Crocheted landscape takes the gold in architecture competition

When tasked to defy growing reliance on artificial intelligence and create a landscape model without digital tools, Charles Darwin University (CDU) Bachelor of Architectural Design student Jorja Handebo turned to her hobby of the past five years: crochet.  

Miss Handebo worked alongside teammates Rose Sauter and Ashley Bagadiong to design a space inspired by an existing artwork and a real-world site for the 2026 SuperStudio competition.  

Teams had seven days to complete the project and pitch it to judges. Miss Handebo's team placed first among the Northern Territory participants.  

Miss Handebo said her team's piece drew on the swirling patterns of Van Gogh's Starry Night, complementing the natural foliage of Myilly Point with winding pathways and integrated amphitheaters.

"We chose Myilly Point because it has a lot of expansive space and existing vegetation, we could work with, but it also afforded us an opportunity to come up with a design that could connect to nearby spaces such as Cullen Bay," she said.

"We have so much reliance on the built environment that we sometimes forget how important vegetation is when it comes to designing shaded, shared spaces for people to gather."

Miss Handebo said a key theme of the project was reconnecting people with the outdoors through tactile and tangible experiences, which was reflected in the 2D design of the landscape as well as the crochet model.

"I've been crocheting in my spare time for about five years, and we thought drawing on that creative element would help give our submission a 'wow' factor," she said.

"I did it all freehand, and used some swirling patterns to reflect the Starry Night and added some texture and trees to give it a more tactile feel." 

Entry into the competition required membership with the Australian Institute of Architects (SONA). Alice Springs-based firm Susan Dugdale & Associates covered $1000 worth of memberships for CDU architecture students, enabling students to put their skills to the test through the 2026 SuperStudio.