PROFILE | STEPHANIE WALKER
M | 0431 562 042
E | stephanie.ellen.walker@gmail.com
https://issuu.com/stephanie.e.walker
ABOUT ME
I’m a fourth year, Bachelor Landscape Architecture student at UNSW, currently living in the Hawkesbury NSW.
Our cohort has witnessed the effects of bushfires, flooding and COVID-19 upon the Australian landscape and population. Through this adversity we have critically studied the effects on the environment to understand how outdoor spaces can be utilised to encourage healthy living, improve sustainable practices and adapt to future uses and environmental challenges while respecting Country.
I have always had a great love of the outdoors, growing up on a bush block in Clarence NSW, I spent many hours outside in the bush.
I believe landscape architects need to take their passion for nature and the built environment and continue to educate themselves beyond this degree to best serve the community. Through committing to the continual improvement of landscape performance, we will be best placed to collaborate and reduce our overall human impact upon environmental systems and improve quality of life for everyone.
EDUCATION
2020 - 2023 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture – UNSW, Kensington Campus
2019 - 2019 Certificate IV Business Management – TAFE NSW, Meadowbank
2017 - 2019 CPD courses - McGrath Way Training Centre
2014 - 2020 COR, Property Management - Australia College of Professionals
2013 - 2014 Floristry (Certificate III & IV) – TAFE NSW, Richmond
2006 - 2011 HSC - Lithgow High School
ACHIEVEMENTS
2023 - Poem 'Fire & Landscape' to be published - Quadrant Magazine
2023 - Selected for overseas elective 'Street Life Studies: Sydney - Phnom Penh'
2022 – 3rd Year Student Representative – Landscape Architecture - UNSW
2018 – Nominated for Property Manager of the Year – McGrath Hunters Hill
2017 – Nominated for Property Manager of the Year – McGrath Hunters Hill
2017 – Nominated for Top Office of the Year- McGrath Hunters Hill
2016 – Received People’s Choice Award for artwork entry into the Blue MountainsWaste to Art Competition in Springwood NSW.
2014 – Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) – Floristry Perpetual Shield – First in Class
DESIGN PROGRAMS
AutoCAD; SketchUP; Adobe Acobat; Vectorworks; Adobe suite including: Adobe Bridge, Illustrator, InDesign & Photoshop; Microsoft suite including; Office; Excel and Power Point.
WORK EXPERIENCE
STUDENT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT – NSW Department of Planning & Environment
September 2022 - PRESENT
Currently working within the Open Space Strategy and Policy Team to assist in the delivery of high quality open public spaces across NSW.
LANDSCAPE DRAFTER – Myard Pty Ltd
August 2021 – September 2022
Trained alongside the residential landscape team, producing CDC & DA landscape plans in conjunction with council, estate, and planning requirements.
OPERATIONS & PROPERTY MANAGER - Speak Realty
February 2020 – August 2021
Within this role I was responsible for the day to day running of the office and property management duties within a mixed residential and commercial portfolio of 120 properties, including accounting and invoicing.
ASSISTANT COMMERCIAL MANAGER - Belroy Property
July 2019 - February 2020
Working on a mixed portfolio of approximately 200 residential, commercial and industrial managements alongside a Senior Asset Manager.
PROPERTY MANAGER - McGrath Hunters Hill
May 2017- July 2019
Working in a POD structure managing a high-end portfolio of 200 properties.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER - Guardian Realty Dural
July 2016 - December 2017
OWNER / FLORIST – Thoughtful Petal, Weddings & Events
July 2014 - December 2017
SKILLS / COMPETENCIES
O RESIDENTIAL CDC & DA LANDSCAPE PLANS
O PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (PM)
O COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT (CPM)
O BUILDING MANAGEMENT (BM)
O REAL ESTATE: LEASING, TRIBUNALS & ACCOUNTS
O COMPLIANCE & SAFETY (AFSS, Pool Compliance, Water Compliance)
O REAL ESTATE PROGRAMS (Filesmart, REST, Outlook, PropertyME, FLKITOver)
O FLORISTRY & EVENT PLANNING
O CREATIVE ARTS: DRAWING, PAINTING, MIXED MEDIA
O MODEL MAKING: PROCESS MODELS, PRESENTATION MODELS
1 02
2 03 STUDIO 7 | COMPLEX PROGRAM 'HIDE OUT'
3
STUDIO 5-6
'Connecting the Cumberland' is a vision for the reforesting native endemic species through out the Cumberland Plain and improving cycle ways and infrastructure within the region. The city center of Angus has been re-developed in line with thorough site analysis of flooding, soils and network road connectivity to ensure that any hard scape infrastructure will not be impacted in the event of a major flood event.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
CONSOLIDATED HOUSING TRANSPORT NETWORK CONNECTIVITY
EMPLOYMENT SUSTAINABILITY & RESILIENCE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
KEY
Marsden Park
Riverstone
Carparks
Sporting Amenities
Schools / Eduction
Existing housing
1m Contour
5m Contour
10m Contour
Rural Lots
Urban Farming
Ponds
Migratory Bird Habitat
Conservation Area
Woodlands Restoration
Riparian Corridor
Protected Freshwater wetlands
Shale & Alluvial Woodland
South & Eastern Creek Restoration
Cemetary
Carparks
Indigenous Edible Planting
Walking trails
E-bike Stations
Cycle Ways
Toilets
Parks
Bus Stops
2
1
Proposed Housing
Existing Housing
3 Green/Brown Roofs
Evacuation Routes 4
5 Main Shopping Precinct
Commercial Premises
Emergency Services
Train Stations
Powerline Corridor
12
| 1:10 000
MASTERPLAN
04
TO BLACKTOWN GARFIELD
CONNECTING ANGUS
The layout for Angus Park has been determine from flood analysis encroaching upon the peripheries of the site.
As a result of this additional roadways have been added connecting with Garfield Rd, and Richmond Rd above the 20m contours lines to ensure that there will be sufficient evacuation measures for the propose 4,000 residents within the development.
Furthermore priority has been placed upon mitigating urban heat with the surrounding area and settling an example for green housing initiatives seen in the implementation of green roofs in consolidated apartment living in Marsden Park and Riverstone.
To achieve reduced carbon emissions and strength community engagement the creation of a closed loop urban agriculture industry has been proposed along with cycleways and e-bike infrastructure connecting the site to established neighboring transport.
2 2 3 BLACKTOWN RIVERSTONE
Scale 1:10 000
Green Corridors
Green Housing Development
N A C B B A 1 1 1 2 1 GARFIELD RD WEST RD 1 4 2 3 3 100M
Green & Brown Rooftops
Environmental Protection
DETAILED DRAWINGS - SITE A
LANDSCAPE PERFORMANCE
The success of this landscape can be measured through the engagement between nature and the built form.
Integrating additional permeable paths along an existing walkway to encourage users to engage with the rehabilitation of the Forrest edge along Park Road.
The project supports the existing ecosystem by strengthening habitats and connecting greet corridors to ensure the protection of native species. Incorporating seating nodes to appreciate the views and surrounding environment creates an entry point for visitors to form a connection with the space.
Wide gentle paths and e-bike charging station encourage residents and visitors to be in the outdoors. Made possible in summer with the dense tree planting of street trees along main corridors to reduce the effects of urban heat and increase the comfortability of the suburb.
20% 10% 10% 30% 10%
14 KEY
1. Sandstone seating area
2. Compacted nature walk to increase soil permeability
3 . Re vegetation area strengthening biodiversity within patches
4. Large shade street trees planted to cool surrounding environment
5. Cross walk intersection
6. Wide multi -use pathway
7. Main Street through to shopping complex
8. E-Bike Hire and Charging station
9. Staged pathway to create viewing point and seating
10. Cycle path leading to extent of Angus and Farm Rd
10M 4 2 3 6 9 7 8 10 11 12 5 1
11. Dense tree creating buffer against road noise and improving micocliamte
Figure 46: Location Map Masterplan, Angus NSW. (S Walker, 2022)
N 04
Employment Community Engagement
Network Connectivity Sustainability
Consolidated Housing
Tranport
E-bike
A |
Dense Street Tree Canopy
hire centre SECTION
1:100 SECTION B | 1:100
AA BB V V V V
Figure 72: Context Map, Detail Site A, Angus Park. (S Walker, 2022)
areacapturing views 0 1
0 1
Seed park re-vegetation zone Seating
Scale 1:100
Scale 1:100
1. VEGETATION
2. TRANSPORT
SPACIAL ARRANGEMENT
Dappled with large native trees, creating a micro climate along the street edge to buffer against strong wind and serve summer sun.
Development onto this section of the site to include a main shopping precinct was chosen due to its high topography and low risk of flooding. Both to reduce the safety risk to visitors an residents of Angus Park but also to prevent damage to infrastructure.
Increase access to the site by placing charging station in proximity to views and amenities so users can cycle and convenient access all aspects of the site.
3. INFRASTRUCTURE
4. CIRCULATION
5. VIEWS
16 A 04
LEGEND Hardscape Materials LEGEND Tree Canopy Connectivity LEGEND Directional Access LEGEND Pedestrian Connections High traffic Intersection Recreational Paths Snaking pathway in and out of vegetation Trails suitable for elderly and children Bicycle hire shop and e-bike charging Seed Park, seating area platform and walking trail Large Shade trees planted on street edges to reduce urban heat Bus Stop Marsden Park to Riverstone N N N N Main Shopping Precinct Bus Stop Riverstone to Marsden Park Vehicle Access
LEGEND Prominent Views N A B
17
B
18 05 STUDIO 4 |
STOP'
COPENHAGEN - CYCLE BRIDGE 'CYCLE
19
STUDIO 4 | COPENHAGEN - CYCLE BRIDGE CYCLE STOP
'Cycle Stop' is a multi purpose cycle bridge in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark, designed to increase the available green space and access to commonly fount fruits and herbs within the local area to create a welcoming gathering space and increase healthy transport options within the district.
20 05
Cafe
Plum Garden Circular Herb Gardens
3 2 1 NW SE 5.6
2.5
Wild Berry Wall & Raised Foraging Beds
2.5
MASTERPLAN
Farming & Food Production ‘hugge’ Historic Buildings Connection to Place
ITEM NO. HATCH/ SYMBOL 1 Precast 2 Recycled 3 Flat steel 4 Galvanised 5 Steel stake 6 Drainage 7 Geotech 8 Mulch 9 Soil Mil
DETAIL MATERIALS
SEAT
SCHEDULE
DESIGN MODEL
RECYCLED HARDWOOD TIMBER - ADDING WARMTH TO FURNITURE
IMAGES
MATERIALS
Recycled hardwood timber slats
bars
CIRCULAR HERB GARDEN BED WITH TIMBER LINED SEATING AROUND EXTERIOR
50MM MULCH SET ON 420MM SOIL MIX HELD IN GEOTECH FABRIC AND DRAINAGE CELL
POLISHED CONCRETE FINISH
30X400MM HARDWOOD FIXED TO 5MM STEEL FLAT BAR WITH 10MM GAL SCREWS
Galvanised screws
80X300MM STEEL STAKE SET 150MM INTO PRECASE CONRETE, APOXY FIXED.
300MM INSITU CONRETE SLAB AS PER ENGINEERS SPECIFICATIONS
PLAN - SEAT 2
SCALE 1:10
SPANISH BOND BRICKS SET ON 30MM MORTAR BED
CROSS SECTION - SEAT 2
SCALE 1:16
21 SEAT DETAIL DOCUMENTATION PLAN & CROSS SECTION
75 30 400 85° 150 420 30 300
Precast
steel
concrete
stake Drainage cell Geotech Fabric
1200 2000
&
MATERIALS AND FINISHES PLAN
KEY
HARDWORKS SOFTWORKS FURNITURE
EDIBLE PLANTS URBAN
22 LAND2272
1:250 A4
PV1 PV1 PV2 PV2 PV3 W3 W3 W2 W2 W2 W1 W1 ST1 ST2 RA1 PI1 PI1 BO1 SW1 SW1 SW2 SW2 SW3 SW3 TF1 TF1 BR1 BR1 HR1 HR1 SE1 SE1 SE2 SE2 SE3 SE3 SR1 Precast Concrete Creates Smooth Arc 13m 2.5m 5.6m South West 37m 05
15.8.21
2 CYCLE STOP MATERIALS & FINISHES PLAN
Bittercrest
Victoria Plum Wild Strawberry
Juniper Berry
FORAGING
STAIR DETAIL
STAIR DETAIL DOCUMENTATION
PLAN & LONG SECTION
50MM STEEL TACTILE INDICATORS, SET 50MM FROM STEP EDGE
‘I‘ BRACKET SUPPORTING 8X25MM STEEL SUPPORT BEAM.
900X10MM BRUSHED STEEL HANDRAIL
FIXED @ JUNCTIONS WITH 15MM GAL SCREW
CONTINUOUS STEEL RAIL
STAIRS GRADED AT 1:20
AXONOMETRIC - PLAN
SCALE: 1:50
500MM INSITU CONCRETE SLAB AS PER ENGINEERS SPECIFICATIONS
STAIR DETAIL DOCUMENTATION
AXONOMETRIC
AXONOMETRIC - LONG SECTION SCALE: 1:40
GALVANISED STEEL SUPPORTS WELDED TO STEEL BEAN AT 400MM JUNCTIONS. FIXED TO 500MM CONCRETE SLAB AS PER ENGINEER SPECIFICATION.
AXONOMETRIC - STAIRS
SCALE 1:30
23 Lowered Garden North East 1m 10m 1:20
2000 900
400 900 1800 2630 3675 1020 155 50 8 250 820 2000 7745 115 300 2900 135° 110°
& IMAGES
MODEL ITEM NO. HATCH/ SYMBOL MATERIALS 1 Precast concrete steps 2 Precast concrete landings 3 ‘I‘ Metal beam 4 Metal brackets 5 Hand rail 6 Ganvanised screws 7 Tactile indicators 310 1070 Wild Strawberry 2485 2800 1200 1800
MATERIALS SCHEDULE
DESIGN
24 06 STUDIO 3|
LAND SCULPTURE 'HIGHER GROUND'
25
URBAN DESIGN | BATHURST, NSW
Urban Design maps a precinct of Bathurst NSW, deconstructing the foundational features of the areas street typology to best understand where change could be implemented and good design celebrated to increase the overall livability of the city center.
Public Domain Structure
Bathurst is defined by a uniform grid layout, with wide formal streets creating strong avenues and access from end to end, linked with a series of round abouts and traffic lights through the center of the city. Characterized by the main access point of Bentnick St & William Street from the A32 Highway, this formal structure allows for dense and affordable building construction. However surprisingly the skyline of Bathurst is kept to under three stories across its extend, largely determined by rigidity enforced by the grid.
- Formal angular layout
- Wide parrallel streets
- Opportunity for views and access created using structure
Open Space Network
The formality of the street structure is seen carried through in the Memorial Park, mimicking a symmetrical Edwardian garden, the site is anchored by the placement of the Carillon Memorial Statue. Creating an open public space, made available for all residents and visitors to the area.
Mature conifers and structured flower beds, creature a sense of enclosure despite the narrow dimensions, allowing passers by to appreciate the surrounding architecture and natural environment.
- Connected with crush stone pathways increasing permeability of surfaces
- Linking green corridor created with adjoining Machattie Park
34
08
Public Transport Network
Regional Bathurst is synonymous with cars and trucks dominating transportation network, a common problem in remote rural areas. Due to the lack of infrastructure there are no trams in Bathurst, with only one train stations buses have been adopted to service the outer reaching communities of Kelso and West Bathurst, as well as facilitate travel to the Charles Stuart Unitversity (Route 527) through a comprehensive bus network.
- Wide blocks creating reliance on vehicles
- Bus stops placed in key shopping districts
- Public transport limited around parks city.
Ground
The formation of the buildings within the center of Bathurst takes on the original characteristics seen in the domain structure, with the historic Court House and Anglican Church bearing the same symmetry and grand scale as the wide structured streets. Creating balance and hierarchy within the skyline.
- Juxtaposition of Victorian and Georgian Architecture with commercial buildings.
- Low lying street scape
Block Dimensions
Bathurst lacks a pedestrian friendly grain throughout the city, typically the blocks are 200m wide divided by 30m wide roadways, creating a lack of connection.
The pedestrian accesses surrounding Memorial Park linking across to the Anglican Church and through to Howick St are an exception to this style, incorporating lane ways and increasing the walkability of this section of the city.
- Dominated by vehicular traffic
- Expansive distances across streets and
Building Types
The typology of the buildings are low lying despite the potential to invest in high rise structures given the width and breadth of the blocks. It could be argued that the lad is therefore underutilized, however this could also create potential for future development should the population increase over time.
Street corners are largely comprised of a combination of mixed use and commercial buildings to increase foot traffic.
- Areas zoned as historic
- Combination of large and small lots
35
Figure
36 09 WRITING |
CRITICAL ESSAY & FEATURE ARTICLE
37
AN ANSWER TO URBAN SPRAWL IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA
Is
Following this theme of urban sprawl the following essay was written in Landscape Performance and challenges WSUD and water reuse within urban areas to uncover possibilities for resilience within residential developments.
Time to wake up, finish school, go to work, save your money, keep developing that side hustle, buy a home and raise a family. The ‘hard work pays off’ dogma is still highly romanticised and instilled upon each generation of young Australians, encouraged to make their mark, and own a piece of the lucky country. This ingrained cultural desire is a major contributor to the pattern of urban growth occurring in Australian cities known as urban sprawl.
Urban sprawl is often defined as development ‘sprawling’ out of control (Grout, Cavailhès, Détang-Dessendre, & Thomas, 2016), others describe it as planned urban development incrementally expanding (Kjaersgaard, 2021). The phase was originally coined by Earle Draper in response to the interconnectivity of transport networks required to service the expanding residential areas in America in 1937 (Nechyba & Walsh, 2004). A phenomenon largely taken up in the western world to encourage a secure family dynamic and fortify the sentiments of capitalism and home ownership, largely underpinning the Australian economy and cultural way of life.
Post-World War one, Frank Lloyd Wright proposed the model of development known as ‘broadacre city’ in 1935. All artists have a vision and Wright dreamed of a decentralised utopia (Viganò, Cavalieri, & Corte, 2018). This took form as a suburban landscape living amongst farms and native parklands where all residents would have equitable access to schools, museums, and shops. Typically, the spatial arrangement of regional cities is centralised with the focal point being a major shopping complex or main street, fortifying our dependence on the car as a means of transport.
This utopia seen in figure 2, creates a rich mosaiced pastural landscape and ingrained knowledge of land use and agricultural practices within the morphology of the city. However, this concept did not account for rapid population growth expanding the fringes, increasing the boundaries of the urban landscape ever further, posing constraints with connectivity and infrastructure. The dream that is Broadacre city cannot be maintained within the landscape, as recognised within the 2016 census. Another form of building typology is required to address the missing middle in the Australian Housing Market (NSW Government, 2022), single storey dwellings cannot be relied upon to cope with a rising population and strengthen communities. Identifying areas suitable for urban renewal is an opportunity to re-image the landscape at an appropriate scale (Kjaersgaard, 2021), what is working and what could be improved upon.
38 AN ANSWER TO URBAN SPRAWL IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA
the Broadacre City concept an answer to Urban Sprawl in Regional Australia, if not where to from here?
N N 09 ARTICLE
IS RE-IMAGING THE BROADACRE CITY AN ANSWER TO URBAN SPRAWL IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA?
This article was written in Urban Landscape design Seminar 2022 while exploring juxtaposing ideas and consequences created from the 'Australian Dream'.
What parallels can be drawn between the Broadacre City Model and Urban Sprawl within the context of Newcastle?
Wright was an American architect well known for his ‘prairie style’ residences – synonymous with low roofs and angular designs. This single level typology carried sentiments of the post war America dream, a dream which permeated into the cultural fabric of Australians in the 1950s. Broadacre aimed to innovate the approach to living within the urban landscape, the new frontier was not only a geographical one, but an economic, political and social one (Viganò, Cavalieri, & Corte, 2018).
Rapid colonisation of Australia since 1788 has altered much of the original landscape of this country, mimicking the reappropriation of land seen in America with the American Indians, in the English’s disregard for the culture of indigenous Aboriginal people across Australia. The core of the Australian Dream is steeped in colonialism, framed by Catherine Bauer’s thoughts on broadacre that you simply could not preserve the virtues of town or country if you are to spread it all over (Watson, 2019). Shown in the hundred year transformation of Newcastle from 1851-1950 in figures 3 & 4. The landscape has been dotted with rows of house on small blocks of land, the majority of the natural vegetation removed and the foreshore reclaimed for large scale industrial shipping use.
The irony in transforming indigenous Awabakal and Worimi land at Carrington, NSW from a once a prominent fishing spot and natural waterway for its nomadic people is the influential models set out by Frank Lloyd Wright was attempting to live amongst nature seen in the above figure ground (fig 5). The sectional organisation and hard surfaces went too far on this peninsular, mimicking in the course grid of the street network with industrialisation winning out over pastural lands and indigenous practices, loosing connectivity and the virtues of both landscapes as stated by Bauer.
Have we been designing for people, landscape or the car?
In the Broadacre City Model, growth was structured around the use of the automobile. The large distances required to travel shown in the road network in figure 5 & 6 supports this theory, the distance of blocks lose their walkability. The reality of relying on the car, saw the adoption of large pieces of monofunctional transport such as the Pacific Highway and M1 motorway – linking Sydney to regional Newcastle. Characteristic of a ‘sprawling’, wrapped in the sentiments of the car still chasing the Australian Dream (Howitt, 1960). Are Australians losing touch with the ecology of the natural landscape, in exchange for the luxury of getting from A to B? The consequences of climate change, disconnecting and urban heat seem too high a price to pay. The dockyards along Carrington NSW have been identified as one of the largest urban renewal sites of opportunity on the East Coast of Australia. Coupled with the inflation of house prices in Sydney’s Metropolitan has shifted the focus of development to regional centres.
Acknowledging this shift and patterns of sprawl, could this site now be used as a catalyst for change? The sole purpose of moving automobiles has a destructive impact on serviceability of roads, distance between families and is thoroughly unsustainable (Howitt, 1960).
problem of development cannot be found in the utopian idea to make the city look like the country (Watson, 2019).
“We have a finite environment—the planet. Anyone who thinks that you can have infinite growth in a finite environment is either a madman or an economist.”
– David Attenborough
This observation by Sir David Attenborough speaks to the age of the Anthropocene, the line that must be walked between life and landscape, once altered can seldom be replaced or replicated, a thought lost in the utopian vision for the broadacre city. Instead inspiration needs to be taken from works like ‘Park ‘n’ Play’, Copenhagen constructed by JAJA Architects in 2016. Designers have integrated a highrise parkhouse in Nordhaven, combining play, parking and air purification, whilst reducing the surface area of hardscape parking required on street level, complimenting our culture of the car, shown in figure 1 when reimaging the future of Carrington, NSW.
Re-Imaging the Australia Dream through the Common
Reintroducing ‘the common’ within the Carrington could allow residents access to green on apartment roofs, gardens, natural landscape to produce food, forage and establish a sense of community. Taking inspiration from Barcelona’s superblocks (Tonne, 2019), enclosing sections of the city to establish courtyards and safe recreational spaces shown in figures 6 & 7. Creating a means to build upon existing infrastructure to establish the ‘missing middle’, through reinforcing establish parks with additional forested areas or canopy trees, creating green corridors. This goes against the Broadacre model, a foreseeable solution to a systemic
Reflecting Forward
To keep the Australia Dream alive requires not only a bigger dream but a clear vision. As Australians we must humble ourselves knowing that the hard work does pay off. It does move you forward, but are we moving in the right direction? Implementing the Broadacre City within Australia while on the surface a romantic mosaic of green spaces, would fail, would look beautiful for a time, but would not benefit our existing morphology or correctly accommodate our indigenous peoples already apparent in the study of Carrington in figure 6. We must also refrain from placemaking for placemaking’s sake and investigate the common as a way of life and not as another commodity, leaning in effective strategies used globally. Landscape designers need to assist in reframing the idea of ownership and instead walk the line of ecology above economy to challenge the cultural mindset of the Australian Dream.
39
400m N 0m 500m 100m
400m
WATER RE-USE IN URBAN AREAS
What are the opportunities for improved urban water reuse schemes in new urban development in Western Sydney?
Australia’s relationship with Water Sensitive Urban Design (Hereafter, ‘WSUD’) has been stimulated by rapid population growth and increase in urban greenfield development, placing pressure on existing infrastructure and resources. What are the opportunities for improved urban water reuse schemes in new urban development in Western Sydney? Population statistics reveal the rapid increase in population since 20002021 from 19 to 25million with numbers expected to reach 28million by 2030 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021), this trajectory is compounding in development pressure visible in the Northwest Growth corridor in Western Sydney. A Previously uninhabited greenbelt bordering with competing impetuses of economic housing objectives and natural flood systems within the Cumberland plain. The National Water Initiative defined WSUD as “the integration of urban planning with the management, protection and conservation of the urban water cycle that ensures urban water management is sensitive to natural hydrological and ecological cycles.” (Council of Australian Governments, 2004) argued by (Connell & Grafton, 2005) this approach would have to consider individuals property rights and responsibilities in relation to water management. Later identified in Water NSW’s definition, ‘WSUD refers to the treatment measures landowners can adopt to reduce the volume and contamination of stormwater when planning and building new developments on your property.’’ (NSW State Government, 2022), ideas that will be explored further through this essay. Observing the clear differences surrounding the definition of WSUD suggests strategies can be implemented at local, state, and federal level. This essay aims to articulate possible strategies for landscape architecture to integrate appropriate water sensitive design (Wong, 2006) that aligns with the competing community values, economic objectives, and environmental conditions of the Hawkesbury Nepean basin. Implementing water resource schemes that engage with site specific environmental qualities, enhances landscape performance. Complex project sites increasingly require a transdisciplinary approach across the built environment to achieve design outcomes (Domlesky, 2018). Tony Wong through his appointment as CEO of the Cooperative Research Center for Water Sensitive Cities has narrowed his focus concentrating on the relationship between the urban landscape and buildings within the water cycle (Wong, 2006), captured in Figure 1. This flow chart categorises WSUD into three key themes, potable water, waste water and storm water, when aligned form a complex and wicked resilient landscape (Yang, 2020). Successful examples of this technology within the broader landscape have been achieved in Sydney Parks water re-use project capturing and cleaning 850 million litres of stormwater a year, making this water available for re-use whilst engaging the community in a multifunctional ecological and recreational space (GA NSW, 2022). Components of water sensitive design that improve landscape performance seek to engage the community, restore biodiversity, and produce economic stimulus. A simple example of this in action could be taken from the upgrading of park furniture in a local park and planting additional shade trees, increasing social interaction within the space, increasing water absorption, and providing stimulus to a neighbouring cafe (Yang, 2020). However, as identified by (Searle & O'Connor, 2022) within their critique of Sydney’s vision for a ‘Metropolis of Thee Cities’, there is now increased pressure placed upon residential dwellings, particularly, low density housing in the wake of the pandemic to fill in these gaps and sustain not only family life, but provide more indoor and outdoor space to support versatile and sustainable resilient living.
Is there more that could be done within the Northwest Sydney Growth Areas to increase landscape performance, with this area forecast to accommodate an additional 33,000 homes within the next ten years (Sydney Water, 2021)? Whilst infrastructure within greenfield developments is transitioning to recycled water methods to offset strain on freshwater resources to support a growing population. Current construction methods involve significant land clearing and grading of landscape resulting in densely compact clay soils (Australian Building Codes Board, 2019). Concluded by (Wong, 2006) remains a reoccurring impediment to the implementation of WSUD, with reform remaining elusive.
Could the future of water reuse reform be led by business acumen, as asserted by (Yang, 2020) as in general larger firms have an impetus for innovation. Arguably existing construction methods further establish reliance upon Sydney Water infrastructure and do not support WSUD schemes of landscape permeability and reforestation (Wong, 2006), diverting substantial unfiltered run off into existing waterways. Observed in field studies conducted by (Univresity of Western Sydney, 2022) along the Hawkesbury River at Yarramundi, Windsor and Sackville observing high turbidity caused by storm water runoff from neighbouring urban areas, recent flooding and removal of riparian vegetation along river. Conversely if urban construction methods were integrated with WSUD technologies this would produce a measurable improvement to the resilience water landscapes and potential of the urban landscape, decreasing the dependence upon current fresh water sources and incorporate significant catch and collect storage methods for individual dwellings to reducing channelisation into urban waterways (Faisal, et al., 2020). Broader integration of this technology within the landscape can be seen in the development of Rouse Hills Water Recycling Plants dual supply system, combining clean drinking water and up to two billion litres of non-potable recycled water for existing dwellings filtered for external use back to homes to flush toilets, water gardens and wash cars (Sydney Water, 2021).
What barriers exist to realizing this water reuse infrastructure through Western Sydney as mainstream practice? (Martire, 2018) identified that 90% of hard surface freshwater water run off within cities is currently diverted into grey infrastructure drainage systems. Current construction within the North Western Sydney growth corridor of Marsden Park considers the Blacktown Local Environment Plan (LEP) and the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP). As previously referenced by Tony Wong clear policy surrounding green and blue-green infrastructure remain elusive. Urban development onto the Cumberland flood plain must consider the (Australian Building Codes Board, 2019) whereby the National Construction Code is liable for regulating the safe construction of homes in line with the Environmental planning and assessment Act 1979 (NSW Legistlation, 2022). It is as this critical impasse that landscape architecture and industry professionals ie. Builders, engineers, and urban planners must intersect to influence urban construct and influence the public perception of water run off as a resource through design (Faisal, et al., 2020). Scientific researchers identified Australia the 17th most water stressed country in the world in 2018 (Martire, 2018). Mounting reform pressures saw landscape restoration identified as a key recommendation within the (Samuel, 2020) review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in 2020. Clarity around this scientific research through into Government Policy cements the urgency of these issues, bounding the focus for improving overall landscape performance supported but industry pedagogical improvements (Yang, 2020).
40
ESSAY
09
Figure 1 – The water sensitive urban design framework (Ecological Engineer, 2003)
Yang’s acknowledgment of lack of appropriate educating and training of new technologies across the built environment sector is a significant barrier to achieving multifunctional WSUD within the urban landscape. Demonstrated in the current debate surrounding raising the height of Warragamba Dam wall by 14m to create a ‘resilient valley, resilient community’ within the Hawkesbury Nepean, outline by (Infrastructure NSW, 2017). This development proposal has been opposed by the National Trusts president Andreana Kennedy as it will submerge 5,000hectares of world protected Burragorang Valley bushland (NSW National Trust, 2020). Stark difference in public opinion on this topic, raises questions surrounding perception of landscape performance and viability of increased damming and it is thought to have adverse effects on environment and communities (Shah & Chowdhury, 2017). Furthermore, use of grey infrastructure technology to mitigate historic flooding, contests with measurable landscape performance principles, remediation, reclamation, rehabilitation, restoration, regeneration, and resilience.
Greenfield urban development has a responsibility to enforce the these principles within the urban landscape at the local level, positioning the garden as a gateway to restoration with the capacity to bring people together (Standish, et al., 2013). Determining the level of intervention required is site specific and can be measured with a Sustainability Index, to categorise the level of blue-green flood infrastructure required for each individual development (Shah & Chowdhury, 2017). Openly advocating for green roofs, permeable driveways and the planting of endemic species, commits to broader education across the industry, in the education and upskilling of construction workers to support design as activism, becoming agents of change (Hou, 2020).
Arguably a determining factor limiting the integration of water recycling also extends to public perception. Identified by (Lebel, 2020) where mass behaviour has becomes an integral part of the water reuse and WSUD equation. Studies into the behaviour of the public show the 93% of people were prepared to use potable recycled water externally within the landscape, but only 37% were prepared to drink this water (Dolnicar & Grün, 2011). With similar result collated in a study of Toowoomba resident in Western Australia by (Tang, et al., 2018), where the determining factors to interaction were highlighted at trust and technical reliability. In contrast recycled water in Beijing, China is known as ‘middle water’, which is heavily relied upon and culturally accepted, marketed as new water (Neighbour, 2018). Recycled potable water is becoming widely accepted with cities globally coming under greater risk from urbanisation, population growth and climate change (Madonsela, et al., 2019).
Further examples of WSUD being used overseas can be seen again in China with the ‘Sponge City’ model, a strategy developed to prevent flash flooding with heavily urbanise areas from hardscape water runoff (Chan, et al., 2018). Instead creating resilient permeable landscapes to safeguard against water shortages and climate change (Chan, et al., 2018). To explore the capabilities of the permeable landscapes, pilot programs such as Zhenjiang City, an established 6-hectare city study site was used to test and retrofit existing infrastructure with drainage pipes to capture and purify excess stormwater through into extensive sub catchments for ruse. Strategies that’s could not only be introduced through large estate developments such as Rouse Hills Water Recycling Plant but could be introduced upon individual lots, designing permeable pavement, rain gardens, bio swales, tree planters, bio swales, and roof gardens to control surface water runoff (Zhong, 2019) into the Hawkesbury Neapean River. Water sensitive design in China is underpinned with research and support from industry leaders in performance evaluation such as Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning and Design Institute (China), seeking to understand the capabilities of blue/green infrastructure processes were viable before implemented at a larger scale (Zhong, 2019).
When critically analyzing how can these techniques be translated within the Australian landscape, government funding and education should take influence from this international approach as this will ultimately sway public opinion. Advocates for WSUD in Australia such as Briony Rogers has been actively researching capabilities for Water Sensitive Cities, a recent case study project in Elwood, Melbourne explores the history of water management issues related to flooding and water quality (Coorperative Research Center, 2018), understanding the importance of prioritising, and addressing the impacts of land use on landscape, a management concern (Wong, et al., 2014) witnessed in the rapid development of the Hawkesbury Nepean basin. Australian opportunities to integrate WSUD exist in Greenfield development, however, must be met with regulations.
Personal responsibility by individual users must meet the conditions of our currently social, economic and environment climate. Proposed by (Standish, et al., 2013) that urban nature needs to support cities of the future in the greening of hardscape to mitigate excess water run-off into drainage systems. Evidence of this philosophy being adopted in Australia can be found in Upper Merri Creek in Victoria, a substantial growth corridor North of Melbourne, with key enabling factors to the implementation of the project noted as federal government support and a key barrier noted as stakeholder engagement and support (Tawfik, et al., 2021). Upper Merri Creek ambitiously proposes to integrate water management planning across Werribee and Yarra catchments, contributing secure water, affordable water, mitigating flood risks, improving waterway and urban landscape, consider core values of the landscape whilst adding jobs to the local economy (Tawfik, et al., 2021). Visions shared within the Western Sydney Regional Master Plan, engaging with the community to create equitable resilient green spaces within Western Sydney (NSW Department of Planning and Environment, 2020), taking inspiration form the pilot project philosophy in Zhenjiang City and implementing site specific infrastructure.
Opportunities to implement site specific landscape performance infrastructure within the North West Growth Corridor exists in potential for permeable landscapes, such as swales, roof gardens and recycled water treatment facilities, reforestation of the Cumberland flood plain to mitigate flooding whilst considering the cost occurred due to scalability, equity of access and expence in converting existing infrastructure. These costs could be incurred by the estate planner or absorbed by the homeowner within a residential DA or CDC landscaping plan. Further capabilities of the landscape plan should integrate endemic native species with 200km of the build site as seen in the Centre for Sustainable Landscapes project (Piacentini, et al., 2017). Moving away from the culture of ‘fast track’ CDC building approvals to consider the landscape performance outcome of the dwelling prior to approval being given (NSW Legistlation, 2022) , coordinating with Blacktown City Councils SEPP to include the greening in the verge with indigenous endemic species to engage the community in broader efforts to sustain and instil engagement with landscape performance in the Hawkesbury Region (Yang, 2020).
Whilst integrating WSUD within the fabric of urban developments and broader drainage infrastructure will assist in mitigating contributory water runoff, reducing high risks of flooding, witness in the Upper Merri Creek and Zhenjiang City projects. However more ambition opportunities for implementing water reuse schemes in Western Sydney lie in modelling these techniques across, local, state and federal government into largescale infrastructure to support the bottom-up integration of residential housing initiative in greenfield developments. Likewise challenging the competing agendas of raising the Warragamba dam wall fosters advocacy towards green and blue green infrastructure. Educating the consumer to the contributory effects of water runoff within the water cycle will encourage reform of greenfield development regulation to multifunctional landscapes (Yang, 2020). Re-education as raising of the dam wall not only adversely impacts the native flora and fauna of the nation national park but increases our reliance on grey infrastructure technology.
Acceptance of flooding as a natural environmental condition of the landscape is a progressive step towards incorporating site specific water sensitive design within landscape. It is the responsibility of all Australians to champion the landscape (Lindsay, et al., 2019) and involve themselves in the conversation, fighting against completing high stakes of home ownership and development. Australians must bridge the gap with engineers and professionals, giving a voice to the community in structural and non-structural initiatives (Wong, 2006) . Radical involvement by the public needs to be claimed in WSUD within the Northwest Growth Corridor as people live in cities and flora and fauna have a homogenising effect on people connection to place (Standish, et al., 2013). This involvement is particularly important to determine the communities, economic and environmental values, exercising precision decisions (Standish, et al., 2013) in land zoning. As landscape architects we have an ethical responsibility to advocate for water sensitive design, which must be met with policy reform of the humble residential DA & CDC to measure landscape performance outcomes beyond the simplicity of the existing boxing ticking approval system to hold Windividuals accountable to their water waste footprint.
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Recycled Timber Play Equipment
