Concept Design

Myself and my group parnter created our concept driven by enhancing the student and community experience through the use of landscape architecture.

The site is located at 305 Mann Street, Gosford, and we have challenged the existing design of the University of Newcastle Gosford campus by embedding acknowledgement of Country as they approach the building. The feature wall also shows the site’s floor plan striped back to a continuous line. This Line design represents the site journey and its three key design elements.

Country into the landscape. Our design reflects the natural flow of the land and waterways using the original creek lines between Mount Mouat and Presidents Hill as well as the original contour lines through the site.

Traveling towards the back of site we have provided a ramp for accessibility with native planting that has 3 breakaway spaces. The layout has been influenced by shell midden found on Country including oyster, pipi, and cockleshell. These forms are prominent in the floor plan as they are surrounded by native planting making them private from one another. These spaces can be used for small learning areas, community engagement, and retreat area. The natural curves of these shapes follow the flow line of the façade.

As you journey to the back of site we have designed a yarning circle which can be used for community events, gathering, and teaching spaces that strips back the traditional style of amphitheatre teaching. This allows everyone to feel equal within the space and provides students the opportunity to speak without judgement. Our yarning circle has a canopy which captures the rainfall into the entre feeding the water into our dry creek bed that follows the natural contours of the site. Travelling from the yarning circle there are natural tree bark paths following the contours; enhancing the student experience whilst being emersed in Country. We have designed a dry creek bed that follows down the site into a waterfall pool. This creek will be prominent during the wet seasons and naturally dry out during the dry seasons; unearthing the stones below. The creek bed is made up of small rocks with