In exploring the ‘fragmentation’ of the Sydenham
Reserve, James Heron demonstrates great understanding of how a degraded landscape can be
reinvigorated as a place for people and nature.His design response to the problems
associated with this site involves a rigorous investigation of the technical and pragmatic
issues of rehabilitation balanced with a creative salutation to the topography, harshness
of the climate and seeming enormity of the spaces involved James’ solution is
‘active’ in the way in which he introduces various recreational pastimes to the
site, yet ‘passive’ in the way in which parts of the site are rehabilitated so
that nature can take its own course.
His solution is budget driven, exploring in-depth the expenses involved in fencing and
rehabiliting the site in a staged manner, while at the same time tackling a difficult task
of ecological restoration within the context of extremely difficult site conditions.
James is to be congratulated for the depth of resolution displayed across a range of
professional skill bases and for the strong clear graphic techniques used in his
presentation.
