Richard Barry and Dean Hosking win at the PIA National Awards 2017

4 May 2017
Urbis Urbis Newsroom

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4 May 2017

Congratulations to Urbis Senior Consultant Dean Hosking and Consultant Richard Barry who both picked up awards at last night’s Planning Institute Australia (PIA) National Awards 2017.

The PIA National awards program has provided Australian built environment professionals with a platform to celebrate their great work towards making our country one of the most liveable in the world. The awards recognise not only best practice and innovation, but the personal drive and dedication that is often required of planners to overcome adversity and secure the best outcomes for a place or community. A PIA national award is the highest accolade for urban and regional planners in Australia.

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The judges all agreed that this thesis took on a very cutting-edge topic, one that is becoming increasingly popular to engage people in complex development projects.

Richard Barry, Urban Planning Consultant, scooped the Outstanding Student Project award for his project ‘Exploring the Virtual City’ which looks at immersive public participation using virtual reality headsets.

The judges praised Richard’s work, stating: “For decades, Virtual Reality (VR) headsets providing a gateway into immersive digital representations of our environment have typically been the dreams of video gamers and sci-fi fans.

“Stemming from this innovative movement, this student thesis explored a new participation technique for planners to utilise VR headsets to visualise future development during the public participation process by being immersed in a one-to-one scale digital model of their city or neighbourhood. The main research question answered was: “To what extent can VR headsets be used to better visualise proposed developments?”

“The judges all agreed that this thesis took on a very cutting-edge topic, one that is becoming increasingly popular to engage people in complex development projects. It was innovative and could easily be transferred and learnt by anyone in the development industry who has access to the technology. The judges were impressed by the practical research methods carried out which is now being used in development projects across the country.”

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He is an excellent role model for Young Planners, through his commitment to the planning profession, his advocacy for the role of planners within our communities and through the mentoring of other Young Planners.

Dean Hosking, Urban Planning Senior Consultant, was bestowed a Commendation for Young Planner of the Year. The award recognises the outstanding achievements of a young planner who has made a significant contribution to the planning profession.

The judges were thoroughly impressed with Dean’s work acumen and contribution to the industry and his peers, saying: “Dean Hosking is an exceptional Young Planner who is highly motivated and makes a significant contribution to the planning profession, in particular through his commitment and dedication to Young Planners.

“Dean continually seeks to provide opportunities for Young Planners to expand their knowledge and expertise, as demonstrated by his creation and development of the NSW ‘Emerge Series’ and participation with the YPConnect conference stream.

“He is an excellent role model for Young Planners, through his commitment to the planning profession, his advocacy for the role of planners within our communities and through the mentoring of other Young Planners as they complete their university studies and commence their planning careers.”

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