Leading design and planning consultancy PLACE Design Group has taken out the award for Construction and Design at the 2014 AustCham Westpac Australia China Business Awards (ACBA).
Announced at a black-tie gala dinner in Shanghai last night, PLACE Design Group were declared winner over finalists Bluescope Buildings, Greater Group and Worley Parsons. Amongst captains of industry of the Australia-China business community, attendees also including H.E. Frances Adamson, Australian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Peter Arkell, Chairman AustCham Shanghai, Brendan Mason, Chairman AustCham Beijing and Professor Richard Petty, Chairman AustcCham Hong Kong & Macau, who will be hosting the 2015 ACBA.
H.E. Frances Adamson said, “I am delighted to see PLACE Design Group win the Construction and Design category of the 21st AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards. This award reflects the growing recognition across China of PLACE Design Group’s distinctive contribution to urban design, landscape architecture and planning.”
As one of the seven winners of the ACBA and the only urban design and planning firm to be recognised, PLACE Design Group is setting the stage for more Australian owned urban design and planning firms to thrive in international markets. Commencing operations in 2001, the group now boasts 10 offices across Australia, China and South East Asia with over 180 staff.
Mark Burgess, Director of PLACE Design Group and Principal for the Shanghai office says, “This award is a huge coup for our industry. It is fantastic to see ‘creating great places’ is a priority for the Australia-China business community and we are proud to be seen as leaders of this. Our growth could not have been achieved without our amazing team and our design and planning excellence is testament to their commitment.”
Having been in China for over 12 years PLACE Design Group view their China operations as integral to the group’s success. 2014 is already proving to be a big year with the launch of an expanded Beijing office and anticipated further expansion in Chengdu by the end of the year. The ACBA has come at a great time for the group and is a credit to their long term commitment to Australia-China business relations.
