Decision making in landscape architecture: an examination of the notion of decision making during design review and its impact on design delivery for the Steampacket Place, Geelong

© 2002 Katrina ThomasThe aim of this research project was to examine the notion of decision-making during design review and its impact on design delivery. To achieve this aim, a multi award-winning project was selected to understand how decision-making influenced delivery of the project. The case study, Steampacket Place, Geelong, was examined to reveal, what criteria were employed to facilitate decision-making during the design review, and what were the responsibilities and capacities of design reviewers to influence the design delivery. Archival material for the project was used to construct a description of the events that led to design delivery. Focused interviews were carried out with members from the design review board and the project directorate to validate the archival data and to seek their opinions on the structure of the board and the design review process. The data was analysed to test the proposition that design review is about improving the quality of the physical environment and is a collaborative effort based upon shared communication between various groups and individuals to ensure that decision-making is a transparent process. This study describes how decision-makers worked with consultants to collaboratively develop and inform the design of both the public and private sectors. The success of the project owed much to the skills, professionalism and integrity of the Board members. Design quality was a key imperative for Steampacket Place and this was incorporated into the administrative structures created to manage both design review and project delivery