Image Credit : Paul McMillan: Photographer
Project Overview
With a narrative based on the resilience of the Wadanggari (banksia), Wadangarri Park is the only park in Australia built over a railway line. Using innovative thinking about space to deliver green open space in a dense urban environment, the park extends the green corridors of bushland which connect the CBD of St Leonards with Sydney Harbour. This much-needed public open space is a resilient and responsive landscape that reflects and enhances the local character and identity of St Leonards while meeting the demands of urban growth, supporting active, vibrant, and growing residential and commercial communities.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Arcadia Landscape Architecture
Team
Alex Longley, Principal Landscape Architect, Arcadia
Michael Barnett, Principal Landscape Architect, Arcadia
Daniel Spicer, Associate, Arcadia
Chang Liu, Landscape Architect, Arcadia
Ruiqi Shen, Landscape Architect, Arcadia
Matt Tancred, Landscape Construction Manager, Arcadia
Aurecon, Project Manager
Arenco, Builder
Landscape Solutions, Landscape Construction
Cola Studio, Art
Uncle Dennis Foley, Cammeraygal Elder, First Nations Collaborator
iGuzzini, Lighting
Project Brief
Wadanggari Park is an open urban park that provides critical open space amenity for the growing St Leonards’ resident and worker community. Built over the North Shore railway line, the park delivers accessible connections to the new St Leonards residential zone south of the Pacific Highway with a new subterranean link below the Pacific Highway linking the existing station and new bus interchange.
Detailed analysis of the site’s potential for programming and circulation underpinned the design of this new space for the growing St Leonards community, where the population has grown by 61 percent between 2011 and 2021, and continuing to grow with 2,000 dwellings approved and under construction to the south of the Pacific Highway.
The vision for an over-rail St Leonards Civic Plaza was encapsulated in the 2006 St Leonards Strategy with Lane Cove Council’s aim of achieving a new Town Centre connecting both sides of the highway improving amenities for residents and workers. With final approval with Transport for NSW underway for the $50M project, the Council approached Arcadia, who was working on the adjacent private mixed-use development, containing a commercial tower, residential towers, retail, and the new St Leonards Library. This development included public domain and connections designed by Arcadia to connect with the conceptual over-rail park.
Project Innovation/Need
The suburb of St Leonards has undergone significant changes including the soon-to-open Metro station, and residential rezoning. The result is a growing St Leonards community, where the population has grown by 61 percent between 2011 and 2021, and will continue with a significant number of dwellings approved and currently under construction along and to the south of the Pacific Highway
Wadanggari Park demonstrates how innovative thinking about existing assets, such as airspace over the railway line, has delivered open space to revitalize the local economy and build a community. Completed over live rail, adjacent to the Pacific Highway and bus-rail interchange, and in proximity to commercial and residential properties, this highly complex project has given the St Leonards community, local businesses, commuters, and visitors a stunning open space. providing critical open space amenities for the resident and worker community, with an open urban park that includes play zones, passive recreation, alfresco dining, retail activation, and an events hub.
The precinct identity design provides a strong connection to local Indigenous people and culture. Developed with local Elders and artists, the Wadanggari narrative is communicated through the form of the sculptural play space, paving inlays and patterning, interpretive shade structures, and art.
Design Challenge
Wadanggari Park was created from thin air, created on a suspended deck over an existing railway line. Wadangarri Park was built via a set of 31 precast Super-T girders weighing 60 tons each to form a 3,000 m2 connected bridge. These were lifted into place with the biggest mobile crane in the southern hemisphere that was only able to gain access from
a single side street with no access received from the adjacent Pacific Highway. This process was carried out with 31 closures of an evening or weekends to minimize impacts to the heavy rail North Shore railway line and the freight and commuter movements. Collaboration and coordination between the project team local Council and the Department of Transport were crucial to facilitate construction with minimal impact on commuters. Arenco managed the complex construction of Aurecon’s 3,000 m2 bridge to form the platform upon which the park is situated.
Arcadia and Arenco collaborated to establish the load-bearing zones for the planning of the different elements of the Park, including trees and playground structures.
A major constraint of the design of the Park was the location of Sydney’s second-largest telecommunications node which strongly influenced the layout of the access between the Pacific Highway, the subterranean connection to St Leonards Station and accessible access to the Park.
Sustainability
Arcadia’s concept for the parkland zone extends the green corridors of bushland connecting the CBD of St Leonards to Sydney Harbour, widening the ecological and habitat corridors at a city scale, and recognizing remnant space that still exists through the urban fabric.
The bushland extension into the urban environment provides an opportunity for the community to connect with the local context and its natural systems. Wadanggari Park enhances the sense of scenic heritage through the distinctive characteristics found in the bush habitat of color, smell, and texture. The site will not only enhance the character and culture of the area but also serve as a site of shelter and food for local fauna. The park is designed to alleviate the urban heat island effect in a densely populated area with more than 50 trees, along with Indigenous shrubs and ferns, providing increased greenery and shade. The use of Indigenous, endemic species has benefits in the hardiness and water requirements for the plants.
Wadanggari Park was created from thin air, so there was minimal wastage and no impact on the immediate existing landscape or natural systems from onsite construction.
Wadanggari Park has contributed to the increase in the use of public transport with its easily accessible through site connections and access to trains, buses, and the soon-to-open Metro station. The subterranean link under the highway improves connections between the new bus interchange and the existing train station for commuters needing the cross the six-lane Pacific Highway.
Landscape Design
This award celebrates creativity and innovation in the use of practical, aesthetic, horticultural, and environmentally sustainability components, taking into account climate, site and orientation, site drainage and irrigation, human and vehicular access, furnishings and lighting.
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