A person’s right to their city relies on the ability to inhabit a space socially and physically without repercussions and to have almost every basic need responded to. Before being able to address this, we must acknowledge the current receptions of boundary and property, and to challenge the accessibility through who is and is not allowed to access spaces within the city.

Through my design we begin to dissect perceptions around property and individualism through a process of tension and release.

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            Tension is the recognition and understanding of the violent legacy of colonialism, the past, present and the unsustainable future if we continue.

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            Release responds to the opportunities that rise when being critical and compassionate – but recognising the double edged sword of the future which without collective critical activism we will not bend or reshape our future for the betterment of walking together.

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The fence, I aimed to design a space that is no longer untouchable, brutally protected, rather a physically playful object that acknowledges the physical boundary, rather than furthering colonial ideologies of property.

The current fence, a Victorian pallaced, is a symbol of the site colonialist past, harkening from colonialist architectural legislation – being used as a tool of exclusion, isolation, and oppression. The fence being a liminal space between the street and park for the people (the nexus).

Through this lens I hope to change perceptions of public spaces and how they are traditionally navigated.

The sculptural installation becomes a climbable piece of art, a contradiction of a fence and art in western eyes. The offset of the installation develops a respect for the natural boundary – the cliff, by allowing the separation of danger and play to be gradual, for a moment of pause for the user. The design of the vertical pillars (wind turbines) utilizes a rigid uniform structure in the central fan (seen in plan) but slowly tapers away, deconstructing and unwrapping the previous unity.

 

Similarly, the tightness and elasticity of the ‘wire’ sculpture, also dissipates as the form softens and relaxes away from the tense conflict of the centre. This is symbolic of the history, the tension of the past and present, contrasted with the opportunities of the future, through unity, heterogeneous collaboration, and action. Through the sculptural form, the design becomes a symbol of action, reminding us that with every intent will change the piece, deforming its shape and expressing the copper’s patina in ways that draw a new history of individual and collective action on its surface. The visual accessibility and act of play on the fence juxtaposes the history and use of fences – this juxtaposition is further highlighted as the gaze between the old fence maintained up the hill side path, shifts to the sculptural bright fence.

Although the sculptural element will create a pause before danger, the newly proposed fence would require a more robust protection. The line will be braced with a mesh like structure similar to the one used in Melbourne University School of Design. Through a translucent plan, it would streamline a visitor’s gaze to the art and beyond the cliff.

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The shelter, the journey along the fence would be accompanied by two identical shelters. These shelters are split in half to provide two main functions, amenities and a social space. The negotiation of territory has gone long enough to recognise the needs of space for a new discussion, through the northern shelter being situated in close proximity to memorial from those who fought in South Africa. I have decided to move the memorial to the eastern side, to better accommodate the discussion of property and rights to use the space.

The amenities, will provide people the ability to reclaim space through the access of 24 hr amenities, with energy supplied by the wind turbines on site. The space will include showers, fully accessible bathrooms, safe drinking water and lockers. The shower and water basins are visible (until in use) to promote access, safety, and usability. The shower door unfurls when out of use to give the space softness as the visitor enters.

The social space, consists of a sitting area around a faux hearth. The hearth will wash orange light onto the seating space to give a visual sense of warmth and comfort. The floor will be heated to further the sense of warmth through touch and feeling.
These elements will allow the space to be accessible all year and night long.

The community garden and extra onsite vegetation, added to the site are zoned into two distinct areas, with a third transitional space.

The first zone, the area closest to the cliff, will create and reinforce the benefits of natural barriers as precursors for inaccessibility at particular spots. This zone will host a variety of native flora that will help promote native fauna creating a sanctuary for butterflies, bees, moths, spiders, and birds.

The second zone, will host the community garden with a range of edible native and complimentary plants. This will foster the users’ relationship with land, by dev eloping an understanding of walking in two worlds together.

The third zone, will be a transitionary space between the garden and our edge, here it will allow for humans to connect with nature and live more harmoniously within it.
The garden will be irrigated through swales, troughs in the landscape that follow the natural flow of the hill which redirect water to desired spots.

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The one day event, the site will not function solely to accommodate the one day event rather it will be a space that builds up to the event with the ability for the space to be continuous transformed through self and group determination. This is achieved through the generous allocation of resources to the people that will further the one-day event by providing the site with incentive to access. These incentives accumulate through the access of power, water and flora on site that can be used by anyone at any time and importantly for group functions such as the one-day event.

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