Visions for a re-greened space

Three Adelaide Uni arts students, and a landscape architect have carried off the two major prizes in our “Unpaving Paradise” re-greening poster design competition.

Two very different but imaginative designs have won the major cash prizes from our three-member judging panel, as the best submitted ideas for our pilot project to re-green part of your Adelaide Park Lands, off Port Road in Bonython Park / Tulya Wardli (Park 27).

The overall winner in the Open category ($400 prize) was a Graduate Landscape Architect with the firm "Outerspace Landscape Architects".

Wenxuan Zhang titled her entry “Transit station: Retrospection and connection”. These are extracts from her poster:

Wenxuan says:

“The design is loosely inspired by the migration of the Kaurna people "waadla-warnka-ti" who came to the plains to build wardli houses and huts during their second month (April) in Panati. Then leave again before summer arrives. This is in line with the function of the venue for people to stay without being too short or too long.

“The hut-like structure is made of 'fallen trees'. In the design, the posts are functioning as both the structure and replicating their living atmosphere. The design uses 'fallen tree' totems, which are linked with wooden boards. This creates a variety of functions and spatial forms, which are flexible.

“Users of the space can change and add to the design; the site offers engaging sandscapes, community garden 'flower pots' and artistic chalk pavement doodles. People can use broken tree branches to create patterns, visualising sand as moving water and rocks as mountains.

“By providing users with flower pots, they can decorate the site with flowers and plants and share this experience with each other. The chalk patterns on the colourfully painted asphalt provides opportunities for storytelling and fun within this natural and artificial landscape.”

See Wenxuan Zhang's full poster entry here: (PDF, 11.4 mb)

The winner in the Uni student category ($400 prize) was a team of three: Clare Charlesworth, Ben Nicholls and Jacob Sunter - postgraduates at the University of Adelaide working in English, History and Music.

In their entry “Blooming Poetry”, they proposed:

"planting a selection of poems alongside found musical instruments. This combination of poetry and subtle acoustic music makers will transform the site into an interactive and mindful green space. The poems will be themed around nature and offer re-imaginings of humanity's role within our environment.”

Three minor prizes have also been awarded.

The judges decided not to award runner-up prizes in the open, students, and primary school categories.

We would also like to acknowledge Sally Bolton (Australian Institute of Landscape Architects SA Chapter Manager) and Dr Jo Russell-Clarke, Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide’s School of Architecture for their assistance with this competition.

What’s next for this site?

Our 'UnPaving Paradise' committee will be working to turn one of these visions into reality. We'll be making a submission shortly to Kadaltilla /Park Lands Authority seeking endorsement (through the City Council) to start implementing the chosen idea on site. This would be consistent with a written agreement we entered last year when we commenced this process with the City of Adelaide.

Provided that we get the Council’s endorsement, we'll be looking for volunteers and donated materials to install the chosen 'UnPaving Paradise' vision at this location in Bonython Park within the coming months.

We raised some of the funds required for this project, from our ‘UnPaving Paradise’ regreening benefit show on Saturday 4 June.