The University of Western Australia and the Australian Urban Design Centre have issued a call for entries for an open design ideas competition – A Memorial to the Sixth Extinction – in memory of Richard Weller.
Competition Information
There have been five major extinction events in Earth’s history, the fifth being the obliteration of the dinosaurs by an asteroid some 65 million years ago. For many plant and animal species today, humans are the greatest threat to their survival. This is known as the sixth extinction, and its grim ledger is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The unrestrained destruction of animal habitats for our cities and food production is the equivalent of a slow-motion asteroid. And yet, only humans have the capacity to prevent a real asteroid from hitting Earth.
The challenge of this ideas competition is to create a physical memorial to the Sixth Extinction – a global event that has happened, is happening, and is yet to happen – one that doesn’t remember or edify the human subject, as most memorials do, but rather questions the human as nature’s self-appointed executioner. Your memorial design can be any size and can be sited anywhere.
Jury
Laurie Olin, Founder of OLIN Studio; Professor of Practice, University of Pennsylvania
Julian Bolleter, Director, Australian Urban Design Research Centre, University of Western Australia (Jury Chair)
Jacky Bowring, memorial design specialist, Professor of landscape architecture, Lincoln University, New Zealand
Peter England, Tony Award-nominated theatre and arena spectacular live production designer
Catherin Bull, Emeritus Professor of landscape architecture, University of Melbourne; Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology
Sara Lynn-Rees, indigenous architect and lecturer, Monash University; Chair, Australian Institute of Architects First Nations Advisory Group
This competition is held in memory of Richard Weller, former chair and professor of landscape architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Western Australia.
Entry Information
Entry Fee: Free
Eligibility: The competition is open and free to enter for students and professionals in any design-related discipline.
Prize money: $15,000 AUD prize
Deadline: 1 November 2026.
Competition Website: https://www.audrc.org/competitions
The information was published on 25 June 2026. Please check the competition website for more information (brief, submission requirements, etc).
Please contact the organisers with questions via the competition website.
WLA will not respond to questions or requests for information.
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