Acknowledgement of Country

I would like to acknowledge and pay my respects to the Gadigal and Bidjigal People of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land in which this project’s site is located and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

DISCONNECT BETWEEN:

The history of the La Perouse headland has been evidenced to have innovations in technology at the peak of its time, with the Cable Station building complex being Australia’s first connection to the world though submarine telegraph cables, and Bare Island being technologically innovative of its time with the its construction and materiality predating the invention of reinforced concrete.

This proposal of “The Loop” is a revitalisation of the La Perouse Headland to be a hub that is technologically innovative and ever evolving. It is a meeting place that connects the land, sea, people and culture through activating spaces and encouraging discussion with various communities with its interactive elements. It would not only attract audiences, locally and internationally to the headland with its vast programs and interactivity, it would also bring awareness to the site’s rich history and ensure use and connectivity of spaces as a unified precinct.

The Cable Station, rather than its current use as a museum, would be a joint community and visitation centre that includes a wide range of functionality to connect the old and the new structures and functions. The spaces include, a digital resource and teaching centre, makerspace, study area, café and bar as well as offices and event spaces.

Located in the new extension of the Cable Station Community Centre, the event space was created with intent to mould with the landscape and blur the boundaries between inside and outside and slowly take over the building in a way of reclaiming the site for the people. It is constructed of an earthen floor platform where planters of recycled brick from the demolished shed structure the event space is taking over. The event space features a layered ceiling to mimic the contours of the land below with circular openings aligning with the planters that shifts the sunlight throughout the day. Another key feature of the space are the custom pop up tables constructed of a pop-up bollard base and local sandstone aggregate top,

Along the new highlighted gravel path connected to the community centre, leads visitors to the glowing light of the Macquarie Watchtower. The Watchtower, once a singular sandstone building, would be repurposed as an observatory for visitors to take advantage of the magnificent ocean views and relax under shelter whilst enjoying a cup of coffee at the Watchtower Café.

The new structures were created using an intervention strategy where the new forms are based on research and interpretation to reactivate the place in a new light. The new structure mimics the old sandstone form but made from custom clay breeze block for more transparency to highlight the solid existing building. They are then linked together through a second level and then enclosed using recycled timber louvre screens. The rotation detail of the louvres are used so it can not only block out the harsh natural elements of the open headland, but also allow views when open to provide seclusion without isolation. The space is scattered with custom woven shades and two main overhanging canopies made of native spinifex grass fibres, which have long been used by Indigenous communities. The plants are flexible, have evolved to thrive in harsh environments and also contain a natural sticky resin, perfect for this particular application, in order to hold the shape of the structure while also being sustainable for the environment.

At the southern-most part of the headland, there was need for more accessible pathways and circulation to not only make it easier in navigating between the different parts of the land but to also connect the vast spaces together. The creation of new wheelchair accessible pathways stemming from the existing pathway at Anzac Parade leading towards the historical Bare Island Bridge is proposed, as well as a new shelter on the southernmost part of the headland, where accessibility and amenities are located. This includes stairs and lift to the footbridge as well as picnic benches, BBQ areas and fishing preparation spaces.

The form was inspired by Aboriginal symbolism of the meeting place and then abstracted into physical form with a roof opening with Eucalyptus featured as the centrepiece, pathways added as well as balustrades for safe viewing points. Lined along the border are panels of custom designed perforated metal connecting to sandstone stairs carved from out of the rocky landscape that lead visitors to the Bare Island Bridge and boardwalk.

Leading up to Bare Island is a tunnel over the Bare Island heritage listed bridge. Shelter is added to create an atmosphere for visitors as they are transitioned into a new space. The weathered and exposed existing structure is inevitable to decay overtime. Creating a tunnel-like structure in a repeated arch design to cover the bridge, not only creates shelter for the bridge to preserve the integrity of the structure and for visitors to take refuge from harsh weather, it also maintains the beautiful views the area is known for, whilst also engaging visitors, preparing them for what’s to come at the Bare Island Museum. The solid arches of the tunnel structure are iterated and sit over the bridge and are lined with LED strip lights, while the floor mounted projectors that sit under custom benches that light up in the evening to provide another form of lighting as well as engagement from local Aboriginal Artists being celebrated and displayed.

Bare Island is proposed as a technological museum and function centre for visitors to explore the history of the land highlighting its Indigenous connections, British and French colonisation, war, and residency. This would be in the form of films, signage, games, and various displays of artefacts, physical and digital, to have elements of technological interactivity and innovation, particularly through the VR experience of the Island which opens up people to stories of the area.

The journey is ended with the ‘loop’ finally being connected as reinforced through the main interactive element of the museum, the LED interactive flooring. It is lined along the main circulation of the fort as a way to inform and engage, allowing people to look back on their footprints while visualising life at La Perouse throughout history through carvings, photographs and physical artefacts, confronting people with the question: How can we leave traces in a digital and technological society and how can we preserve what we already have?

360 VR EXPERIENCE

DESIGN DRAWINGS