SENSORY SEGUES

Rowan Pechey, Filip Ristic (UoN) and Alyssa-Jane Fomin, Wenxie Peng, Timothy Ramos (UTS)

White Bay Power Plant is highly valuable, yet remains unoccupied due to it’s high toxicity levels. We propose to reclaim the site by cleaning up it’s toxic past with a phytoremediation garden. Firstly, no free public access to the garden means that people will be limited to private guided tours. We used a zig zag path through the site, which makes the experience a longer and more immersive one. We translated triangular pattern logic to section through the heights of the plants, almost forming rooms.

Secondly, the immediate and broader context has a deep and rich historical character. We identified surrounding landmarks and viewpoints as connections to this character. Harbour pergolas frame the views, similar to the landscape murals within the stations cafeteria.

Thirdly, the lifecycle of the garden delivers many milestone occaisions. Events for these milestones should be supported by the design to promote phytoremediation as a natural restorative process. For this we have intended to  connect with vivid sydney to  do a ‘moth’ light show.

The harmony between technology  and nature will celebrate the benefits of a returned ecology in a clean future. The final and most influential consideration for our design was that the garden it’s self-had to be self-explanatory and informative. One solution we propose are reflective planter boxes, where their materiality informs of the heavy metals being targeted within that box. For example; zinc sheets fixed to copper posts may contain saltbush, as it targets both zinc and copper.

To achieve an informative garden, we also attempted to understand the relationship we have with plants, and how the unique combination of our senses is how we communicate with nature. In conjunction with a tour, we have imagined how specific plants and forms may lead to sensory segues.