South Australian Sites
Lartelare
introduction / overview / slides / location / SA-Projects
Landscape Architect: Taylor Cullity Lethlean
Lartelare, Wirra Drive, near Causeway Road, Ethelton, South Australia
Overview
Lartelare is a community based park which is part of the $2 billion Port Waterfront Stage 1 and 2, development by the Newport Quays Consortium of Urban Construct and Brookfield Multiplex. The park, 7000m2 in size, provides the most substantial piece of landscaped open space for the Port Adelaide community and new residents within the development. It also complements substantial re-vegetation that occurred at Mangrove Cove, a park designed by TCL in Stage 1.
The park is located on land that is of enormous significance to the local Aboriginal community, particularly to members of the Brodie family and the late Aunty Veronica Brodie. The site was known as Campsite Two and was the recognised birthplace of Lartelare (Aunty Veronica’s great grandmother) and her daughter Laura Spender. It remains the traditional home of Veronica’s mother Rebecca, Veronica and their families for generations to come. The campsite was continually occupied whilst the Port was developed for industry and this layering of history is explored within the park design.
The role of the landscape architect was pivotal in defining the brief and hence ensuring a completely integrated outcome whereby community involvement and ownership of the site was maintained whilst fulfilling overall development requirements and objectives.
Twelve months of extensive consultation was devised and led by TCL with support from PAEC, the Joint venture of Multiplex and Urban Construct and the Land Management Corporation. Consultation involved working with the important elder Aunty Veronica, members of her family and the community. This consultation provided a strong underpinning for the design of the park, which was named Lartelare during this period. The park’s design respects and reflects the importance of the site to Aunty Veronica’s family, local Kaurna and all Aboriginal people, while providing a counterpoint to the more urbane areas of open space in the development.
Lartelare features a low water use planting of an indigenous open woodland carved out by a myriad of non-hierarchical winding paths and a number of ‘clearings’. All but one of these interpretive clearings contain dramatic large split rocks. Within the split are aboriginal artifacts housed in resin. Upon discovering the sliced rock a hidden past is revealed; a window into past occupation of the site which was buried when the river was transformed into a wharf. The clearings are surrounded by low curved walls inscribed with text that describes the significance of the artifacts. The stories and items contained within the boxes include a strong presence of the indigenous site owners as described below;
- Middens and Tools – Shells collected by the Brodie Family
- Weavings and plants, baskets – Unfinished mat made by Aunty Veronica, Miniature basket by Aunty Cherie and replica fish basket which inspired the shelter design
- Black Swan – Cast footprint taken from Torrens River after weir failure
- Dreaming – mirror
The central clearing contains a sculptural element which is reminiscent of a traditional Wodli, a shelter that was built along the banks of the Port River prior to settlement. Moiré patterning across the Wodli shelter using perforated sheets of rusted steel was chosen to reflect layers of hessian which was increasingly used in lieu of brush and bark as the river was developed into a port. Sugar and flour mills which were built along the river provided produce in hessian bags which Kaurna men would work as ‘lumpers’ loading produce onto ships.
Lighting contained within the artifact cases and the ‘Wodli’, reflect a story told by Aunty Veronica which described an evening landscape prior to European settlement. The story speaks of vegetated river banks flickering with the campfires of aboriginal families.
Throughout Lartelare other design features reflect Kaurna culture. Planting patterns adjacent to the apartments are indicative of traditional weaving patterns used in making baskets and mats. The same indigenous plants used for making the baskets have been planted in the landscape surrounding the clearings for potential collection and use by local Aboriginal groups looking to share and pass down skills to younger generations.
A large plaza with perimeter seating for informal performances by the community mediates between the indigenous informal plantings and clearings and the urbane waterfront and apartments. A contemporary and robust shelter reinforces this transition. The muscular expression of the shelter speaks of its waterfront location, while the roof form is evocative of a traditional hand crafted fish basket. The design was conceived following Aunty Veronica bringing a 150 year old artifact into a session to demonstrate the baskets that were made and brought to the campsite over many generations.
The main harbor-side promenade heralds the park with the inclusion of large amorphic concrete patterns. These patterns and the arrangement of seat walls around the clearings are evocative of shells found in middens that were buried by layers of fill during the construction of the wharfs and harbor-front.
Pavement materials within the park were carefully negotiated through consultation with Council and the developers to provide finishes that were natural, soft under foot and maintainable to ensure elements of the park were not too urbanised. Where possible materials were utilised from sources that were pertinent to the Brodie family.
The planting of 11,000 indigenous seedlings was undertaken as part of an employment training program suggested by TCL and funded by Council, the developers Newport Quays Consortium and State Government through the Department of Further Education, Employment Science and Technology. Sixteen Aboriginal people from the western region were supervised by Tauondi, an Aboriginal College. This training provided the trainees with skills and qualifications in horticulture and an opportunity to learn more about Kaurna culture and the significance of the site.
Overall the reserve functions at various levels albeit with a very simple design. It maintains a relationship and mediation with the new residential development, provides for open lawn and ball play areas as well as an informal plaza performance space. The highly vegetated areas, winding pathways and the clearings create contained, sheltered and more informal and intimate spaces. Medium height vegetation is not planted to ensure safety site lines.
The process has fostered a well integrated design outcome that is rich in content and allows for many the have a deeper understanding of the living indigenous culture. Most importantly a primary benefit of this project has been the strengthening of unity within the local Kaurna community. It allows friendships to form and strengthens community spirit and values.
SPECIAL FACTORS
- Management and implementation of an extensive consultation process with the local Aboriginal Community over 12 months that resulted in a culturally rich design containing integrated interpretation throughout the entire design.
- Development of a water sensitive indigenous planting program offering training opportunities and qualifications to unemployed Aboriginal participants.
- A built outcome whereby students are being brought and taught about relevant local indigenous history.
- Project leadership by landscape architect managing cultural context of project and multifaceted client/government stakeholders.
- An arts contract managed by the landscape architect. This involved construction of resin artifacts, the ‘Wodli’ and 5 mosaic artworks inlaid into seat top.
DESCRIPTION:
The design and construction of Lartelare was built upon a comprehensive consultation program devised by the landscape architect which resulted in the following key outcomes;
- Strong integration of art/sculpture and interpretation into an overall design that has been considered at micro and macro levels, including design content, material selection and display artifacts
- Consultation and Community involvement throughout all phases of design and construction
- Development of a water sensitive indigenous planting program offering training opportunities and qualifications to the unemployed Aboriginal participants
- A built outcome whereby students are being brought and taught about relevant local indigenous history
- Leadership in the design process advocating a thorough and purposeful community consultation process with indigenous communities on culturally significant sites
Environmental responsibility and sustainability
Whilst much focus on this project was directed at the process of design several sustainable practices were utilised in the creation of the end product as described below;
- Use of 11,000 indigenous seedlings, as well as low water usage trees and modern cultivars ( adjacent the apartments)
- Ameliorated sub-soil salvaged from construction works associated with marina works and soil remediation program
- Promotion of native plant species to the local community through education and training programs established during the course of the project
Relevance to the profession of landscape architecture, the public and the education of future practitioners
This project lead by a landscape architect has already been widely recognised by local councils and government organisations as a best practice model for community consultation with guest presentations being provided to LMC on the process, inclusion into government publications on community consultation. This recognition is relevant to the profession as it reinforces the broad range of skills that landscape architects can bring to projects.
introduction / overview / slides / location / SA-Projects
2008
