C3West project by Campement Urbain wins National Urban Design Award
13 July 2012
As part of the 2012 Australia Award for Urban Design held at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra on Tuesday 26 June 2012, the C3West project Campement Urbain: The Future of Penrith/ Penrith of the Future won the Policies, Programs and Concepts - Large Scale award.
The Australia Award for Urban Design is Australia’s premier award for urban design achievement and acknowledges the critical role good urban design plays in the social, economic and environmental development of our cities and towns. It was proposed by the Urban Design Task Force under former Prime Minister Paul Keating and first presented in 1996.
The Future of Penrith/ Penrith of the Future stems from a partnership between the renowned French-Australian art and urban design collective Campement Urbain, Penrith City Council, Panthers Group, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), Landcom and Penrith Performing & Visual Arts.
Following a 12-month period of community consultation and collaboration, Campement Urbain unveiled its vision for a Penrith of the future in October, 2011. The French-Australian art and architecture team used the aspirations and concerns of local residents to re-imagine Penrith, as a showcase for urban renewal and sustainable living which could set a benchmark for cities world-wide.
The founding member of Campement Urbain Sylvie Blocher interviewed more than 40 residents of the Penrith Local Government Area, and asked them the following questions:
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If you were Mayor of Penrith, what would you change?
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What is your suggestion for an annual event for the community of Penrith?
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What is your relationship to beauty?
Blocher’s social research formed the basis for the design work that followed. For the next seven months, Campement Urbain translated, into a built concept form, Penrith community’s desires for the future of their city.
The jury praised the concept as "An inspirational vision. While it is utopian in its idealistic imagery, the concept sets out to meet every challenge with fresh imagination."
MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor said: “This is such a beautiful and exemplary model of collaboration. We are thrilled with the news.”
About C3West:
C3West stands for community, commerce and contemporary art and is a long term partnership that is developing new ways of working between cultural institutions, artists, businesses and communities in Western Sydney and beyond. C3West is facilitated by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia; Penrith Performing & Visual Arts; Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Liverpool; and Campbelltown Arts Centre. C3West places contemporary artists at the core of projects which give voice to local issues and actively involve the business sector in new ways of working together.
C3West is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts.
For more information visit the C3West webpage.
Image: Tim Williams and François Daune accepting the award
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