MUDD student projects

exhibits

2002-2003 Rhodes Peninsula

3D Perspective (Group 3)

Master Plan (Group 2), Master Plan (Group 2)

Introduction

The Rhodes Peninsula is one of the last great ‘brown-field sites’ in Sydney to be redeveloped as a housing area. Located on the river about 8km from Parramatta and overlooking Homebush Bay, both the site and the water suffer from serious problems of industrial pollution. The site itself has high potential in terms of access to transport, shopping and local markets, health and recreational facilities. With the proximity of Olympic quality sports facilities on the doorstep, it offers unparalleled opportunities for recreation. These advantages are counteracted to some degree in that transport functions divide the Rhodes Peninsula into two parts, east and west, segregated by an arterial road and the rail line into the city. The Southern limit of the site containes Bicentennial Park, with a water bird refuge, salt marsh and protected Mangroves. The John Whitton Bridge connects the northern edge of the site to the north shore.

While the locational qualities of the site are unquestioned, its other characteristics are unspectacular. Its geography is almost flat, it contains no historic buildings of any note, has no great views and, while it is close to water, Homebush Bay has little or no natural movement or activity. Views from the site of any note would probably have to come from high rise apartments above the fourth floor. The shoreline has no natural characteristics, having been contoured into straight lines by prior industrialization. Nonetheless, for an inner city site, there are singular design opportunities, some of which have been explored by government. The site is also divided into three basic parcels on the basis of ownership, which restricts conceptualizing the site as a single design idea. Design guidelines were therefore the only method through which design coordination could take place. There was also the additional requirement that the longitudinal central road axis should ‘restate’ the old shoreline as a historical referent, clearly delineating that part of the site that had been reclaimed. Without doubt this was a questionable decision that seriously constrained potential design outcomes, as was the requirement to locate a huge retail outlet at the Southern limit.