SHEDLIFE (Hastings Strategic Planning scheme) Site Kings Creek Reserve is a small watercourse located in the town of Hastings. As part of neighbourhood renewal program, it is decided to propose a connection from Boers Road Bush Reserves to Shire Managed Foreshore Reserves as Kings Creek Strategic Planning. The backfence of West Park Estate has become the site of this project. It is an opportunity to generate social connections with series of rentable sheds for the community.
Culture West Park Estate became the model of this project because of its history. The estate was established in 1970s as government housing. 30 years on 75% are privately owned. The concept of living has changed and additions around the standardized houses become marking of adaptations within the community. One of these adaptations is apparent with the colonies of sheds in the backyards. From the mapping and conversation researches it shows that these sheds creating social connections that bond pieces of West Park together from borrowing tools to sharing the same hobbies.
Proposal The proposal of this project is to provide allotment sheds for the Hastings community. Each sheds could be rented as storage space, workshops, hobbies, social gathering, etc. A budget of $1 million dollars from government funding sources has been granted to improve places where communities meet and interact. This is an opportunity to make a bigger impact which benefits the community where these sheds become the connections from the bush reserves to the foreshore as well as the communities.
Design The concept of allotment sheds along the back fence of West Park Estate has to be economical with minimum construction waste to reduce costs. These sheds design are based on off the shelf items, on standard lengths which cut equally, and using local products such as ‘custom blue orb’ sheetings from nearby Bluescope Steel Factory. The sheds also designed using conventional sheds constructions which this may develop into a community DIY project for the future.
WEST PARK ESTATE
KINGS CREEK
HOUSE ADDITIONS MAPPING West Park estate was established in 1970s as government housing project. 30 years on, only 15% of the estate are owned by the government. Being privately owned houses, the concept of living have changed. The residents started to alter their houses to suit indivudal needs. Hence these houses grew from adding house extensions to small sheds in the backyard. By profiling individual additions, it gives clear details of the make up and relationship between house. The result of the mapping shows that 91% of houses in West Park Estate have additions. Where 72% of the additions are from storage sheds.
TYPE OF ADDITIONS STORAGE SHEDS CAR GARAGE VARANDAH/ PATIO
TYPE OF ADDITIONS STORAGE SHEDS CAR GARAGE VARANDAH/ PATIO
No. of ADDITIONS
TOTAL No. of HOUSES
ADDITIONS HOUSES
268
409
66%
34
409
8%
70
409
17%
% of HOUSES WITH NO ADDITIONS
9%
No. of ADDITIONS
TOTAL No. of ADDITIONS
TYPE OF ADDITIONS TOTAL No. of ADDITIONS
268
372
72%
34
372
9%
70
372
19%
WEST PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL WEST PARK VILLAGE STORE
KINGS CREEK
DENSITY MAPPING Density map of West Park Estate is to understand the exisiting condition of the houses in terms of its land area. The house area is tested against its additions and land area. The average land size in West Park estate is 600-700 meters squared, which is a generous size compare to new developments inHasting but the land is not in maximum use where the research shows 60-80% are open space.
WEST PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL WEST PARK VILLAGE STORE
LAND AREA USED (%) AVE. HOUSE AREA (%) AVE. ADDITIONS AREA (%) AVE. HOUSE+ADDITIONS AREA (%)
0%
10%
20%
15%
30%
40%
25%
15% 20% 20%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Development Threat Huge park at the foreshore and affortable land make Hastings an alternative town to live in. As a result a lot of housing projects happening around its residential area. This highlighted zones are the current developments. This is may become a potential to integrate thse new communities with Kings Creek strategic planning.
THE ENTRANCE: Kings Creek needs an entrance from the main road to re-introduce it to the community. By offseting the backfence of new development against West Park estate this create the new Kings Creek entrance.
COMMERCIAL LAYER: The backfence can also be a venue for the thursday market on high st. This venue is more convenient to Hastings community since this would be located on residential area. The sheds on the backfence may also be rentable as small stores.
MIX USE COURT: Communal courtyard creating probability for more social interactions. Path needs to be formalize with gravel or pavements. Little infrastructures such as lightings and benches are put along this path. The backfence would also become the backdoor for the houses and possible exhibition spaces
Greenspace: Greenspace is always desirable to Hastings community. By rejuvenating Kings Creek it is an opportunity to create a new landscape at the backfence of West Park estate. In this scheme green screen is added to continue green horizontal plane of the reserve to the backfence of West Park Estate.
Access Point Curacoa ave
Moresby ct
Duchess ct
Onslow ct
Drake ct
Curlew ct
Junee ct
Communal Shed
Greenspace
for rent Shed
VEG OUT: COMMUNITY GARDENS ST. KILDA cnr Shakespeare Grove & Chauncer Street (Space Diagram: 180 o view)
EXIT
ALLOTMENT AREA WORK
PATHWAY
ALLOTMENT AREA WORK
WORK
PLAY
REST
WORK
REST
PLAY
SHED
STORAGE
KITCHEN
OFFICE
TOILET
ARTISTS’ STUDIO
PATHWAY
ALLOTMENT AREA
COMPOST AREA
WORK
WORK
EXIT
PATHWAY
ANIMAL WORK
PLAY WORK REST
PLAY WORK REST
FOR RENT SHED (KIT-OF-PARTS)
COMMUNAL SHED (KIT-OF-PARTS)
GREENSPACE (KIT-OF-PARTS)
Phase 2 Communal shed (stage 1) is built to service upcoming sheds with tools for borrowing, toilets, and small workshop.
Phase 1 When the sheds are approaching Drake ct, The road is extended with gravels which connects to reserve’s walkway.
Phase 4 Now the lots on the left side start filling up. The communal shed is advance to stage 2 extension with additional workspace. Greenspace are expanding on the edges of road extension to control access of motor vehicles.
Phase 3 When the sheds on the right side are occupied, greenspace is added to create a communal space in between built structures and landscape. The road extension are properly asphalt and this would give access to motor vehicles as a drop off zone.
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Buffer Zone
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The sheds at the backfence of West Park Estate creating a buffer zone which define the transition between urban growth boundaries and Kings Creek reserve and the motion of sheds’ sliding doors creating active conversation between private and public
A COMMUNITY BACKYARD
These sheds have become part of people’s backyards and part of the community. It is time to re-introduce Kings Creek as the community backyard
A backyard that has its creek, its vegetations, and the sheds
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MENDING WALL “Robert Frost”
Something there is that doesn't love a wall, That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it, And spills the upper boulders in the sun, And makes gaps even two can pass abreast. The work of hunters is another thing: I have come after them and made repair Where they have left not one stone on a stone, But they would have the rabbit out of hiding, To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean, No one has seen them made or heard them made, But at spring mending-time we find them there. I let my neighbor know beyond the hill; And on a day we meet to walk the line And set the wall between us once again. We keep the wall between us as we go. To each the boulders that have fallen to each. And some are loaves and some so nearly balls We have to use a spell to make them balance: 'Stay where you are until our backs are turned!' We wear our fingers rough with handling them. Oh, just another kind of out-door game, One on a side. It comes to little more: There where it is we do not need the wall: He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him. He only says, “Good fences make good neighbors”. Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder If I could put a notion in his head: 'Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it Where there are cows? But here there are no cows. Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offence. Something there is that doesn't love a wall, That wants it down.' I could say 'Elves' to him, But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather He said it for himself. I see him there Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed. He moves in darkness as it seems to me~ Not of woods only and the shade of trees. He will not go behind his father's saying, And he likes having thought of it so well He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors."