A new library and community hub, the Festival Plaza and a new regional secondary school, are just some of the finalists in this year’s Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) SA awards.

The Awards for Excellence, to be hosted on July 29, celebrate skills and innovation in South Australia’s development industry and shine a light on those that add to the state’s liveability.

Among the finalists is Commercial & General’s Ocea apartment block at West Lakes, the new $100 million Whyalla Secondary College and the five-star, $140 million Sofitel Hotel in Adelaide’s CBD.

SA Water’s activation of South Australian reservoirs earned them a spot as a finalist.

SA Water’s project that saw the activation of Adelaide’s reservoirs to promote healthy communities also earned a place in the list of finalists.

Categories include aged care and community housing, high-density housing, affordable development, and design excellence. A panel of respected industry judges tour the developments and assess them based on several criteria, including affordability, sustainability features and design.

UDIA SA chief executive Pat Gerace says the awards showcase the “best of the best” across several industries, including planning, engineering landscaping, architecture and marketing.

“Our awards program plays a pivotal role in raising the bar and promoting better developments,” Gerace says.

“Members of the UDIA are people who have a genuine passion for promoting and celebrating excellence in South Australia — and that’s why we’ve had such a successful awards program for so many years.

“It also means a lot if you can demonstrate to independent judges, people who have been involved in the sector for some time, that you’re hitting the mark with your development.”

Ocea at WEST by Commercial & General is a finalist in two award categories.

Shortlisted developments must show they add to South Australia’s liveability, Gerace says. This may include the incorporation of affordable housing into developments, design excellence of dwellings and the smart use of open space, among many others.

“One of the key aims of our organisation is advocating for the right conditions to facilitate homeownership, which is why affordability is such an important consideration,” Gerace says.

“If a product can be affordable and provided at a price point that allows someone to own their own home, there are benefits to be gained not just for the homeowner, but for society in general.”

Referring to recent National winners such as the Whyalla Circular Jetty — winner of the 2021 Community and Social Infrastructure Award as well the National Award winner in May this year — or this year’s high-profile finalist Adelaide’s newest five-star hotel in the Sofitel, Gerace says these projects all display courage and boldness.

“One of the most common features of award winners is the boldness of their plans. Whether public or private sector, to do something special often requires something different that hasn’t been tried before, and our awards celebrate this.”

Awards finalist New Whyalla Secondary College.

He says nearly all the finalists have faced some “unique challenge” on the path to development approval or turning of the sod.

“There’s really no such thing as a development of scale that wouldn’t have faced a challenge along the way, but the most successful developments turn those challenges into opportunities,” Gerace says.

“You’re always going to run into an unforeseen challenge or hurdle, for example, remediation of land for new uses or the successful integration of existing landscapes.

“It’s a range of these challenges and the unforeseen things that make all these developments unique and special.”

The awards also celebrate the changing nature and evolution of the sector with the recognition of diversity, youth and leadership.

“Without a doubt, the strong connections in the development sector make the individual awards a highlight of the night. I’m very proud to continue championing the sector’s inclusiveness which is so critical in the current environment.” Gerace says.

To see the full list of finalists and read more about the UDIA Awards for Excellence, visit udiasa.com.au.

The awards are supported by the following sponsors:

Major sponsor — nbn Australia

Category sponsors — Alexander Symonds, Algo Mas, Fyfe, Holmes Dyer, InDaily, Land Services SA, nbn Australia, Oliver Hume, Renewal SA, SA Water, Water Sensitive SA, Whittles