Extract from “Newcastle Foreshore Landscape and Urban Design Competition - a ‘Landscape Australia’ Report Landscape Australia 1/82, pp 13-22.
Introduction
"Since last Century Newcastle has turned its back on the Hunter River. It has erected buildings which block the view, railway lines which prohibit access and it has used the waterfront for utility structures.
"We believe the Hunter River Frontage should be Newcastle's front garden. The thrust of our solutions rest upon this simple but fundamental premise. We propose to turn theface of Newcastle once again to the waters of the Hunter River and beyond. "
It was this perception of Newcastle coupled with a bold design objective that won for Tract Consultants the National Competition for the Newcastle Foreshore Landscape and Urban Design Competition against 74 other entries.
The Competition represents a benchmark for landscape architecture in Australia. Although milestones in history tend to be made in retrospect, there are two turning points which can be observed and recorded here.
- The first is the vision of Newcastle City Council in identifying a prime space in the city and recognizing its contemporary opportunities and its potential for future use.
- The second is that the design was won by a group of Landscape Architects against Architect competitors who are traditionally seen as stewards of urban design
The competition was not just a means for simply generating ideas for discussion, because the Council, supported as well by a number of prominent local business houses, have made clear its intent to implement the chosen scheme.
Lord Mayor Alderman Joy Cummings, in the forward to the competition conditions, said:
"It has always been my hope that someday the City would be opened to the Harbour, where the people of our Region could enjoy the fascinating, ever changing Harbour scene - ships, tugs, dolphins and gulls."
Former view: looking east showing togboats lining the waterfront, railyards centre with the old Fort Scratchley on the hill behind, the Customs House with its tower and the railway station on the right.
photo: Denton Corker & Marshall, Bruce Echberg
The competition was assessed by:
- Mr Lawrence Halprin - Landscape Architect and Urban Designer of San Francisco.
- Professor Peter Webber - Faculty of Architecture, University of Sydney.
- Mr Bruce MacKenzie - Landscape Consultant of Sydney.
- Mr David Chesterman - Architect and Planner of Sydney
The first prize was $12,000, second prize $7000 and third prize $3000. The conditions provided that 2nd and 3rd prizes could be aggregated and divided among a larger number of competitors.
The judges took advantage of this provision and gave awards of $2500 to each of the following:
- Perrott Lyon Mathieson Pty Ltd (Melbourne)
- Lawrence Nield and Partners Pty Ltd (Sydney) & Denton Corker Marshall Pty Ltd (Melbourne)
- Conybeare Morrison and Partners Pty Ltd (Sydney) Mr Michael Botton and Mr John Butterworth (Sydney)
- Suters & Bustead Pty Ltd (Newcastle) Lester, Firth, Murton Pty Ltd (ACT)
Newcastle Council must be congratulated for their foresight in perceiving the extensive opportunities which existed in this neglected space filled with disparate elements
The choice of Lawrence Halprin as an assessor of the scheme contributed further to the value of the competition and demonstrated quite clearly the Council's desire to be seen as an enlightened and positive force, not only locally but nationally. Through the Council's promotion the competition became quickly respected as a serious and prestigious event.
one of the key illustrations in the Tract report is the four historic profiles
Who are Tract?
Tract Consultants are located in Melbourne. They comprise a small group specialising in site planning and landscape architecture. Of the four principals in the firm, three are Landscape Architects. Chris Dance, Rodney Wulff and Steve Calhoun are all Landscape Architects. Howard McCorkell is a Planner/Architect. Chris Dance was Team Leader on the project
>> click for more planning diagrams >>
The Brief
Newcastle serves a region of 450,000 people, is the second city of NSW and the third largest port in Australia.
As the following comments from the brief indicate, the centre of Newcastle -
"is compactly developed on a framework laid down last century, crowded with buildings old and new. It has some buildings of architectural and urban significance (for example, the Law Courts, the Civic Group, the Customs House, the Railway Station)."
"As well the fringe of the Centre is ripe for substantial change. The riverfront adjoining the City Centre has long since passed the peak of its life as the force of shipping activity; the rail yards are approaching redundancy and the Power Station has already gone." Tract in their assessment of this situation felt:
"The Brief establishes a series of objectives, perhaps the most important of which describes the opportunity of redeveloping the waterfront and re-establishing its interaction with the Centre. The project may be a catalyst for enhancing the environment of the historic centre of Newcastle as the focus of the City for its people." (Tract P.2)
The Methodology
Tract's response to the brief is not based on any magic formula nor any text book scientific method. Their approach was, in part, born from the experience gained in the St Kilda foreshore study (Melbourne) and the Fitzroy Landscape Study (Melbourne). It is a systematic method, not a knee jerk reaction to the site.
The design team was careful not to pre-empt their solution until the site was fully understood. Reading Tract's report it quickly becomes apparent that the design is based on thorough research, sensitivity to the site, and an overriding ability to appreciate the components that are Newcastle; like its topography, social fabric, history and economy. This was demonstrated in their investigation of the history of the city which states in part:
"We are especially impressed by the history of Newcastle, from the first sighting of the Nobbys by Captain Cook in 1770 through to the establishment of the BHP Works in 1913-15 and beyond. The first landing by Shortland in 1797; the grim period of convict settlement from 1804-22; the development of the coal industry during the convict era and the granting of the 31 year mining lease to the Australian Agricultural Company in 1828; the occupancy of Fort Scratchley from 1860 and the opening of the rail link to Sydney in 1889. The vitality and pace of Newcastle in those days when the waterfront was alive and vibrant are portrayed vividly in books such as "Newcastle Sketch Book" (Farrelly) and in the library and archives of BHP.
''The challenge of this competition for Newcastle is to produce a design in harmony with the opportunities and constraints upon the site; realistic and capable of implementation by the Council; enriching to the urban fabric of the city in contemporary terms yet recapturing the flavour of Newcastle's illustrious past ..:" (Tract P.4.)
Here is a pertinent insight into the motivation behind a design that is entirely suited to Newcastle. By adopting this method of approach the Tract team has created a solution that is appropriate to its contemporary setting and possesses the ingredients to make it timeless.
One of the key illustrations in the Tract report is of the four historic profiles -
"The potential relationship of the core of the City to the waterfront is reminiscent of renowned cities such as Montreal, San Francisco and Sydney. Yet in Newcastle there is an especially intimate scale and a closeness to the waterfront which is unique in Australia. Moreover this relationship is strengthened by the grandstand effect created by the City's topography." (Tract P.1.)
The Scheme
The Tract design contains a variety of subtleties that are drawn together in a simple and consistent theme. The major elements of the scheme are:
A Dock built from traditional construction and named Queens Wharf to form one end of an axis along Market Street to the core and hub of Newcastle in the Hunter Street area. The design intent is to create a physical extension of the City core to the waterfront. This is the most important element of the proposal.
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This extension is to be through an overhead pedestrian link terminating in a tower on the waterfront podium with stair access to deck level. Its form is to be reminiscent of overhead gantries used here when the area was part of a railway marshalling yards for the coal exports. The tower and walkway will serve the practical requirements of grade separated pedestrian accessibility and the psychological needs of establishing strong linkages in a way that recalls historical elements.
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Ideally a restaurant should be incorporated in the tower structure, as it will provide a superb setting with a commanding view of the waterfront.
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The formality of Queens Wharf, which will extend beyond the fixed line of the new retaining wall, is reinforced by a set of warehouse style buildings flanking each side of the Market Street axis. These will be appropriate for retailing and harbour related light industries, boat related industries, sail makers, services and recreation. The designers considered a number of options for Queens Wharf. One idea was to break the sea wall and bring a harbour in towards Wharf Road. Another idea which was included as an option in the Tract entry was for two `fingers' extending into the water to provide a sheltered dock. To capitalize on the spatial opportunities between Fort Scratchley, the tug boat area and the proposed housing area, the designers realigned Wharf Road to run as a service road and separated arterial road hard against the tug boat wharves. This is an excellent example of Tract's ability to accept existing elements and capitalize on their role in the functioning of the City. Tug boats have been part of Newcastle's heritage for decades. Their presence adds to the vitality and variety of the waterfront and their acceptance in the scheme in this manner is another element that makes this design so fitting for the City.
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“. . . North from the Customs House to Camp Shortland, the former Power Station and Railyards are to be developed for housing and as a major passive recreational space . . ." (Tract P.8.)
This space gains its strength from the realignment of Wharf Road which enables the creation of a major area for events like concerts, as well as providing open space for the residents of East Newcastle.
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Subtle contouring would be carried out to create a variety of spaces and sequences, plant species would be predominantly indigenous to the area ….”
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The Customs House and Railway Station are seen as the two most important historic buildings and here formal plaza is proposed between the Customs House and the waterfront. This space is simple and uncluttered. It extends across to the station relating visually and physically to the maritime character
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Planting consists of `exotic' historic trees such Platanus acerifolia in the structured spaces like Customs House with indigenous plant material Shortland Park.
The masterplan does not contain an overwhelming amount of detail, but it does contain a host of subtleties. At this scale, the Master Plan is intended to resolve basic requirements such as the circulation patterns and relationships between functional elements and to establish landscape character. The Tract team look forward to the design development stage where they will be able to give expression their numerous detailed proposals.
Comment
Landscape Architects have every reason to be optimistic about the Newcastle Competition.
Urban design sponsored by Local Government often produces over designed spaces which are a kitsch reflection of inflated political egos. Newcastsle is freshing for it sets the pace by recognizing the potential of a space to transform the physical environment of a large city. The Council has refused to capitulate to the usual pressure for piecemeal beautification, or the allocation land for faddish activities.
That the design has been won by a group of Landscape Architects is heartening. Their winning this competition enhances the role and status of the profession in this country and helps open the way for new standards of urban design.
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