AILA NSW hosts Sydney foreshore walk

An evolving foreshore from Darling Square to Barangaroo

AILA NSW President, David Moir, led a foreshore walk on Gadigal land for visiting US and interstate landscape architects, guests of Street Furniture Australia and our US partner Spruce & Gander.

The walk explored landscapes, buildings, public art and nature – from Darling Square through Darling Harbour and Barangaroo.

It’s an area of significant redevelopment with an overarching theme – the relationship between design and nature, and a growing emphasis on the reintroduction and preservation of the area’s ecology. 

David Moir says he sees it as an evolution. “There used to be a waterway in Darling Square – now it’s represented in the artwork. In Barangaroo the vegetation and the shape of the headland has been restored. The landscapes of today are becoming a dynamic representation of the past.”

Speakers from ASPECT Studios, Hassell, Oculus and Jiwah joined the tour to share on various sites: the initial project aims, and layers added over time.

At Darling Square, Louise Pearson of ASPECT Studios spoke about bringing planting into the pedestrian-friendly space, with references to the built and geographic history of the site.

Hassell’s Georgia Darling detailed a Darling Harbour and International Conference Centre (ICC) project that brought 30% more open space and refreshed the much-loved water play feature.

Roger Jasprizza of OCULUS described the creation of a strong waterfront connection from Rozelle to Pyrmont at Barangaroo South, with tree lined avenues and pavement changes to reflect maritime and indigenous heritage.

At The Cutaway we were lucky to hear from Clarence Slockee of Jiwah about the selection of native plant species, restoring the ecology for marine life and reintroduction of the land formation through sandstone terraces.

Bringing Indigenous Knowledge into Landscape Architecture

The tour concluded with lunch at Hassell’s office on Hickson Road, where David Moir reflected on the role of the Australian landscape architect and development of a growing landscape vernacular in the profession with the adoption of First Nations knowledge.

Indigenous land management techniques include thousands of years of fire management as well as some of the ancient world’s most sophisticated agriculture and engineering. David says, “When you begin to understand the sophistication of our First People’s culture and their relationship with the landscape and how this was sustained over thousands of years, the scales fall from your eyes.”

“The principles of Designing with Country are weaving their way into general landscape architectural practice which is leading to a unique Australian design vernacular.”

David referenced a number of books on the topics that he touched on – listed below.
Happy reading!

‘Dark Emu’ – Bruce Pascoe
‘Killing for Country: A Family Story’ – David Marr
‘Call of the Reed Warbler’ – Charles Massy
‘Invisible Friends: How Microbes Shape our Lives and the World Around Us’ – Jake M Robinson
‘Soils: The incredible Story of what keeps the Earth and Us, Healthy’ – Matthew Evans