proud swan. An architectural competition won by PTW began the process followed by lengthy negotiations with Waverly Council.

This refined the scheme with a more art deco look reflecting the character of the area. The curved living rooms overlooking the beach are a particular feature.

The Mayor of Waverly Council, Sally Betts, has written giving great support for the project as a "key contributor to the rejuvenation of Bondi Beach."

The marketing of Bondi used well known photographer Gregory Haremza who camped in the old building for 2 weeks and shot from dawn into the evening. Using his shots the marketing began with a VIP function at Icebergs and within 8 days 60% of the building sales were achieved.

Advantaged Care at Georges Manor
The Kresner Group

When developer Laurie Kresner found his parents needed nursing care he was not impressed with the available options. So Laurie set out to research, then develop and operate his own aged care facility at Georges Manor in Sydney's west.

The result is a state of the art facility incorporating environmental initiatives including solar panels, energy efficient systems and storm water management.

Bankstown City Council was closely involved and the Mayor, Tania Mihailuk, has written about how "fortunate the city is to have such a first-class aged care facility" within their community.

By working with the council a natural water course has been retained while allowing for future stages. With phase 2 about to be completed the facility will have the capability for 144 residents each with a large 24 sq metre room.

Multiplex Living
Development: Portside Wharf
Hamilton QLD

Brookfield Multiplex's $1.3 billion Portside Wharf project in Brisbane includes residential, retail and the Brisbane Cruise Terminal. The project is a unique mix of uses and will act as a generator of further urban renewal in the Hamilton area.

The cruise terminal was provided at no cost to the Queensland Government being funded by the rest of the development. Stage 1 comprises three residential buildings containing 171 apartments and a retail precinct of 7,500 sq m and a plaza. The retail includes restaurants, cafes, fresh food markets, a health centre, an art gallery, function centre and a cinema complex.

The mixed use nature of the project along with the excitement of the Cruise Terminal has made the project a hub for the local community and for wider Brisbane. The apartment sales have been excellent and all retail is fully let and ship visits have increased from 50 a year to 63.

Jacksons Landing
Vivas Lend Lease

The Distillery Hill Precinct of Vivas Lend Lease's Jacksons Landing development is an outstanding example of urban design, architecture, environmental systems and commercial success. The precinct will house around 680 dwellings of a total of 1,350 within the overall Jacksons Landing area.

Although most of the precinct is not directly on the water many of the apartments get stunning views and this has led to prices from $650,000 to $4.7 million. The project has become a commercial success with all buildings having excellent presales. The overall approach to urban design and landscape has been excellent with 3.2 hectares of open space, an indoor pool.

Sandstone has been used for retaining walls and landscape mainly features native species. Nautical materials have been salvaged for reuse including giant 'rum balls' now featured in a park setting. Water is recycled with a 70,000 litre rainwater tank. One of the most impressive initiatives is the use of a variety of quality architects including Denton Corker Marshall, Alexander Tzannes and Jahn Associates.

88 George Street
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

88 George is an adaptive reuse of a State listed Heritage Building to achieve a 5 star Green Star office design rating.

It is rare for an existing building to reach such a high level of sustainability, particularly one built in 1886.

The building uses the harbour to exchange heat for the air conditioning system saving an estimated 3.8 billion litres of water per year.

While being a heritage building the new interventions are boldly of today with a dramatic canopy, outdoor public space and a classy foyer space.

One Shelley Street
Kings Street Wharf
Brookfield Multiplex

Brookfield Multiplex's development at One Shelly Street is fully leased to the Macquarie Group.

It is an eye-catching building that challenges the normal column and beam approach to structure by using a dia-grid support system.

This gives a diagonal structure zig-zagging across the facade. The building also achieves a 6 star Green Star design rating and has been acknowledged by Lord Mayor Clover Moore as one of a handful of "healthier and more sustainable buildings in Sydney".

The strong image of the building is demonstrated by its role as a back-drop for mobile phone ads and Toyota Prius ads.

Sydney Wharf
Sydney Wharf Pty Limited
Charter Hall

Sydney wharf is the harbours final finger wharf development.

It contains 104 lavish apartments over two buildings with ban adjoining 54 birth marina.

The new buildings sit comfortably in Sydney Harbour as they use many of the features of traditional wharves.

The average sale price is $2.7 million with total sales revenue of $310 million. Over one hectare of publically accessible timber boardwalks make the site far more open to the community than during the time of port uses.

The building uses the thermal mass of the harbour as its primary source of both heating and cooling for all apartments.