Nicholas Street Precinct recognised with world design silver

The Nicholas Street Precinct has found a way into the heart of the Ipswich community, visitors, industry experts and now international urban design judges.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the $311 million precinct was going from strength to strength after winning another major accolade – Silver in the Better Future World Design Awards 2026, in the ‘wayfinding’ criteria.

“This is such an honour for our city, celebrating what is a triumph of urban renewal, bringing life back to the city centre with a design that can be held up as an exemplar for people-first public spaces,” Mayor Harding said.

“All the signs pointed to the precinct being popular with the public and this has shown with more than two million visitations over the past year.

“They have been guided by clear and concise wayfinding, making it easy to find the council administration building, our two libraries, Tulmur Place civic square, zero depth water play area and explore dining and entertainment options.

“Industry experts and judges have bestowed the precinct with multiple accolades since its launch, and have hailed its example of placemaking, where people are prioritised over vehicles and can enjoy the social and health benefits of pedestrianisation.

“This latest award in the Better Future World Design Awards 2026 is a fantastic start to the year for the Precinct.”

The World Design Awards celebrate the “courage of commissioning clients and design professionals”.

The projects in the World Design Awards are sourced from the Better Future regional, design capitals and sector award programs – representing a collection sourced from the world’s largest network of design awards.

The project brief for the award noted that the wayfinding design for Nicholas Street “supports intuitive exploration of the revitalised area, helping users navigate independently while fostering a strong sense of place and extending the experience of the surrounding urban environment”.

Economic and Cultural Development Committee Chairperson Councillor Pye Augustine said council was thrilled to be recognised for another prestigious award, following on from the Queensland Minister’s Award for Urban Design and the Movement and Place Award 2024.

“These awards reinforce how much meticulous planning went into bringing the Nicholas Street Precinct to life. They are a further testament that council is delivering on its promise to revitalise the city centre.” Cr Augustine said.

Division 3 Councillor Marnie Doyle said the redevelopment had breathed renewed life into the city heart and visitors enjoyed its attractive spaces and ease of use.

“The Nicholas Street Precinct is one-of-a-kind. Seeing the council’s bold vision to turn a once-derelict mall into an award-winning, community-friendly space is something we can all be proud of,” Cr Doyle said.

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