2016_Knutsford Conceptual frameworks for urban infill development_reduced

Ageing light industrial precincts, in areas of high amenity and good public transport connectivity (such as Knutsford), would better serve broader community interests if they could be reconfigured to provide affordable and conveniently located housing. This report set outs how this process of transition could occur in a way, in which the character and creative capacity of these industrial precincts is retained and even enhanced by redevelopment and urban infill development.

Knutsford infill development precinct

Conceptual

/Preface

Through the lens of the Knutsford infill development precinct this report explores the potential role of ageing industrial precincts in Perth to yield urban infill dwellings...

The project

In mid-2014 a ‘memorandum of understanding’ was signed between Landcorp and the Australian Urban Design Research Centre (AUDRC) for the AUDRC to deliver a number of research projects relating to Landcorp’s key missions. This project (Phase 2) is described in the MOU as involving the following tasks:

Conduct an urban design analysis of the Knutsford precinct and develop conceptual frameworks for the Knutsford infill development precinct. These frameworks are to include propositions for urban structure, precinct scale infrastructure, public open space and programming elements…

This draft report is submitted for Landcorp’s review and comments, as set out in the MOU.

The site

The Knutsford precinct is a redevelopment area in Fremantle comprising the former Fremantle Industrial Area, BP Fremantle Bunkering Terminal, Australian Navy Fuel storage site, Public Works site, Museum Depot and Department of Defence land. These sites are owned by various different groups including Landcorp, the City of Fremantle, PEET and private businesses and investor owners.

Knutsford Street runs east-west through the development area and is recognised as the main street and the local community and other stakeholders generally refer to the entire area as

Knutsford. Knutsford itself is located only 1.5km from the Fremantle Town Hall.

There are a variety of structure plans in place for particular areas within the Knutsford precinct. The eastern portion of Knutsford has an approved structure plan ‘Knutsford Street East’ and the western portion of Knutsford has an approved structure plan ‘Swanbourne Street.’ Furthermore ‘Lot 1354’, a joint venture Landcorp project is currently under construction. Given the substantial amount of work which has gone into the preparation of these structure plans, the propositions in this report will respect and work within the planning described in the structure plans. Moreover the principles and opportunities described in these documents have formed the basis of the Knutsford ‘Visions and Principles’ pamphlet inserted as an appendix in this report.

Background

The context of this report is the significance placed on the need for residential infill development in the planning policies of all Australian capital cities – cities which are some of the ‘lowest density and most car-dependent on the planet’ (Dovey and Woodcock 2014, 1). Typically infill development is being sought to minimize the burden of infrastructure costs, commuting times, and the concentration of socioeconomic vulnerabilities on the fringes of our cities (Kelly, Weldmann, and Walsh 2011) as well as to maintain and protect both agricultural and biodiverse areas

(NSW Government 2010). Cumulatively, Australian city planning policies aim that 60% of all new residential development should be infill and around the nation we typically only achieve 30% (Bolleter and Weller 2013).

Despite the long term application of Activity Centre, Activity Corridor, and ‘background’ urban infill policies – and a target that 47% of all new residential development be urban infill development – Perth achieved only 28% urban infill development in 2012, even lower than its historical average of 32% (Department of Planning and Western Australian Planning Commission 2012b, 6). Reflecting this situation, data for the whole of Western Australia shows that the proportion of non-house development is now under 20%, a miserly figure compared to 25% in the mid-1990s and around 30% in the early part of the 1980s (Rowley and Phibbs 2012, 8).

Through the lens of the Knutsford precinct, this report explores the potential role of ageing industrial precincts in Perth, to yield urban infill dwellings. So as to do this, we need to understand these precincts within their historical and economic context. In 1947 some 26% of Perth’s workforce was employed in manufacturing (Stephenson and Hepburn 1955, 45) – in sites such as Knutsford. As part of a greater shift towards a service economy, by 2011 this figure had fallen to 8.5% (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011) The remaining manufacturing jobs are spread over 3013 ha of industrial zoned land in Perth’s suburban core – or 7% of the total suburban core area. This is a

comparatively high figure – a fact borne out in comparison to the greater Perth region that only has 1.7% currently zoned for industrial uses (Department of Planning and Western Australian Planning Commission 2012a, ix). Perhaps partly because of the generous provision of light industrial areas in the suburban core – in relation to the jobs they provide – this land is increasingly being infiltrated by higher end commercial uses. At the same time, some manufacturing operations are relocating to strategic industrial centres on the urban periphery, as central land becomes more and more valuable (Department of Planning and Western Australian Planning Commission 2012a, 37)

Given this situation, what should be the role of these central light industrial zones for supporting residential infill development – if any? We believe that ageing light industrial precincts, in areas of high amenity and good public transport connectivity (such as Knutsford), would better serve broader community interests if they could be reconfigured to provide affordable and conveniently located housing. This report set outs how this process of transition could occur in a way, in which the character and creative capacity of these industrial precincts is retained and even enhanced by redevelopment and urban infill development.

With Perth’s population predicted to increase dramatically over the next 50 years – from 1.9 to potentially 6.6 million (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013) the need to deliver high performing urban infill development is unlikely to ease –

while this growth represents a creativity opportunity which is likely to be unrepeated, if it is handled badly, it could be calamitous. As Brendan Gleeson reminds us – our cities will be the urban ‘lifeboats’ which will hopefully enable us to sail through the coming storms of resource shortages and climate change (Gleeson 2010, 131). In short, our capacity to deliver urban infill development that is sustainable, liveable and visionary will be one challenge that will define Perth’s viability in this century. This report is directed towards this end.

The Knutsford preinct and context

Fremantle Town Centre

Knutsford precinct

/Analysis

In part, this analysis represents an attempt to understand and map the fabric of the existing community at Knutsford...

Knutsford Infill Precinct / Analysis and design

One of the principal factors behind Perth not meetings its targets for urban infill development is widespread community resistance. Evidence of this is a survey that revealed that across all Australian capital cities, 52% of suburban residents ‘would not like’ increased population in their neighbourhood and only 11% said they would like it (Productivity Commission 2011). There is reason to believe this figure could be even higher in Perth. In a recent survey conducted in the Perth middle ring suburb of Bayswater, 75.8% of ratepayer respondents to a community consultation exercise were in support of banning multi-unit developments (Cornish 2015). This can be partly attributed to the failure of high-density schemes in the past such as Observation City in Scarborough and erroneous perceptions of medium–highdensity development (Rowley and Phibbs 2012, 23). In many cases local communities perceive the state government planners as autocrats and outsiders, intruding on the democratic rights of ‘locals’ – and as such seek the support of their local councils against such state government planning initiatives (Jones 2010, 217).

This analysis represents an attempt to understand as much as possible the existing spatial, programmatic and social fabric of Knutsford1 – to avoid the perception (or indeed reality) of state government endorsed planning, descending on a complex and vibrant local community and imposing a generic form of urban infill development.

1 In conjunction with more conventional mapping analysis including transport, biodiversity, infrastructure, landuse, built form and climate etc.

While extensive consultation of the Knutsford community has been conducted by Landcorp previously (Landcorp 2014), this analysis maps culturally important sites in great detail so as to form a record of what exists –the presumption being that this will aid in its protection. Beyond this, the nurturing and perpetuation of the Knutsford’s unique culture becomes a major concern of the design proposals described in the following sections.

Cultural Analysis

Heritage Council of WA Places with Heritage Significance mapping shows little ‘official’ heritage within the Knutsford precinct

Monument Hill

Fremantle

Prison

Cultural Analysis

AUDRC identification and mapping of places with cultural significance (continued onthe following pages). Through comprehensive analysis it is hopped as many as possible of these sites can maintained through the redevelopment process.

1.

Fremantle Freemasons Hall

Cnr High St and Chalmers St, Fremantle WA 6160

2.

The Cool Room Cafe

114 Holland St, Fremantle WA 6160

Old Values Vintage Store

Cnr Holland St and Onslow St,

Fremantle WA 6160

Frank Gibson Park and Netball Courts

Cnr High St and Chudleigh St, Fremantle WA 6160

Cnr High St and Bateman St, Fremantle WA 6160

Squarepeg Home, Lauder and Howard Antiques and Ottoman Empire

17 Blinco St, Fremantle WA 6160

3.

4.

5. Monument Hill

6.

19 Blinco St, Fremantle WA 6160 8. Blinco

19 Blinco St, Fremantle WA 6160

19 Blinco St, Fremantle WA 6160

26 Montreal St, Fremantle WA 6160

26 Montreal St, Fremantle WA 6160

22A Knutsford St, Fremantle WA 6160

Fremantle Fibonacci Centre

Street Cafe

9.

Rock Paper Scissors Hair Salon

10.

Dismantle Bicycle Recycling (Part of FERN)

11. Heaven Raw Cafe (Part of FERN)

12.

Avada Crossfit Fremantle

13.

Concrete Studio

22 Knutsford St, Fremantle WA 6160

14.

Old Ruin - Machinery Relic

Cnr Knutsford St and Wood St,

Fremantle WA 6160

15.

Fremantle Public Golf Course Driving Range and Cafe

Cnr Montreal St and High St, Fremantle WA 6160

16.

Convict-Built Wall and Graffiti Art

Cnr Knutsford St and Swanbourne St, Fremantle WA 6160

17.

Oil Tank Remnants

Cnr Knutsford St and Swanbourne St, Fremantle WA 6160

18. Stranded Container

1602 Amherst St, Fremantle WA 6160

19.

Shipping Container House

218 Wood St, Fremantle WA 6160

20. Remnant Spearwood Dune Vegetation

Cnr Knutsford St and Swanbourne St, Fremantle WA 6160

21. Maru Cafe

40 Amherst St, Fremantle WA 6160

22.

Old Ruin - Abandoned Tractor

174 Wood St, Fremantle WA 6160

Cnr Stevens St and Swanbourne St, Fremantle WA 6160

24. Street Art

Cnr Stevens St and Swanbourne St, Fremantle WA 6160

23. Stevens Reserve

25.

6 Stack St, Fremantle WA 6160

Cnr Montreal St and Stevens St,

Fremantle WA 6160

6-8 Nannine St, Fremantle WA 6160

Cnr Montreal St and Stevens St, Fremantle WA 6160

Montreal St, Fremantle WA 6160

Wood St, Fremantle WA 6160

Shedwallah

26. Booyeembara Park

27. Freo Men’s Shed

28. Skate Park

29. Facade

30.

Facade

31.

Knutsford St, Fremantle WA 6160

WA 6160

WA 6160

Wood St, Fremantle WA 6160

WA 6160

Timber

277 Wood St, Fremantle WA 6160

Shed

32. Shed House Knutsford St, Fremantle

33. Sheds and Facades Blinco St, Fremantle

34. Shed

35. Facade Stack St, Fremantle

36. Fremantle

Traders

Topographic Analysis

The Knutsford precinct has an undulating landform with limestone outcrops exposed through historic excavations (marked with *) 0 30 60 120 180 240m

Topographic Analysis

Topographic features. Cuttings which expose limestone strata are particularly evocative of the Knutsford landscape

Southern oil tank cuttings

Northern oil tank cuttings

Oil spill containment bund wall

Biodiversity Analysis

The site is traversed by a proposed ecological linkage (from the Perth Biodiversity Project) which connects remnant bushland areas and open spaces.

Fremantle Public Golf Course

Booyeembara Park

Project

20m Reserves

Transport Analysis

The site has a number of 30m wide street reserves which are currently underutilised.

Stevens Reserve

Monument Hill

30m Reserves

Fremantle Public Golf Course

Booyeembara Park

Main road

Minor road

National highway

Transport Analysis

Bus routes and stops. The Knutsford precinct is reasonably well serviced by busses however consideration should be given as to whether a bus stop could be provided where Amherst St crosses Knutsford St.

Monument Hill

Stevens Reserve

Fremantle Public Golf Course

Booyeembara Park

200m

Bus stop

Transport Analysis

Perth bicycle network routes and 200m offset. The Knutsford precinct is poorly served by bicycle routes and consideration should be given to a north-south running route connecting to the adjacent existing routes.

0 30 60 120 180 240m

Monument Hill

Stevens Reserve

Fremantle Public Golf Course

Booyeembara Park

200m

Energy infrastructure Analysis

Consideration should be given to buffering the 132kv powerline along Montreal St for future residential dwellings to the west. The Energy Networks Land (substation site) also forms a significant component of the overall precinct and as such should be considered with respect to appropriate screening and interpretation. 0

Fremantle Public Golf Course

Potential buffer

Booyeembara Park

Water pump station

Monument Hill

Fremantle Public Golf Course

Booyeembara Park

Pressure sewer

Sewer pump station

Water main

Overlanddrainage

Monument Hill

Road reserve drainage

Fremantle Public Golf Course

Booyeembara Park

Built form usage Analysis

Knutsford’s eclectic built form sits in contrast to the surrounding suburban form which is fairly homogenous.

Monument Hill

Classification:

Large Neighbourhood Park

Facilities:

Walking paths

Seating

Stevens Reserve

Classification:

Large Neighbourhood Park

Facilities:

Cricket oval

Basketball Court

Netball Court

Playground

Walking Paths Public Open Space Analysis

The precinct is reasonably well served for active and naturalistic POS - however this little in the way of more urban open space

Classification: Pocket Park

Facilities: Playground Seating

Small Neighbourhood

Virginia Ryan Park

Horrie Long Reserve

Facilities:

Cricket Field BBQs

Picnic Tables

Public Art

Frank Gibson Park

Facilities: Soccer Field

Basketball/Netball Courts BBQs

Seating

Walking Paths

Picnic Tables

Booyeembara Park

Classification:

District Park

Facilities: BBQs

Seating

Walking Paths

Picnic Tables

Public Art

Features: Wetland Stream

Stevens Reserve

Monument Hill

Fremantle Public Golf Course

Booyeembara Park

White Gum Valley Primary School

SummerAfternoonSeaBreezes

/Proposal

design

Given the complex cultural fabric which Knutsford sustains and the potential that redevelopment will almost inevitably force the relocation of some of these we focused on the Knutsford St spine as a site where these uses could be rehoused and indeed new uses incubated...

This framework for the Knutsford infill development, set out in this chapter, includes propositions for urban structure, public open space and programming elements. The framework will be discussed in relation to its four main precincts:

The first precinct is the Knutsford Street spine. One of the positive legacies of Knutsford’s industrial past is a number of extremely wide street reserves – indeed up to 30m which is wider than even Perth’s St Georges Terrace. Given this generosity, we considered whether Knutsford St (which connects Monument Hill and Booyeembara Park and Fremantle golf courses) could be recast not as a road but rather as a linear park that nonetheless also works as a trafficcalmed street. The ‘Knutsford St spine’ which results from this process could form the spatial and cultural backbone of the entire precinct. While we have conducted an examination of various linear park/ traffic calmed street combinations (including Las Ramblas in Barcelona- which is the same width, Avenida de Portgual in Madrid, and Lonsdale St in Melbourne) none of these are directly applicable to the Knutsford situation – being too ‘urban’ or too formal.

Given the complex cultural fabric which the site sustains and the potential that redevelopment will almost inevitably force the relocation of some of these, we focused on the Knutsford St spine as a linear park (with small communal buildings) where these creative uses could be rehoused and indeed new uses incubated. This

conforms to Marcus Westbury’s1 notion that:

Cultures can be nurtured. Cities can seed and feed culture. They can give it somewhere to live, to move, to breed, to grow. And when it fails (as it often does), they can provide fertile ground to go to seed in. Cultures are living things- they die as often from illthought-out initiatives to preserve, protect or resuscitate them as they do from starvation… Great cultural cities are those which allow their cultures to flow rather than freeze (Westbury 2008, 174)

So how could this fertile ground be arranged spatially in the Knutsford St spine? We firstly laid a grid over the entire road reserve area. This grid measures 42 x 10m and is divisible by 8 conventional shipping containers.2 Within this framework we then began to organise a multitude of different 24 x 10m modules which were dedicated to various uses, including recreational (bicycle free-ride areas, skate parks, playgrounds, community fire pits, basketball hoops, shelters), productive (community garden, urban orchards, farmer’s market, artist studios, shared work areas), ecological (urban wetlands, endemic plantings), temporary (street art, party pavilions, stages), transportation (roadway, car parking) and relocated functions (such as the FERN café, Dismantle bicycle recycling and Freo Men’s shed which are all looking for new homes). While we have 1 Marcus Westbury is an art festival director based in Melbourne.

2 These dimensions are also convenient because the street reserve is subsequently divided into 3 strips – one of which can be dedicated to the movement of vehicles, the other 2 for public uses.

visualised a hypothetical layout of this multifunctional spine the eventual distribution and indeed selection of these uses would ultimately need to be subject to a future ‘needs based assessment’ where residents of the area are surveyed to determine to what uses they would like to have incorporated. A needs based approach considers not only the absolute number of people within a given geographic area, but ‘importantly also accounts for their socio-demographic composition, their leisure and recreation preferences and those of various sub-groups within this population, and the type and number of facilities required to serve those needs’ (Sipe and Byrne 2010, 23) – all things which are difficult (if not impossible) to predict in advance. Nonetheless prior to this formal needs based assessment, the spine would be ‘seeded’ with relocated programs (such as the FERN café and Dismantle) as well as temporary uses. Importantly, the vision for the spine is not one which is intended to be ‘fixed’ and ‘formalised’, rather it is intended as community infrastructure which is ‘fluid… adaptable, accessible, breakable, spontaneous, flexible and capable of evolving quickly with the (community’s) needs’ (Westbury 2008, 180). Secondary, but nonetheless important, are a variety of north-south running streets and pedestrian connections which feed into the Knutsford St spine. These connections draw the surrounding developments and existing suburban areas into the activated heart of the Knutsford precinct.

The second precinct is the ‘Booyeembara’ linear park. This linear

open space extends the endemic plantings, terraforming, and character of Booyeembara Park north along Montreal Street. This linear open space is important as the existing Knutsford St East structure plan stipulates a significant density of residential dwellings on the precinct 1 and 2 sites – dwellings which will benefit from overlooking a vegetated public linear park rather than the current barren street verges and ancillary areas associated with the golf courses. Finally this linear park will form a direct pedestrian connection between (the presently isolated) Booyeembara park and Knutsford’s future medium residential density urban fabric.

The third precinct is the Hilltop Spine This runs south from Knutsford St and incorporates the remnant Spearwood Dune vegetation on the Hilltop, the historic reservoir ‘sunken garden’ (proposed in the relevant structure plan), and the ovals of Stevens Reserve. These elements have been bound together into one landscape composition as they represent many of the defining physiographic features which demarcate Knutsford’s identityincluding exposed limestone outcrops, remnant endemic vegetation, views and cultural history.

The fourth precinct is the energy precinct. While the electricity substation located within the energy precinct plays a vital role in the supply of electricity the precinct and beyond, we tend to not ‘see’ this infrastructure: it is outside our day-to-day experience of the city and its buildings, streets and parks. In part, to address this situation we suggest a

number of minor interventions to this area that can (in a conventional sense) improve its aesthetics but also integrate it into the greater precinct both physically and psychologically. These interventions include appropriate lighting, an energy sculpture (which possibly registers energy use through a lit element), and/or a sculptural screening fence.

3. Hilltop POS spine

4. Energy precinct

1. Knutsford st spine

2. Booyeembara linear park

Knutsford st existing

With an existing street reserve width of 30m Knutsford St poses the question of whether it should it be a street, a park or both?

Pedestrianised Streetscape

Knutsford st spine/ Precedent

Las Ramblas, Barcelona

At 1.2km, the Rambla in Barcelona has become extremely popular with both tourists and locals due to its highly pedestrianised nature.

The Rambla has one way traffic either side of a large, tree-lined boulevard that is dotted with kiosks, florists and gathering spaces. It connects Port Vell and Placa Catalunya, and gives priority to pedestrian movement. There is also significant space allocated to bicycle, scooter and moped parking to discourage car movement through the streetscape.

The Ramblas colour, richness of culture and pedestrian orientated nature makes it a significant streetscape model. Elements such as tree types, building heights, functions provided along the boulevard, in addition to its pedestrianorientated nature, could all be analysed in order to explore what makes a successful, well connected street.

These elements could also be applied to the Knutsford precinct, as Fremantle already possesses its own unique culture and identity. This identity could be strengthened through the use of Knutsford Street as a connective streetscape, which has the potential to provide a sense of unity to overall development of the precinct at both macro and micro scale.

Knutsford st spine/Analysis

Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Pedestrianised Streetscape

1.9m Pedestrian Boulevard

Footpath

Knutsford st spine/ Precedent

Avenida de Portugal, Madrid

Linear Public Open Space (Median Spine)

Avenida de Portugal

The construction of the Avenida de Portugal provided a new means of connecting the Casa de Campo, an important perimetral urban park in Madrid. The Avenida, a significant road which runs into the centre of Madrid and leads towards Lisbon in Portugal, was relocated into a tunnel and underground parking for 1,000 vehicles was also provided. Consequently, the remnant space above was converted into a garden and landscaped green-spine which runs between local traffic roads above the Avenida.

The design concept evolved as a “journey to Portugal”, in which the abstraction of cherry blossoms was used as a design element, in addition to Portugese paving being reinterpreted into the design.

The Avenida de Portugal forms part of the 10km Madrid Rio project, which has created 120ha of new public open space. It is also the largest urban infrastructure project of its kind in recent European history. There are several spaces such as playgrounds, skateparks and seating spaces which benefit the community and provide a large range of recreational opportunities. It also re-establishes severed connections between green spaces that run along the banks of the river Manzanares, as it runs through the city.

This project could provide ideas for developing a linear green spine along Knutsford Street that reconnects significant public open space such as Booyeembara Park, the Fremantle Public Golf Course and Monument Hill. It could also provide inspiration for recreational opportunities within the

spine, such as playgrounds, community gardens, sporting and fitness amenities and seating areas.

Footpath Road

Knutsford st spine/Analysis

Avenida de Portugal, Madrid

Linear Public Open Space (Median Spine)

Pedestrian Boulevard Road

Footpath

Knutsford st spine/ Precedent

Lonsdale Street Redevelopment, Dandenong Road Reserve Redevelopment

The redevelopment of Lonsdale Street in Dandenong, Victoria involved the creation of linear gardens, running adjacent to the road in order to reestablish one of Melbourne’s ‘premier boulevards.’

The design incorporates garden beds, built in seating and a series of rain gardens that capture and treat localised water and irrigate the additional 260 Pin Oak trees that have been planted along the boulevard.

The boulevard is now equipped with pedestrian crossing points and had a focused intention to create a pedestrian and cyclist priority environment. The traffic has been concentrated to the centre of the boulevard and is defined by four rows of trees that shelter the pedestrian realm.

Despite Lonsdale Street being significantly greater in width in comparison to Knutsford Street, the concept of an irrigation system to sustain linear parks is applicable to the Knutsford Precinct’s sustainability vision for the area. Tree lined pedestrian parks also provide shade and serve as a buffer from the road. Lonsdale Street’s integration of artwork and the use of paving to define space could also be explored within the Knutsford development with the aspirational outcome of creating a pedestrianorientated streetscape that reflects the unique Knutsford community.

Knutsford st spine/ Analysis

Lonsdale Street, Dandenong Road Reserve Redevelopment

Footpath Carpark Garden Beds

Footpath and Seating

4-Lane Road with cycle paths and median strip

Footpath and Seating

7m 9m 5.8m

Footpath

Carpark

Garden Beds

Knutsford st spine/ Analysis

While we have conducted an examination of various roadway linear park combinations (including Las Ramblas in Barcelona- which is the same width, Avenida de Portgual in Madrid, and Lonsdale St in Melbourne) none of these are directly applicable to Knutsford situation –being too ‘urban’ or too formal. The question what is the appropriate typology for the Knutsford St spine?

Community Assets

Recreation

Remnant

Craftsmen Old

Knutsford st spine/ Analysis

Given the complex cultural fabric which the site sustains and the potential that redevelopment will almost inevitably force the relocation of some of these we focused on the Knutsford St spine as a site where these uses could be rehoused and indeed new uses incubated.

Knutsford st grid- Stage 1

So how can this fertile ground be arranged spatially? We firstly laid a grid over the entire spine. This grid measures 42 x 10m and is divisible by 8 conventional shipping containers. Within this framework we then began to organise a multitude of different 24 x 10m modules which were dedicated to various uses.

Knutsford

st spine - Stage 2

In this stage Knutsford st road way would be realigned adjacent to new developments. Existing functions (such as the Fern Cafe) would be moved into the Knutsford st spine. Temporary landscape treatments could be deployed in the remaining unchanged sections of Knutsford St.

Temporary landscape

Relocation of existing program

Temporary landscape

Relocation of existing program

Possible Temporary Installations along the Knutsford st spine

Knutsford st - Stage 3

In stage 3 the remaining sections of Knutsford St would be realigned and a ‘needs based assessment’ of (~4750 new and 1320 existing) residents and equipping of resulting linear park would occur.

Needs based assessment of residents

Road realignment

Road realignment

Needs based assessment of residents

Communication

-Street Art

-Hoarding Walls

-Community Workshops within temporary spaces/installations

-Social Media engagement

Recreation

-Free Ride Park

-Basketball hoops and/or court

-Outdoor Cinema

-Community Firepit

-Ping Pong/Table Tennis tables

-Badminton

-Fitness Equipment

-Children’s Playground

-Community Sandpit

-Bike Lane

-Amphitheatre/Outdoor Cinema

- Recreation Shelters

-Cafes

Knutsfor st spine program masterlist

A list of possible program for Knutsford st spine to inform needs based assessment (visualised overleaf)

Temporary Urbanism

-Children’s games street art

-Street Art and Public Sculpture

-Urban Playgrounds

-Community planting and gardening schemes

-Stage

-Urban Square (communication/gathering space)

-Shipping containers and parklets to activate space

-Street Furniture

-Party Pavilion Productivity

-Community Garden

-Community Workshop

-Community Beehives

-Community Chicken Coops

-Composting facilities

-Farmer’s Markets

-Pop-Up Retail/Container “Village”

Relocation

-Dismantle bicycle recycling

-FERN Cafe

-Freo Men’s Shed

Ecology

-Urban Wetlands

-Urban Orchard

-Bushland/Native Vegetation

-Rainwater collection system

-Solar energy system

-Wind energy system

st spine program masterlist

Knutsford

Men’s shed(or similar)

Dismantle

Community centre/ cafe

Community garden

Nursery

Basketball

Climbing sructure

Freeride area

Ecology/ nature

Ecology/ nature

Art and creativity/ community

Playground

Skatepark

Beach volleyball

Outdoor ping pong

Sandpit

Montreal St

Men’s shed

Dismantle

INDICATIVE LAYOUT ONLY

Indicative visualisations of what the spine could look like when equipped in line with the needs based assessment. The section between Montreal and Wood Sts could have a productive quality (ie community gardens, Men’s shed etc)

Knutsford st spine/ Productive zone

Community centre

Knutsford st spine

INDICATIVE LAYOUT ONLY

Knutsford st spine

An indicative section of the spine between Montreal and Wood streets. Ideally the residential dwellings fronting Knutsford st in this area should have the potential to become retail/ commercial in time

Residential dwelling with potential to become retail/ commercial in time

INDICATIVE LAYOUT ONLY

INDICATIVE LAYOUT ONLY

The spine section between Amherst and Wood streets could constitute a shipping container village accomodating artist studios, markets, and workshops etc

Knutsford st spine

Fern cafe

Cultures can be nurtured. Cities can seed and feed culture. They can give it somewhere to live, to move, to breed, to grow. And when it fails (as it often does), they can provide fertile ground to go to seed in...

Marcus Westbury

An indicative section of the spine section between Amherst and Wood streets could constitute a shipping container village accomodating artist studios, markets, and workshops etc

98 Knutsford st spine

INDICATIVE LAYOUT ONLY

The spine section between Amherst and Edmund streets could be a recreational precinct with childeren’s playgrounds, ping pong tables, beach volleyball courts etc

Edmund St

Knutsford st spine

Blinco St

INDICATIVE LAYOUT ONLY

The spine section between Amherst and Edmund streets could be a recreational precinct with childeren’s playgrounds, ping pong tables, beach volleyball courts etc

Knutsford st spine

Existing landscape planning incorporated

Lot 1354

The spine section between Stack and Swanbourne streets could be a ecological precinct which relates to the remnant bushland on the hilltop

106

Stack St

Knutsford st spine

INDICATIVE LAYOUT ONLY

The spine section between Stack and Swanbourne streets could be a ecological precinct which relates to the remnant bushland on the hilltop

108

Knutsford st spine

The spine section falls a singificant 17.5m between the edge of Monument Hill and the golfcourse

Climbing

Knutsford st spine

Amherst

The right image showing an indicative layout of program within the spine is a suggestion only- ultimately the layout and programs themselves would result from a community needs based assessment

Knutsford st spine

INDICATIVE LAYOUT ONLY

The images from this page and overleaf are of a model which is adjustable to allow the exploration of different configurations and program

114

Knutsford St model

Hames Sharley options for prcinct 1 and 2

The proposal for the Knutsford St spine raises questions about whether the Hames Sharley schemes for precinct 1 and 2 could engage more ‘directly’ with Knutsford st

Knutsford St

Knutsford St

Hames Sharley - Option A

View from SE. This visualisation service has been provided as part of the Landcorp / AUDRC MOU

Wood St

Montreal St

Knutsford St

Hames Sharley - Option A

View from NE

Montreal St Knutsford St

Blinco St

Knutsford St

Wood St

Hames Sharley - Option B

View from SE

Wood St

Montreal St

Knutsford St

Hames Sharley - Option B

View from NE

Montreal St

Knutsford St

Blinco St

Knutsford St

Wood St

Booyeembara linear park

This linear open space spine extends the endemic plantings and character of Booyeembara Park north along Montreal Street. Its primary functions are to provide a landscaped buffer to the edge of the Fremantle public and private golf courses and to connect Boo park with the heart of the Knutsford precinct

2. Booyeembara linear park

Boo park

130 Boo park spine

Montreal St looking south

Boo park

Boo park spine

The existing drainage sump on montreal street could be ingrated into the design of the linear park which would also incorporate a walking path and endemic sp plantings

Booyeembara linear park- typical section

Hilltop POS spine

Hilltop POS spine incorporating Stevens Reserve, the remnant bushlan of the hilltop an the ‘sunken garen.’

3. Hilltop POS spine

Stevens Reserve

Sunken garen

Remant Spearwood Dune vegetation

Stevens Reserve

Hilltop POS spine

Hilltop POS spine

Hilltop POS spine as viewed from the north

Hilltop POS /Precedent

Ballast Point Park, Sydney

Reinterpreting the Existing

Ballast Point (BP) Park is a former industrial site that was owned by Caltex and functioned as a lubricant production facility from the 1920’s until 2002. The design looked to not only retain, but also to celebrate the site’s rich cultural heritage and history.

The site once housed 31 oil tanks and the design embraces the large cliffs and existing topography which signify where the tanks originally stood. The design also dealt with the need for decontamination and regeneration of vegetation, in addition to using initiatives such as recycling materials from the site to create furniture and landscape elements.

The former BP Park also makes use of wind turbines to generate electricity. In addition to energy generation, the park also has an integrated stormwater collection and filtration system, which not only improves water quality, but also provides a habitat for fauna such as frogs and bird species.

There are many initiatives used within the BP Park that could be applied to Knutsford and the two sites possess similar qualities in both their historical functions and environmental opportunities. The Knutsford precinct, like the former BP Park, has a rich industrial heritage, has retained oil bunker sites and has opportunities for wind-powered electricity generation and recycling of local materials.

Energy Precinct

Interventions to bring the substation into the overall composition of the Knutsford precinct could include include appropriate lighting, an energy sculpture (which possibly registers energy use through a lit element), and or a sculptural screening fence.

4. Energy precinct

Energy Precinct

Interventions to bring the substation into the overall composition of the Knutsford precinct could include include appropriate lighting, an energy sculpture (which possibly registers energy use through a lit element), and or a sculptural screening fence.

Western Power land (no road connection)

Inspired by the role that a grand tree has on the environment, which is to provide shade and shelter, Ecosistema Urbano’s Ecoboulevard in Madrid contains three large cylinders that sustainably activate public space.

The three cylinders serve both social and environmental functions and can bio-climatically condition public space, in addition to providing a catalyst for urban activity. The bio-climatic system utilised by the transportable cylinders is commonly used in the green house industry, which is capable of lowering temperature within the cylinder by around 10C° subject to humidity conditions. The cylinders also aspire to act as “catalysts of public life, thereby improving the quality of public space in city extensions of this kind.”

The cylinders make use of photovoltaic cells, wind sensors and atomizers, which make it possible to regulate temperature and humidity, resulting in ideal conditions for urban activity to occur below.

These strategies could assist in providing ideas for what is possible within the Knutsford energy precinct, in addition to providing inspiration for sustainable and environmental initiatives within the precinct.

The Arlington Substation celebrates the necessity of infrastructure within a community, and the concept of embracing and celebrating infrastructure, rather than trying to hide it:

The primary challenge with this project was not to hide the substation, but instead to communicate to the people who encounter it how important and valuable it is. I knew that a successful solution would not be simply a pretty object, but an effective translator. People exist as part of a network. This network is not simply a network of other people, but of infrastructure, energy, matter, and ideas. The network, as I learned from my father, is an amazing and elegant thing. We simply need to recognize it. This project presents an opportunity to place the viewer in a better position to consider these relationships. Ben Fehrmann, Artist.

Such thinking in relation to infrastructure could be applied to Knutsford’s energy precinct and its existing electrical substation. The substation could become part of a larger public artwork (instead of an eyesore) communicating the function of a system that we tend to take for granted. The idea of an energy precinct could be further developed through the incorporation of alternative renewable energy producing systems such as wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels.

Montreal St

Stack St

Wood St

Drainage basin

Stevens St

Knutsford Precinct

The Knutsford precinct viewed from above the golf course Green

Blinco St

High St

Chalmers St

Green link

//Conclusion

Knutsford Infill Precinct / Analysis and design

At its core this proposal for the Knutsford precinct is an offering to the local community, in the form of an appropriately upgraded public domain, which we intend will provide a local community a reason to actually support, urban consolidation...

This conclusion will, firstly, discuss the potential implementation of the proposal (and accompanying vision and principles) and secondly, summarize the wider implications, of the Knutsford redevelopment, for Perth.

Implementation

The implementation of the vision for the Knutsford, as it applies to development precincts, will rely substantially on the use of design guidelines, the scope of which is set out in the relevant Local Structure Plans (Taylor Turrell Barnett 2014, 36).

These design guidelines, initiated by Landcorp, advertised for community comments and approved by the City of Fremantle will guide the design of the development precincts through to the Development Application process. In terms of the public domain (street reserves, parks) these areas are owned by the City of Fremantle and should be documented through a public domain plan- and a subsequent set of design guidelines.

While the design guidelines/ approval situation is relatively simple the mechanisms by which public domain upgrades are paid for is in some cases not clear. With respect to the public domain within development precincts (such as those owned by Landcorp) the presumption is the developer will be required to construct these – and as such this is a fairly straight forward situation. In relation to the road reserves, within which much of this proposal is sited, who they are upgraded by is less clear.

One option is that developers are

required to make developer contributions to pay for the road reserve upgrades. However, this is also unlikely to happen – by way of example in 2010, the City of Fremantle proposed a compulsory contribution scheme to pay for infrastructure provision/ upgrades which was abandoned due to private landowner objections and pressure on elected members (Landcorp 2014, 34).

Furthermore development contribution systems are difficult to setup and the City of Fremantle does not have an existing system established.

Another option is that the City of Fremantle makes a substantial contribution towards upgrading the public domain they own. This upgrade will have a number of positive effects with respect to amenity, but also development feasibility, and local government revenue. Firstly it will incentivize development within the precinct by increasing the desirability of the area. Secondly public domain upgrades, will enhance property evaluations which in turn will flow through in to increases in government revenue (stamp duty, land tax and rates revenue) (Pracsys 2012, 2), which will in part be apportioned to the City of Fremantle.1 This process referred to as the ‘proximate principle’ has around since the 19th century – indeed the 1 Council rates are calculated on the Gross Rental Value (GRV) of the property. The GRV is assumed to be 5% of the market value (Pracsys 2012, 5) Land tax is calculated on the Unimproved Land Value (ULV). The ULV is assumed to be 30% of residential properties market value and 25% of commercial properties market value (Pracsys 2012, 6)

‘increments of enhanced value attributable to a park’ were used as a rationale to justify the public funding of one of the world’s first public parks in Birkenhead in 1847 (Crompton 2005, 203). Finally by virtue of introducing program elements (for example cafes) into the public domain, rents will be able to be charged of operators which can also be used to recoup local government expenses.

The public domain proposals illustrated in this report will require significant on going management. While we would expect that Landcorp, in conjunction with appropriate place making consultants, would manage this in the short-term (during the phase of construction) in time such management would become the responsibility of a community corporation which would also be required for the management of district energy and water systems (Grace 2015, 12).

Wider implications

If such hurdles can be overcome we believe this project offers a model by which some (but not all) of the barriers to urban infill development in Perth could be overcome. Many local communities perceive that one of the most significant adverse effects of urban consolidation is the overloading of existing social and recreational infrastructure. To overcome this situation in Vancouver and other communities in British Columbia, Canada, use an Social Bonus Zoning (Kelly, Breadon, and Reichl 2011, 13) in which developers provide public amenity contributions as part of their urban development project (both in cash and in the form of libraries,

parks, childcare, community centres, etc.) to mitigate the impacts of higher density on the surrounding community – for which developers are rewarded with a density bonus (OECD 2012, 134). We believe community resistance to infill can be overcome if residents can see benefits flowing from them, accepting residential densification in their neighborhood. Indeed in Vancouver when it was explained to each neighbourhood that the more households it had, the bigger the tax take, and the bigger the purse for the public realm, residents frequently opted to have some buildings higher than required for their targets in return for amenities they valued… (Kelly, Breadon, and Reichl 2011, 13)

At its core, this proposal for the Knutsford precinct is an offering to the local community, in the form of an upgraded, engaging and activated public domain, which we intend will provide a local community a reason to not merely not oppose, but actually support, urban consolidation – to become part of the 11% of people around Australia who say they would like infill development in their neighbourhood (Productivity Commission 2011).

Overcoming community resistance

We believe community resistance to infill can - in many cases- be overcome if residents can see benefits flowing from them, accepting residential densification in their neighborhood. Put simply if they cannot see benefits flowing from urban infill they are unlikely to support it...

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///Contributors

Julian Bolleter

Knutsford Infill Precinct / Analysis and design

Dr Julian Bolleter’s role at the AUDRC includes teaching a master’s program in urban design and conducting urban design research projects. Julian has authored a number of books including ‘Made in Australia: The future of Australian cities’ (with Richard Weller), ‘Take me to the River: A history of Perth’s foreshore’ and ‘Scavenging the Suburbs’ – a book which sets out how Perth could be transformed into a dense yet liveable and biodiverse city.

Joerg Baumeister

Joerg is Director of the Australian Urban Design Research Centre (AUDRC) and has been researching, practising, educating and exploring Urban Design and Architecture for more than 20 years in Australia, Europe, Africa, and on the Arabian Peninsula.