Exploring the challenge

Prior to European development, the site was part of a large
wetland and lagoon ecological system that extended from
Centennial Park to Botany Bay, known as the Botany Swamp.
Watkins Tench described it in 1789 as one of the finest meadows
in the world, but since then the site’s ecosystems have gradually deteriorated. The site was developed firstly as a racecourse in
the 1800s, and then for heavy industry. The large flat land, and seemingly limitless supply of good quality ground water attracted development, but these uses were unsustainable.

Victoria Park is now a 24 hectare mixed-use development, incorporating medium and high-density housing, commercial
and retail facilities for a population of 5,000.

      An individual approach

The design concept embodied four key principles that relate to its place: site-wide environmental strategy, interpretation of the natural wetland systems, site connectivity and community development.

In the public domain, the east-west streets feature median wetlands that facilitate the water management system. North-south streets are more traditional avenues. This was a direct response to solar access into streets and allowed for the introduction of bio-swale treatments into the wider east-west streets.

The parks have a richness in spatial form and materials, unified
by the common thread of indigenous planting of wetland species,
and a landform that is moulded to accommodate water retention requirements.

Public artworks express and celebrate improved water quality achievements, and plant selection and habitat creation consistently support the local ecosystem and promote biodiversity.

      An innovative response

The project exceeded expectations by virtue of its innovative water management system and its integration
into the high-quality living environment. Consequently, the project has become a benchmark
for water
sensitive urban design in an urban context.

Significantly, the public domain design commission proceeded simultaneously with the design and documentation of infrastructure, ensuring that the urban design and its water management system was coordinated with the roads
and services design.

      Definition in detail

The project is unique in its site-wide focus on water management
and its integration with the public domain.

The bio-retention swale infiltration system regulates the quality
of first flush water from the site’s public roads. The filtered water is intercepted, recycled and visibly exposed at the site’s notable water features at Joynton Park.

Plant selection and habitat creation consistently support the
local ecosystem and promote biodiversity. Native species are predominantly used in streets and parks to re-establish endemic communities on the site and minimise maintenance requirements.

      Beyond sustainability

The establishment of an ecologically sustainable water management system on the site is in itself a significant contribution to the culture
of the built environment. That this has been integrated into a
high-quality and dense urban environment provides a benchmark
for development throughout Australia.

Victoria Park provided proof that natural systems, or constructed ecologies can work in urban environments. The value of natural systems to sustain the land has often been the hallmark of rural development, but deemed unworkable in urban situations.
Victoria Park redefines the role of natural systems, and exposes
the shortcomings in the ideas of landscape as ornament.

The water management strategy is seamlessly integrated with
the urban design concept. The street layout provides simple and legible connectivity throughout the site with appropriate lighting
and signage elements. Drainage structures within the swales are combined with elegant bridge structures and an attractive median planted with a strong palette of native and endemic species.

The park’s designs create a variety of exceptional settings for the enjoyment of the new community. New plazas, playgrounds and publicartworks are combined with the provision of large open spaces and amphitheatres that meet the need to detain large quantities
of stormwater on the site. The designs make a contemporary contribution to the creation of a high-quality public domain.

Its open space not only provides a valuable recreation resource for the community, it also sets about restoring and reconstructing the ecosystems that once prevailed.

      Awards

2004 Australian Award for Urban Design –
Category Award – Public Domain

2004 AILA National Awards – Commendation –
Environment in Landscape Architecture

2004 AILA National Awards – Merit Award –
Design in Landscape Architecture

2003 RAIA (NSW) Awards – Lloyd Rees Award –
Civic Design

2003 RAIA (NSW) Awards – Architecture Award –
ESD/Energy Efficiency

2003 CCAA Public Domain Awards –
Commendation – Precincts

2003 NSW Premier’s Public Sector Awards –
Bronze Award for Water Sensitive Urban Design – The Environment

2003 IFLA Eastern Region Award for Excellence –
Award of Excellence

2002 Green Square Design Awards –
Award Winner – Innovation

2002 The Architecture Show Magazine and The Francis Greenway Society Green Building Awards – Gold Medal

2002 AILA (NSW) Project Awards – Project Award – Master Planning

2002 PIA / UDF Australia Award for Urban Design Excellence –
Award of Merit

2002 SIA National Award for Excellence
in Water Sensitive Urban Design

2001 RAPI (NSW) Awards – Commendation Award for Excellence
in Planning – Urban Design Plans and Ideas

2001 UDIA (NSW) Awards for Excellence – Commendation –
Professional Consulting Award

      Publications

Urban ambition: once were terra / by Peter Connolly
Architectural Review Australia, issue 095, 2006, pp. 50 – 55 

Watering Sydney / by James Weirick
Architecture Australia, Jan / Feb 2004, pp. 78 – 85

Critical opinion: Victoria Park / by Catherine Evans
Landscape Australia, Sept 2003, pp. 12 – 14