People are attracted to the places where land, water and sky meet.
These are the transitional edges where our senses are invigorated.
Henley Square is already rich with cultural and civic vibrancy. This is currently most evident in the summer months and at weekends.
This seasonal variance is a ubiquitous trait of beachfront places globally however the active periods can be extended by carefully considered and designed complementary activities.
Our conceptual approach is inspired by the story of Kondili the whale and the connection of people to the beach. This is a dreamtime story of the indigenous Kaurna people, traditional owners of the Adelaide plains.
We proposed to create a new destination around a curated outdoor space which will transform through responding to the inherent topography of the site. We will cut out the space below to create a new cultural / restaurant space opening onto a new beachfront promenade - inspired by the seafronts of Europe (Britain and the Mediterranean). This space aligns with the beach and is a common desire line for social walking, jogging and people watching.
We are also keen to reinforce the axis of the jetty as a counter to the promenade - these become the line of desire and the line of destination.
The line of destination becomes a multi layered journey including a new extension to Henley Square framed by the social buildings that front Main Street (rescued from being a carpark currently). This is connected to the main Henley Square by a wide wombat crossing so that they read as one space. New multi level carparking carved from the sloping topography of the existing carpark relieves parking pressure.
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