National Arboretum
Urban / Landscape Design Competition, Australia
A sinuous ribbon forms a tangled interaction with the converging motorway, benching the landscape and reconnecting the hillside to the lake. The terraced ground provides lawns, ponds, markets and an amphitheatre for events. Below ground, a light rail station and car parking are served by the motorway. A visitor centre, restaurant and ancillary functions straddle and separate from the terrace edge, creating pedestrian access to the slope below. The forests of the arboretum ascend each fold in the landscape with contrasting botanic themes, terminating at the ridge line, creating a pleated backdrop to the lake.
Credits: Simon Kringas (Design Director), Hannah Jonasson (Design Assistant).