Landscape Architecture Australia
CONCRETE: THE FOUNDATION FOR THE URBAN LANDSCAPE
Exploring two premier projects that demonstrate the flexibility, durability and permanence of concrete.
Concrete is a highly versatile construction material that delivers the resilience and durability required for projects in the harsh Australian environment. When used with good design and construction practise, concrete can form beautiful urban landscapes built to last.
Concrete can be coloured, textured and moulded to construct an unlimited array of buildings and structures. It is an important contributor to sustainable development and enjoys an outstanding reputation for durability, efficiency and architectural flexibility.
Glenorchy Art and Sculpture Park
Located by the River Derwent, the Glenorchy Art and Sculpture Park (GASP!) by Room 11 Architects and McGregor Coxall consists of a public walkway, pavilion and courtyard. The architecture responds to the scale of the surrounding landform with blunt forms that frame and command the superlative Tasmanian landscape.
The public walkway is a colourful path that links previously marginalized but surprisingly beautiful sections of foreshore. Its gentle arc links an existing school, playground, major entertainment centre and rowing club. Punctuating the arc is a carefully crafted pavilion that offers shelter, seating and a location to pause and consider the water plane and sky.
The concrete pavilion and courtyard are the penultimate gestures of GASP! The pavilion has a twelve-metre cantilever that hangs over the Derwent Estuary, and the concrete walling is a key element in achieving this
gesture. The seeming improbability of a solid cantilever in concrete is a vital part of the architectural joy of the project.
At the entry to the building, the monolithic qualities of concrete are expressed, while at the cantilever the athleticism of concrete is displayed.
Concrete was selected as a robust, economic and sustainable material for the project.
For the design practices involved, a key component to the sustainable strategy was to make a project that would last, and concrete fulfills this requirement exceptionally. Concrete has not just been added to the architecture, but rather, this project is a pure expression of the qualities of the material. The building has become a landmark architectural feature of Hobart and has been embraced by the local community.
Lizard Log park
Lizard Log is a playground and park designed by CHROFI and McGregor Coxall. The functional elements of the park are woven together by interconnecting, winding concrete paths. Set within the ecologically and historically significant Cumberland Plain woodlands of Sydney’s outer west, the project exemplifies a self-sustaining, integrated approach to regional public parklands.
Due to the modest budget and high-use nature of the site, the design required a durable, cost-efficient material that could sit comfortably within the woodland setting. The designers also needed a product that could be used to sculpturally respond to the natural changes and curvature of the landscape. Concrete provided a robust material solution.
The flexibility of concrete allowed for a simple material palette to be employed across a variety of applications. For a textured finish, the interior shell of the structures was created using an in situ off-form method, with the surfaces laced with hefty recycled rope. The effect provides a beautiful juxtaposition with the smooth surrounding in situ pads and pathways. The second in situ application includes elegant edging to the water-efficient swales, which feed and filter water run-off from the carpark to the on-site dam. A pre-cast method was adopted to provide custom functional responses to on-site facilities, such as water spout wheel stops (which aid water filtration), barbecues and seating.
Not only does the use of concrete contribute to the high-end result, but it also allows for low maintenance costs. The design outcome also sets new benchmarks for sustainability in parks, with a self-generating solar power supply, water recycling and all concrete elements in Green Star-rated concrete.