bouldergeist

Bouldergeist

a designers guide to urban bouldering

Stuart Beekmeyer S3163138 RMIT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE MASTERS PROGRAM Project B Concise: ADR Contact: Stuartbeekmeyer@gmail.com 1

This document is meant for planners as much designers and can be read as either a reference or a narrative.

If you are looking for the design only start at page 76.

Any terminology or background information can then be quickly referenced through this contents page.

the problem activity and exercise

pragmatics

precedents pragmatic design tests

Bouldergeist Melbourne (urban plan) Bouldergeist New Quay Bouldergeist Flemington Bridge

Bouldergeist Royal Park

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4. RESEARCH QUESTION/ Executive summary 7. why 10. public health

34. climbers and urban bouldering 35. sit starts and sitting 36. falling 37. basics of programming falls 38. spotting 39. warming up 40. grading 41. programmed grading

66. standards and regulations 68. the bouldering gym in the park 70. iteration two 72. conclusion/ projection

14. bouldering 16. public space and public health 17. cardio based exercise 18. sk8boarding and surfing 19. eastern landscape and movement 20. a medical opinion 21. teens and play 22. bouldering is 23. new movements in landscape recreation 24. choreography and discovery 25 phycotopia 26 surface 27 accessibility 28. bouldering, movement , the body and health 30. psychosocial landscape connections 31. calm and strong

44. plane theory 45. adding volume to planes 46. public space precedents 47. modules inserted into concrete 48. sculpted shotcrete 50. polymer cement construction 51. hand hold cladding 52. appropriation 53. buildering 54. burnley 58. playgrounds 59. why climbers hate the kompan climbing bloqx 60. bouldering gyms 62. the climbable sculpture

76. something more than just an object 78. an urban circuit for bouldering 80. a shapshot of the three sites 82. why a centralized circuit 84. a vision

100 flemington bridge 102 context 104 progressions in human movement 105 bouldering opportunities on site 106 existing activity program 107 appropriating existing activity program 108 preparing site 110 continuous morphing climbing 112 a connected urban fabric 113 leaving flemington

126. conclusion 128. information sources

86. new quay- an inter-generational playground 88. containing context 89. visually permeable hard edge 90. the central lawn 92. playground interface 94. interface for boulderers 96. program 97. materials 98. grading program 99. new quay conclusion

114. royal park 116. the walk in 118. Malbey green bouldering 119. facilitation vs design 120. benefits of a centralized hub 121. the boulders themselves 122. arrangement 124. thoughts about royal park 3

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can bouldering be used by designers in the urban landscape to allow people to cultivate both holistic and psychosocial health?

Executive summary

People need something to do. People need somewhere to go. Unfortunately as we progress into a denser more expensive modes of living economic and me constraints prevent people from the basic tools of holis c and psychosocial health.

The 2004 Victorian State Government study “Planning for a healthy communi es”, states that part of the overall strategy to improve public health should be through “enabling people to increase control over the determinants of their lives to increase their health” (Department of Human Services 2004, P4) . Landscape architects in par cular have an important role to play in the reduc on of sedentary lifestyles resul ng in a 4

deteriora on of psychosocial and physical condi on.

My research asks a simple ques on. How can bouldering be used by designers to embed opportuni es in the urban landscape which allow people to cul vate holis c and psychosocial health? This study intends to introduce bouldering as part of the designers tool kit for embedding ac vity in built landscape, urban design and planning.

Bouldering is a subsport of rockclimbing where short sequences called problems are performed low enough to the ground so ropes are not needed to prevent injury. Bouldering is focused on difficulty and style of movement on form. This differs from tradi onal climbing where form is used to climb to adventurous heights. Bouldering is a popular and growing sport and is beginning to be developed as a public space recrea onal op on throughout the world not just for the inherent health benefits offered by the ac vity itself but for its poten al to facilitate inexpensive, accessible, reusable ac vity for those with li le disposable income, mobility or free me.

Bouldering can be condensed to fit into our shrinking public space and be designed to meet exis ng and evolving playground standards. It can be programmed into sculpture or retrofi ed to the structure of a freeway. It can be a rudimentary wooden wall with holds or cu ng edge design. It could be a local spot or a centralized event.

Bouldering does not discriminate against body size, age, sex or ethnicity and is quite inexpensive if accessible. In this way bouldering can be seen as a poten al basis for an inter genera onal playground. Bouldering offers a poten al typology or sports recrea on for any planner or designer looking for new ways to invigorate public space and meet the mandate laid down in the “planning for healthy communi es” study especially in an urban environment where tradi onal spaces for recrea on such as ovals and fields are being subdivided or are simply disappearing all together.

Bouldering is an interna onal established sport with many prac oners in Melbourne but only one free landscape based facility in which to train.

Urban bouldering is already incorporated in the urban fabric in many places around the world.

This research begins with why bouldering should be considered for the urban landscape from a philosophical, planning and medical perspec ve. It is followed by a study of the pragma cs of designing for bouldering and an

examina on of exis ng precedents in Melbourne and around the world. These findings are then applied to three contras ng sites along the Upfield train line in Melbourne with the intent of providing three spaces which respond to the needs of its context through bouldering. It is the poten als of connec vity throughout these proposi ons which strengthen the individual designs and turn a climbable object into an integrated urban plan . Through these connec ons psychosocial health benefits are cul vated through journey and discovery in the urban realm.

The act of bouldering itself has created much me for contempla ng and discussing the various aspects of this research with friends or random strangers, whether at the Lac c factory pulling on plas c, under the freeway in Burnley or on top of a rock in the Northern Grampians. The act of bouldering creates connec vity between the soma and the design process allowing projec ons of how proposed designs may feel and perform as climbable objects. Many people in climbing with various areas of exper se have also been interviewed to ensure the research is authen c to bouldering as it is to landscape architecture.

Without this connec on this research is limited.

I hope one day to sit at the base of a sculpture of structure under a freeway with whoever is around and enjoy my sport in the sublime landscape which is the city I live. I like to think of the same thing happening elsewhere whether Western or Eastern, urban or rural, expensive or economical.

Most of all I want people to believe the improbable is possible as they reach for that next hold. Maybe it’s a lesson they can take into their lives. By the end of this research phase I intend to demonstrate through proposi onal design the poten al of this sport as another tool to stay healthy, social and engaged with their surroundings through movement on form in the landscape.

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The problem...

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why?

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Illustra ons by Ka e Houghton Ward 8

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PUBLIC HEALTH Preventative health is becoming one of the largest issues in the world today

57% of the population does receive the recommended level of physical activity per day

The promo on of preventa ve health has become one of the largest issues in Australia and the world today. The Economic disease burden from unhealthy lifestyles are a serious issue. In the lead up to the 2007 Australian federal elec on Kevin Rudd stated that Australia must “treat preventa ve healthcare as a first order economic challenge because failure to do so results in a long term nega ve impact on workforce par cipa on, growth and the impact on the overall health budget”, (Rudd 2007, P6).

“57% of the popula on does not receive a sufficient level of ac vity to reduce impact on the economic disease burden”(NSW public health bulle n, 2007, P 299). Research shows that “ If people were ac ve for 30 minutes a day we could save $110 billion dollars a year in health care” (Preventa ve health task force 2008, P111). The main three economic health care problems we face are Cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes mellitus and mental health issues especially depression. The causes of these are known to be “physical inac vity, obesity, poor nutri on, smoking and nega ve psychosocial condi ons” (Department of Human Services 2004, 10

P1).

Depression is not as obvious as the physical problems however “within 20 years depression will be the largest cause of death and disability in the world a er cardiovascular issues and costs the economy $3.3 billion a year” (www.beyondblue. org.au). Part of the cause of depression is poor psychosocial health and sedentary lifestyle behaviour.

In the essay public health and urban design the authors note that “public health has been conceptualized in a limited way through urban design but only in a limited way”, (Banarjee 2011, P 198). They “call for urban design to take an ac ve role in moving towards a holis c view of what urban design is and can offer to the study of public health” (ibid). This call is reflected in local mandates borne from various studies into the urban realm and public health. A key ac on stated to combat these burdens is to “drive environmental changes that increase levels of physical ac vity and lower sedentary behaviour”, (Preventa ve health task force 2008, P54).

Landscape architects have the potential to make significant contributions towards the facilitation of accessible preventative health care

If those people were active for 30 minutes a day we would save $110 billion dollars a year in health care spending As the world moves into more compact typologies of living, pressures of development have the poten al to remove ac ve areas in urban areas. In the UK more than 300 school playing fields were sold o for development in 2008 with 314 fields sold between 2005 - 2006 for being the wrong size or shape (h p://www. dailymail.co.uk/news/ar cle-531089/ Children-losing-314-playing-fields-sold-o.html).

This in turn increases the public health burden by limi ng accessibility to modes of physical ac vity and thereby contribu ng to health issues both physical and mental.

Landscape architects and urban designers have the poten al to make significant contribu ons towards these mandates and in some areas are making good progress. The global bicycle movement reflected through planning safe bicycle transit is an example of how designers are contribu ng to public health by promo ng ac ve transport and therefore cardio ac vity.

The development of skateboard parks has created a new typology of individual recrea on suitable to the mind set of contemporary tastes

and schedules especially for young males. The promo on of community gardens promotes exercise and connec vity through gardening for those who do not have a garden and healthy ea ng.

What these interven ons do outside providing ac vity is create connec vity and place. "Place ma ers to the quality of human existence. Place is not a sta c empty backdrop for human existence" (Kemp 2009, P17). What place does is gives a reason for the individual to engage with the urban realm through interven ons in the landscape thus promo ng ac vity levels recommended for a healthy lifestyle.

The NSW public health bulle n sites "local ' des na ons' within walking distance of home and fostering community spirit as key moves in reducing sedentary behaviour and increasing psychosocial opportuni es. "Making connec ons, providing a community heart, encouraging ac ve recrea on and providing safe visible places to stop" (NSW public health bulle n, 2007, P 299, as key direc ves in making place with the aim to promote ac vity.

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what can designers do about it?

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Designers who deal with public urban space have a great deal of influence on the way we facilitate preventative public health.

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“Bouldering is a sub sport of rock climbing where short routes called problems are performed near enough to the ground so that ropes are not needed to prevent injury”

The author sending 2 sleeps (V3) at Loopey’s in the Victorian Grampians

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Bouldering tests the ability to move over seemingly improbable form. As the ability to boulder improves so does the amount of form available to the boulderer.

1

2 3

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PUBLIC SPACE AND PUBLIC HEALTH Fortunately there have been many progressive steps made by designers in the field of facilita ng public health. The emergence of programmed ac ve transit such as bicycle path systems and the availability to hire a bike short term are examples of health mandates being turned into built form.

Ohare Street Coburg before and a er bicycle lane makeover h p://www.bv.com.au/general/ change-the-world/141/

Beyond the obvious health benefits bicycling “represents a different and somewhat rapid form of foot traffic, but in terms of sensory experiences , life and movement they are part of the rest of city life” (Gehl 2010, P182) This suggests a deeper connec on between the individual, the movement of cycling, the terrain itself and the contextual reverbera ons of that terrain. Through this act there is a sense of connec vity to urban space. The urban fabric can be experienced as “deteritorialized, disaporic and transi onal” (Nicolin 2003, P9). and anything to improve this condi on should be of high priority for our urban realm.

Melbourne bike rental sta ons provide ac ve transport with convenience

h p://www.bv.com.au

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CARDIO BASED EXERCISE Tradi onal field sports such as soccer, cricket and football are s ll prevalent in Australian culture and are con nually being condensed and hybridized with sports such as basketball to allow moments from the tradi onal sport to be experienced in dense urban areas. Running and swimming are also examples of more tradi onal ac vi es which we associate with landscape use.

Sports such as golf are individual sports which are commonly found in the landscape. Although there is a wide hierarchy in the quality, exclusiveness and expense of using a golf course it can also be said that most urban Australians do have access to the health benefits of golf.

Condensed basketball at Victoria Park Sydney

Although team sports benefit many people they also tend to exclude many as well. Although the AFL is quite progressive in terms of racial integra on the truth is many of the popular, funded sports are dominated by anglo saxon males.

An interes ng phenomenon of the last decade is the park based personal trainer. This suggests that a social, landscape based approach to training is popular and economically viable. It highlights the landscape as a facilitator of place through ac vity.

Landscape use which suits physical and psychosocial requirements of a healthier lifestyle

A nice day out at the VFL

h p://www.birminghammail.net 17

SKATEBOARDING AND SURFING Skateboarding is an important precedent industry for this research as it has only emerged as a widely used landscape fixture in the last two decades. Previously regarded as an unsafe fad skateboarding has now proved itself to be an important tool of psychosocial and physical health par cularly popular with young males a group at high risk of developing mental illness and destruc ve behaviour.

Early examples of sk8ing in public space

Skateboarding if anything shows how the overall benefits massively outweigh the risk of injury due to the ac vity by facilitated in the landscape especially for younger males.

Surfing also once seen as unsafe, rebellious and counter produc ve is quite ingrained in the Australian psyche especially as most of our popula on is on the coast. Whilst saying this, it is your proximity to a suitable break and me you have to use it which, determines the accessibility of surfing.

h p://www.convic.com An evolved, award winning example of public space design for sk8boards From the sleepy rural town of Na muk to the ever expanding Shanghai skateboarding is now a programmed part of the urban sphere at many scales.

Beach culture as an ac vity is s ll alive and well for those with access to it.

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Where these sports dier to team sports is self regula on and flexible scheduling. These are sports which focus on the individual and suits the mind set and schedules of contemporary society.

EASTERN LANDSCAPE AND MOVEMENT What Australian landscapes may lack is movement based social exercise which can be seen in eastern landscapes via ac vi es like tai chi and kung fu. Movement based ac vi es complement but dier from cardio based ac vi es in several ways. Cardio based ac vi es either can be isola ng by nature (jogging) or require strict scheduling (team sports) where movement based ac vi es tend to have a psychosocial element.

Movement based ac vi es exercise the full range of mo on of the human body which can help repatriate the body from repe ve and restricted movements of life. This repatria on of the ranges of mo on is a key element to holis c views on medicine (interviewTiany Rubaich).

In countries such as China who do not have wide developed public health care systems the idea of looking a er the body you have is taken very seriously and reflected in the landscape via movement based playgrounds .

Exercise playground Wuxi- China

Tai chi- Hangzhou China 19

A MEDICAL OPINION This diagram is a mind map which, summarizes an Osteopaths opinion on this research especially the link between public space and public health.

Through this discussion it seemed that all roads lead to the fact that if our society is not given opportuni es to look a er our bodies through our day to day lives there will be a great impact on health system funding.

Climbing based ac vi es are natural to the human as running based ac vi es and looking at surveys conducted by Kompan about what younger people want in the landscape, it seems clear that bouldering has the poten al to steer people towards preventa ve lifestyles at a young age by appealing to mul ple needs.

Mind map of a conversa Dr Tibouldering any Mind mapping connec on onswith between and health Ruibach

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TEENS AND PLAY In 2007 Kampan hired Capacent Epinion to survey 1040 Danish children between 13 - 16 about physical acƟvity.

These are some of there results.

Want more places to meet other young people

There are not enough outdoor places to accomodate physical acƟvity

58%

40%

Want more places to meet other young people

Think being acƟve in a playground is fun

OUTDOOR PL:ACES ARE ATTRACTIVE IF There are lots of places for acƟviƟes

68%

There are lots of young people

61%

The place is secure and Ɵdy 55%

46%

55%

NATURE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF PLAY

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES LIKED BEST

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE

48% Sports grounds

5% Weekends

38% Skateparks

41% girls

Shopping

62% sports grounds

24% boys

60% Week

InformaƟon which suggests bouldering may be a suitable acƟvity for both teenage girls and boys 54% Girls

Boys

Time spent outdoors in the aŌernoon

Agility based

Swings

Informa on from Kompan: Nowhere to go ini a ve. h p://teenagers.kompan. com

65% Unisex

63% Mostly girls

Climbing apperatus

Ball pitches

Sk8 parks

46% Unisex

46% mostly boys

34% mostly boys

Spinning apparatus

29% Mostly girls

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bouldering is...

“A good excuse to hang out in nice spots” (some guy I met at trackside boulders)

part of a process which helps an individual realize that there is more to life than bouldering In this realiza on an individual may achieve a perspec ve of what else in life is worth doing outside bouldering.

Eventually the two work symbio cally....... bouldering is an awesome gateway drug to find out what you really want to do in life (even if its bouldering)

“Fun, Just lots of Fun” (some girl at the Lac c Factory)

(Personal musing)

............”kinaesthe c and tac le engagement with the environment, where boulderers develop accumula ve skill and technique to navigate improbable terrains” (Pollard 2008, P2).......

..........”Through the accumula on of experience and knowledge the boulderer learns more about the form and about themselves in rela on to the form” (Pollard 2008, P17)..............

.............“the interac on between form and life is a crucial precondi on for good architecture” (Gehl, P XI) 22

NEW MOVEMENT’S IN LANDSCAPE RECREATION This research intends to introduce bouldering to designers and planners as another suitable landscape ac vity which contributes to the accessibility of health and psychosocial interac on.

Bouldering is an exis ng sport which hails from the long established form of climbing. Bouldering dis ls climbing to its essence. As the risk of climbing to dangerous heights is removed, the boulderer concentrates on style and difficulty of short sequences referred to as problems. The challenge is not as much to conquer nature as to conquer self.

Bouldering sequences are called PROBLEMS due to the mental aspect of the ac vity. Beyond strength there is the mental amplitude to solve the problem which is expressed through technique. “Any exercise which involves complex problem solving has a higher overall health benefit then one that does not”, (interview- Tiffany Rubaich).

In this way bouldering has poten ally high mental health benefits by exploi ng this trait.

As the boulderer’s ability increases more form is unlocked. Much like the levels of a video game the more one boulders the more problems become available as do the experience of each problem.

“If people do not connect, then design becomes disposable, one of the key factors I look for in a project is its ability to stand the test of me so it does not become disposable", (Jocelyn Cheiw, Architectural sustainability advisor, Monash University).

Stephen Pollard digs deep on Sleepy Hollow (V11) at the world famous Hollow Mountain Cave in the Victorian Grampians 23

CHOREOGRAPHY AND DISCOVERY Plas c climbing gyms allow a high density of styles and difficulty of climbing in a condensed area with a safe landing. It has allowed both bouldering and climbing to progress substan ally as climbers can now train for or mirror “projects” in the natural environment in a controlled se ng.

Interes ngly enough Ross Taylor (editor of ROCK magazine Australia believes “flat plane walls such as those found at Burnley and the Lac c Factory are be er for performance training. Sculpted walls are a bit contrived and lose meaning in the confines of a gym”.

Lac c Factory owner Chris an Mathieson re enforces this point by sta ng that “most of (his) customers seek there challenge out on real rock and his facility aids those goals”.

This idea of solving problems on form is played out through the sequences of holds and lines contained on climbable form. These forms can either be discovered as in the way that it is found on natural rock or choreographed as dictated by route se ers in a climbing gym or an ar ficial boulder. The quality of the choreography becomes important to the climbing experience and is an important element for the designer to acknowledge especially when dealing with the ar ficial.

There is an important realiza on to point out to the for non climber is the difference between tes ng and training. Sequences discovered on rocks are set into the form so the detail of the problems are very slow to change. As the climber becomes stronger or weaker the ability to climb these tests gauge the ability of the climber in a way comparable to themselves and other climbers. For this reason discovered problems are deemed to have more value then temporary sequences set by a choreographer in a climbing gym which change according to a schedule.

7M

TRAINING

1 Gumbie 24

3 Easy

2 Expert

4 Medium

2 Hard

1.7 problems per ver cal metre

PHYCOTOPIA PHYCOTOPIA is defined as “places understood not just in terms of loca on but of meaning – its history, use, status, reputa on, the people who interact with it, Its poten al future” (Richardson 2009, P305). One of the a rac ons to bouldering for many of its prac oners is the POTENTIAL FUTURE as well as the ACCUMULATED HISTORY which each loca on provides.

It is through this act of place which problems are also valued. To access this flake at Mt Stayplton a 7 hour round trip is required as well as the act of camping however the problem does not change and every visit increases my phycotopic a achment to the landscape.

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In this way the problems at my local climbing gym can never have the depth of experience as these ones and why one is training and the other a test.

03/11

04/11

02/11

07/11 12/10

TESTING

Re use of form and structure (The Campground Flake, Mt Stayplton Campground, Victorian Grampians) 25

SURFACE Climbable surfaces are made up of 3 main elements, the structural surface, the fric on co eďŹƒcient of the surface and the climbable and non climbable details of the surface. The reason rock is interes ng to climb is in its depth of and combina ons of these elements which makes up the problems. The primary holds are supported in some way by secondary detail on the surface. This dis nc on is most apparent when comparing natural rock to a climbing gyms were the holds are pronounced and the surface plane flat.

The inclusion of similar features in the peripheral vision around the hold creates a visual interest in climbing natural rock and ar ficial boulders which is not found on gym walls. The idea of rock being sculptural emphasises this unity between form and climbability.

In ar ficially choreographed situa ons such as climbing gyms open finger posi ons are generally considered safer than crimped posi ons as there is less stress on tendons.

Open finger posi ons have less hand strain then crimped ones

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Climbing shoes allow us to experience the smaller scales of the surface

ACCESSIBILITY The act of bouldering itself is accessible to a vast majority of the popula on. As the idea of difficulty is personal anyone who tries bouldering is bound to find a challenge via a problem they can not solve.

Equipment is minimal. A pair of rock shoes ($70 - $300) and a chalk bag (free {dissect a stuffed toy) - $50) is the general equipment used.

A toothbrush can be carried to clean grease off holds. A crash pad ($200 up or an old ma ress) can also be used for extra safety.

There are four paid bouldering facili es in Melbourne and one free set up under the freeway at Burnley. Apart from the repe ve bluestone wall bouldering climbers generally drive the 3.5 hours to the sandstone of the Grampians and Araplies to boulder. There are granite thors as close as the You yangs and Mt Macedon however these rocks can be abrasive, crumbly and repe ve.

In this bouldering is a sport which suits mobile people who have the me and mo va on to travel to our world class rock. In this bouldering and climbing can be not accessible to a vast number of people especially new Australians and the economically and socially disadvantaged.

Bouldering whilst pregnant shows how accessible this sport may be to different body types.

Taipan wall. So many lines, so many good mes, but a long way from home

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BOULDERING, MOVEMENT, THE BODY AND HEALTH The first principle of osteopathy is “the body is a unit� (Giovanna 2005, P27). Bouldering requires full body engagement as body posi oning is as important as strength to move on form. In this way the rela onship between strength and technique is comparable to any form of mar al arts.

On a structural level the body is quite interconnected on several levels ranging from skeletal to tendons to the nervous system.

Although a boulderer may seem to be holding on via finger ps the connec ons throughout the body are much more complex. It is the integra on of all these parts which allows this interface through the finger ps as well as the posi on of the en re body which it supports.

Bouldering works the full range of human movement which is one of Eastern medicines core steps to maintaining health through preventa ve means

LEFT ELBOW

LEFT HAND

A localized look at the holis c connec ons of hanging from finger ps

The tracking of body movements through a sequence shows variety of body posi oning used in bouldering 28

CORE

RIGHT ELBOW

RIGHT HAND

LEFT KNEE

LEFT FOOT RIGHT KNEE

LEFT FOOT

By focusing on the hands and feet we can see how the sequence plays out at the tac le interface which then informs body posi on and visa versa

FAIL

COME BACK ANOTHER DAY

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PSYCHOSOCIAL/ LANDSCAPE CONNECTIONS Compa bility to the ac vity arises from the desire to par cipate directly or indirectly in the ac vity.

A sense of being away can be achieved though travelling to bouldering areas or by the mental state occurred in the prepara on, actualiza on or reflec on of bouldering.

Extent of space is subjec ve due to the scales involved with bouldering and can be framed through the landscape se ng or the rela onship between the body and the form in many scales from the en rety to the finger ps of toe.

The last pole is fascina on. Fascina on is a driver of why we climb. It is part of why we happily invest our social and economic capital into the ac vity.

TURN OFF FLAT ROCK RD WAKE UP WERE HERE!

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The bouldering experience is larger the ac vity. Beyond this intense engagement is an overall restora ve experience. There is the journey to the des na on, the landscape se ng, social interac on and rest mes between bouldering which make up much of the experience. The four poles of restora on are sited as “compa bility for the user, a sense of being away, extent of space and fascina on” (Kaplan 1998, P137) and are elements which arise at different scales through the overall experience of bouldering.

...... ?

AWESOME ROAST ROLL SHOP

MOVEMENT

PHONE OFF

CALM AND STRONG Bouldering for many it is a chance to work towards the improbable and manifest new des nies. It does not ma er that bouldering is essen ally a pointless sequence of moves on a rock. It is not the act but the will of the act which is important. Like many restora ve recrea onal ac vi es it is about tuning out the world and focusing on the present and thereby gaining the benefits of a developed medita ve state.

“Peace of mind is earned not given man”, (some hippy guy at the chai tent at Confest)

In a world when so many are predisposed to be weak it is empowering as a designer to give any opportunity to help people become strong and to find examples of pushing perceived boundaries.

This idea of providing accessible tools of holis c restora on and strength is fundamental to my personal thoughts on how I would like to effect the urban realm and its rela onship to preventa ve health.

“A growing body of research indicates the ability to enter a medita ve state to reach a heightened state of awareness is an integral part of the human make up, even though its dormant in most people” (Krinke 2005, P37)

La Spor va adver sement 31

stuff about bouldering designers should know...

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Bouldering is not a made up concept, it is an actual world wide sport. To design for it a designer must have a basic understanding about that sport.

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CLIMBERS AND URBAN BOULDERING

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Climbers will use an urban landscape ar ficial bouldering space in several ways. People who's overall focus is roped climbing use bouldering to train endurance and moves without the hindrance of a rope. Boulderers would focus on the presented moves themselves then start to make up their own problems to add to the library of possible sequences. Both climbers and boulderers can train or mirror par cular moves to help them solve problems out on geological rock.

Due to height safety restric ons traversing horizontally across a plane becomes the primary ingredient of maximizing moves when designing for the urban realm.

Guides to ar ficial boulders in SheďŹƒeld showing how climbers use ‘eliminates’ to create their own problems and expand the collec ve knowledge of the form.

(Guide by R. Mueller)

3.5M

9M

The black traverse (V0) Burnley, Melbourne 34

SIT STARTS AND SITTING To maximize climbable surface bouldering generally begins with a sit start. This works well in height restricted urban spaces as several moves can be made to climb back to standing height.

Bouldering at full poten al can be intense so much me is spent res ng between a empts or watching other climbers.

Bouldering has a strong connec on to the ground plane and si ng which should be considered by the designer.

Sit star ng creates ver cal economy as well as beginning a problem with an explosive unique mo on

2M Boulderers standing height

1M

The ground plane provides a great opportunity to relax and engage in the surrounding landscape

Sit start

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FALLING At the Burnley wall the route se ers are given the task of achieving a variety of grades whilst keeping the body in posi ons which are “friendly” to a controlled fall.

When we start to program bouldering into public landscape we must remember that we have a high degree of control of where we place climbable surfaces, the ground plane, the body posi on on crux moves.

Crux moves are the hardest part of a boulder problem.

In terms of safety the designer has control over the posi on and style of crux moves and how they relate to a fall to program a safe bouldering experience.

Falling off a climb is quite different to falling off a skateboard, stacking your bike, missing a jump in parkour or tackling in footy.

In these cases the body is already in a situa on of high momentum where in climbing the body is rela vely s ll and body posi on determines the way we fall.

Typical falls in skateboarding and parkour. In these ac vi es the individual is accountable for their own risk and managing that risk is part of the development and culture of the sport.

v

In many team sports falling is an essen al part of play. The delivery of the fall is o en part of the game with the intent to hurt. This is excepted prac se in public space because the players are deemed competent to experience these falls.

Crux move grrrrr How do I get past that?

Impact

Falling off the dark pink traverse.

Burnley,Melbourne 36

BASICS OF PROGRAMMING FALLS 88 M 2.5 M 2.54 M 2.66 M 2.88

3.32M

3.9 M

5 .00 M

7.30 M

CLIMBING

14.39 M

When programming bouldering into public space designers can make the most of height restric ons by programming horizontally in conjunc on with ver cally

TRAVERSING

Designers must ensure a clean free fall from the climbable object to the ground plane to minimize chances of injuries. Most serious incident which happen at geological climbing spots such as Mt Araplies are caused by climbers on easier climbs falling into the features of the climb itself and not from ground fall

Clean fall

Falling into another object

Falling into same object

Mantles are par cularly hazardous due to the body posi ons required to climb from the face to the top of a boulder

37

SPOTTING The greatest risk to the boulderer comes from the features of the ground plane and the rock itself. In outdoors bouldering several engineered crash mats are placed in the landing zone of the boulderer with the bouldering partner spo ng the ascensionist.

The spo er stands in a posi on where there may be the most risk to guide the boulderer to the safety of the mats.

Spo ng is a cultural e que e which decreases poten al for harm from a bouldering fall

The quality of spo ng vastly improves if your a girl

SPOTTING AS PERFORMED WHILST BOULDERING IN UNPROGRAMMED LANDSCAPE

In Scenario two the body posi on at the crux move direct a fall towards the sharp rock. Although this rock is covered with a pad the spo er acts as extra security to minimize harm from the fall

38

This culture of safety for other climbers is ingrained in bouldering and climbing in general even in urban situa ons where the ground plane is made as safe as possible.

It should be noted that climbers like any other person who enjoys sport do not want to get injured for the simple reason it eects their lives and they cannot perform that ac vity un l they have recovered. Likewise members of the public make choices every day which have much more poten al danger than programmed bouldering.

In Scenario one the body posi on at the crux move directs a fall towards the safe clear landing zone beneath the move. The spo er can assist this fall if necessary.

WARMING UP As previously stated human body is made up of integrated systems of primarily bone, muscle and tendon driven by organs. The aim of preventa ve health is to keep these mechanisms in the best possible condi on.

Designers should consider ways of integra ng tools of warming up into the built landscape. Chinese exercise playground equipment could work well with bouldering facili es. Stretching and condi oning apparatus such as roman rings, pull ups and dips should also be considered to supplement the bouldering facility.

This collage shows how simple condi oning and stretching apparatus may be incorporated into a transit way over a city bridge (Collage by Zhiping Kai , Natarsha Lamb and S.B)

39

GRADING WHAT’S WITH THE V BEFORE THE NUMBER? Climbing grades are highly subjec ve but needed in roped climbing as a guide to the safety factor of a climb.

There are several systems throughout the world but in Australia we use the simple Ewbank system. This grades climbs sequen ally from 1 to the highest which is presently 35. This system is intended to be delivered with a short descrip on of the climb either in a guide or from another.

This system is the simplest with others being complex like the U.S.A system which has numbers and decimals such as 5.11a.

A sensible system is the U.K system with a grade for difficulty and safety but as we are looking at public space this is not necessary.

Bouldering grades are rela ve to crux moves on climbs with V0 being a 21 and so on to the present highest V16.

The V comes from the nickname Vermin given to U.S bouldering pioneer John Sherman. His stole our simple system and applied it to bouldering with a V in front to claim this act for himself.

As much as climbing can be considered simply as play, this research looks at how urban interven ons may create an extension of the exis ng sport of bouldering to create connec vity far beyond movement on an individual form.

Although highly subjec ve grading has and will always be part of climbing. Grades give us a subjec ve measure of difficulty so we can plan our me at bouldering loca ons effec vely when desired.

People like to compete even amongst allies and in this way like the level of a video game this structured set of levels may provoke interest especially from X box types allowing them to smoke each other ac vely in the landscape.

For the designer a knowledge of grading will help in communica ng with choreographers, route se ers and fabricators. It also allows programming the type of user for or within the spaces.

Robin Mueller who is involved with the Sheffield ar ficial boulders says “don’t make it too easy or everyone gets bored fast, our most successful boulders are challenging”.

Hustwaites first ever boulder problem on The warm up problem (V0-) Mt Stapylton Campgrounds. Although this was an experience a con nuance to climb shortly classify this into a grade.

40

PROGRAMMED GRADING possibility of person as an event in the space possible percentage at climbing ability

v11v12 v13v14 v15

BOULDERGEIST NEW QUAY GRADING PROGRAM

By understanding grading we can start to program the possibili es of the individual as an event in the space

What? vb v0-

v7v8v9 v10

vo v1 v2

v3v4v5v6

ABILITY/ LEVEL

CONNECTION TO BOULDERING

PROGRAM/ PERCENTAGE OF PROBLEMS PER GRADE RANGE

Why?

The best boulderers climb natural rock and hunt for the next great problem unless the design is specifically for the highest level climbing it is not worth pandering to these climbers.

This level of boulderer will use the space as part of an overall training program

Taking care of new boulderers ensures con nuing par cipa on in the sport

If the boulderer is interested enough to par cipate 2 - 3 mes a week, preventa ve health mandates are being met from this one ac vity

Your average punter needs only a few opons for play and access around site

41

a snap shot of urban bouldering... (in places with no rocks)

42

Urban bouldering is not new however, in Australia it is still not part of programmed public recreation in the way something like skateboarding is.

This chapter looks at what exists in the built world

43

PLANE THEORY What makes bouldering fun is moving over seemingly impossible terrain. In the natural environment there is rarely such thing as a flat plane.

The city is made of planes with the ability to support the human body. When these planes respond to the X Y and Z axis’s of space, opportuni es are presented to the body via the details in the surface.

In urban environments we seek to lend volume to flat structural planes. ARM’s Storey Hall is an example of this but so is the bouldering walls in Burnley. These constructed precedents generally operate on this basic theory.

1 PLANE = STRUCTURAL PLANE

44

2 PLANES =HOLDS ADDED TO STRUCTURAL PLANE

3 PLANES =VARIATIONS IN STRUCTURAL PLANES PROVIDES INTEREST FOR THE CLIMBER

ADDING SPATIAL VOLUME TO PLANES

A SMALLER STRUCTURAL PLANE CAN BE ADDED TO THE PRIMARY PLANE TO ADD DEPTH , VARIATION AND INTEREST TO A PROBLEM THESE ARE KNOWN AS VOLUMES

The distance between the red dots shows the proximity between the core and the plane. It is in this varia on volumes adds interest at soma c level.

Line shows alignment of extremi es and rota on of the body in reference to the first plane

HOW COULD VOLUMES WORK AT AN ARCHITECTURAL LEVEL

VOLUMES POTENTIALLY ADD INTEREST TO EXISTING FLAT PLANES BY ADDING TOPOGRAPHY AND REFERENCE POINTS. THEY MAKE A 2D PLANE MORE OF A 3D SOMATIC EXPERIENCE

THE CONTOURS ALSO ALLOW THE BOULDERER TO USE THE BODY BEYOND THE EXTREMITIES WHICH REDUCES STRESS ON THE BODY

45

PUBLIC SPACE PRECEDENTS There are many precedents around the world where bouldering has been included in public landscape some designed by architectural based designers but many commissioned by councils directly to fabricators.

Precedents have been divided by construc on method.

St Mary’s Boulder, SheďŹƒeld U.K (photo: Mike Lee)

46

MODULES INSERTED INTO CONCRETE These precedents reject a the idea of a projected rock as a basis for bouldering form. There is no a empt to hide the associa on between material and urban form.

Thee both feature inser ng holds into concrete to make the structure climbable. Durable weatherproof method and poten ally inexpensive.

Inside and outside a climbable cone like structure in Geneva (Photo: Stephen Pollard)

5M high Udub bouldering facility at Sea le University

h p://www.rockclimbing.com 47

SCULPTED SHOTCRETE This rela vely cost eec ve method relies on a choreographers ability to sculpt a program of problems onto the frame of a boulder made from shotcrete. The result is weatherproof.

By sequences being permanent a boulderer can be use the facility for tes ng climbing ability against fixed problems as well as for power and endurance training.

Principles of making a shotcrete boulder

Kle ern in Berlin chri77stos h p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FxknRPZqEY

48

The city of Sheffield have programmed shotcrete boulders as a way of ac va ng public space. Sheffield is a climbing city with natural rock in close proximity to the city. It also reportedly gave birth to the bouldering gym through Ben Moons “Foundry”.

Sheffield is a post industrial city with high unemployment and social problems. These boulders are used as a tool of integra on and social well being as much as providing accessible structures on which, to train and test bouldering.

Choreographed sculpted boulders in Sheffield.

Boulder loca ons in Sheffield.

Ponderosa Cemetery Road

St Marys Church

Heely All photos: Mike Lee 49

POLYMER CEMENT CONSTRUCTION This form of construc on is more expensive than sculpted shotcrete but creates a much more crisp finish than shot crete in terms of the defini on of the features.

Due to the higher cost these objects are designed with the idea of plas c resin hand holds being used to supplement surface textures to create dierent problems around the boulder.

Boulder by Entreprize U.S.A www.entriprize.com

Structure by Rockworx U.S.A www.rockworx.com

The expense and accuracy in this method is the moulding techniques 6M climbable face, Nampu Park, Shanghai.

Note the 5M high monkey bars!

50

HAND HOLD CLADDING The tradi onal wooden faced climbing wall (woody) can be adapted to public space through cladding exis ng or free standing structures.

Holds are fixed via the front and rear of the structure via a T- nut and a lock nut to prevent the .

It will be interes ng to see how these interven ons weather over me. All examples shown are exposed to rain which can rust out the T- nuts and lugs. This may cause the holds to spin. If access to behind the hold is not provided it may render the hold posi on forever useless.

Youth Factory, Merida Spain. h p://www.sustainableci esnet.com

Public space bouldering by Extreme Vortex U.K. www/extremevortewxuk.com Pedestrian bridge turned into a bouldering facility, South Bund , Shanghai: h p://peoplesbike.com/pplsen/?p=5786

51

APPROPRIATION Climbers have appropriated suitable structures in ci es around the world for climbing. These ac ons are o en without permission and climbers risk their hard work being taken down.

Holds are generally rocks glued to the structure and supported with chem set or expansion bolts where necessary.

Urban bouldering has the poten al to be blissfully simple if site is considered and choreography is properly respected.

h p://www.chockstone.org

Appropriated bridge Seville, Spain

Nick Mc Kinnon tackles the cowpat at Burnley phase 1. Adam Derrmet spots Nick for safety. Photo: Daniel Cooper 52

The appropria on of walls under the South Eastern Freeway in Burnley, Melbourne is considered to be an important part of Australian climbing history by allowing climbers free, high level training in rockless Melbourne

BUILDERING Bouldering experiences found in the urban environment is known as Buildering. In Melbourne many of the bluestone bridges in the city are used however interes ngly enough not all are suitable due to the arrangement of features or loca on.

Although Buildering is fun and a li le punk, it is generally not interes ng enough for many climbers as it generally is found on ver cal planes which takes the boulderer quite high quite quickly.

Sequence can be quite same ish.

Bouldering does not have the urban punk mys que of sports such as skateboarding and parkour and climbers generally can not be bothered with security guard hassles and liabili es which come from appropria ng private urban space.

Programmed buildering however has much poten al to the aware and savvy designer.

Me in my stronger, younger days buildering on Pentridge prison.

(Photo: J. Bassendale collec on)

This wall at Naru House Melbourne has amazing poten al but not many would have the nerve to climb it. It is a fascina ng urban test piece but not appropriate for programmed bouldering 53

BURNLEY

Aspects of site which surround the bouldering wall.

POWERSTATION

MARY ST

PARKS VIC

X

RVE ESE R E HI

Mc

R

HF

C CON

O

S NA

/M

K LIN

Y WA E E

ER

IV AR

R

R YA

Y

CIT 25M BIKE PATH

HERRING ISLAND N

54

Benches

Concrete Ramp

Parks Department

Water under freeway

Facili es and adjacent features

WALL 1: 90* ver cal

WALL 2: 30* overhang

WALL 3: 45* overhang

25M

Rock feature

Table

55

Burnley phase one was a 25 degree overhanging all appropriated by Chris Sheppard in 1992 in order to establish a free, landscape connected training spot in rockless Melbourne. It’s reputa on was hard climbing in a beau ful spot by the Yarra and was based on four 15 M traverses with the easiest grade at 22 and the whole traverse at grade 30.

In 2003 Burnley was removed by Citylink out of fear of a liability claim. Many complaints were made and one call made by Mathema cian Jacquie Middleton was replied by an oer to come in for a mee ng. At that mee ng Citylink and parks Victoria expressed interest in the idea and asked the climbers if they would like to build a wall at a new spot a li le further up the path.

Wall one must be removed completely to route set to get to the lock nuts.

In 2006 with many dona ons of materials and labour Burnley phase 2 was borne. Unlike phase 1 problems were set to encourage par cipa on by non climbers and passing cyclists.

Inside Wall two is used for torage as well as for accessing the lock nut.

50 M

56

Burnley 2 has had no reported injuries and through my experience has a higher return rate than most landscapes in Melbourne. It a place where all ages come to prac ce how to move in the beau ful way that is bouldering.

Burnley 2 like the original is set for endurance traverses but climbers also make up their own problems.

Burnley is a shining example of how this sport can be easily integrated into the urban realm at a rela vely low cost to provide a facilitator of health in a public space.

Wall one is for warm ups and great for non climbers and passing cyclists

The best thing about Burnley is that everyone involved is happy that it has happened, The climbers, Parks Victoria, Citylink, Transurban, Bicycles Victoria and the public at large.

Wall three is more intense and generally used by be er climbers Wall two is the most popular wall for people who climb at all levels.

25 22

19 22

22 25

17

Grades at Burnley are le in climbing grades which suits Melbourne’s long standing trad climbing tradi ons 57

PLAYGROUNDS Climbing is undeniably a massive part of playground design. Beyond the the act of climbing itself is the idea of ge ng to a perch which, is appreciated by climbers and non climbers alike.

What is interes ng is the height of many of these new playgrounds. Equipment such as the spidernet shows that the idea of programmed climbing beyond the current 2.5M is appropriate for public space .

1.85M 1.85M 1.15M

=3M

The spidernet is deemed safe because it does not allow clean ground falls however in bouldering where falling o is part of the sport clean ground falls are essen al. Most accidents in climbing come not from the ground fall but from hi ng the climbable surface on the way down.

All the examples on these two pages are recent playground edi ons to the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.

Spidernets are pushing the boundaries of height in playgrounds as well as what is suitable in a playground.

These plas c walls are quite slippery and hard to climb.

58

WHY CLIMBERS HATE THE KOMPAN CLIMBING BLOQX!!!

Don’t get me wrong i do like Kompan. They generally make and design well considered aesthe cally interes ng playgrounds. As someone who is promo ng bouldering in public space I can not stress how much objects like this may harm the cause.

Here are some reasons why this product is not good 1. Its slippery. Climbing is not just on the hand and foot holds, the en re surface is used in some way.

2. It feels very unstable to stand on top of 3. Sharp edges everywhere 4. Generic holds with li le considera on to choreography 5. No low foot holds so one can sit start and use the en re object

Colourful trademark Kompan aesthe c

Here are some reasons why it is good 6. It looks good (subjec ve yes) 7, Its modular 8, It proves that bouldering is being placed in our urban environments, unfortunately this is not it.

Generic holds placed in a grid on a slippery laminate

Standing on slippery uneven surface with inadequate holds over a sharp metal plate with the risk of hi ng the object on the way down.

Id rather take a nice safe controlled ground fall onto an appropriate surface.

59

BOULDERING GYMS Although not public space the bouldering gym is worth a men on as it is how most boulderer train in an urban environment. Most climbing gyms have bouldering rooms and in the last five years the dedicated bouldering gym has emerged.

Structural components of Lac c Factory

Structural a achment of holds to 4kN

Bouldering, a social way to maintain health 60

Chris an Mathison owner of Melbournes only dedicated bouldering gym, the Lac c Factory says his facility is set up “for training purposes only, some gyms are into providing an experience however for my clients the experience is outdoors. The gym helps them realize their goals out there”. Rock Magazine Editor Ross Taylor re enforces this comment by sta ng” most climbers who have the connec on to landscape prefer to train on walls with well placed volumes over the textured ar ficial rock, however in the landscape the percep on of ar ficial surfaces could be much more posi ve”.

What a bouldering gym allows is climbers to train quite hard in a social se ng with the security of a safe landing on a circus style crash mat. It allows to boulder without the restraints caused by sa ey factors outdoors. The Lac c Factory has 4M high walls which start at 10* overhang and undulates around the gym to horizontal in parts. The choreography is brilliant and problems are regularly changed and although it is common to find a nemesis problem it is nearly impossible to find a problem which stands the test of re use over me.

The desire to climb overhanging rock outdoors was spawn in the climbing gym. Before its advent there were few ways to train for this sort of terrain

As much as we enjoy the safety of the mat the expense and loss of landscape connec on means the bouldering gym is just that, a gym. The soul of the experience is outdoor (for me anyway).

61

THE CLIMBABLE SCULPTURE There is a strong link between bouldering and sculpture which can be explored in the urban environment. There are occasional movements amongst some sculptors to accommodate bouldering into public works when site and client factors are favourable.

Climbers too appropriate sculptures in order to experience urban bouldering. These opportuni es allow chance urban encounters but lack a specific graded program.

h p://www.oscarkrumlinde.com

John Franklin placed BOULDER (2008) in two parks in the London suburb of Hackney. They were selected for there ability to be climbed inser ng movement and eect into what would otherwise be an inanimate object

(World buildering Compe on 2008, Berlin)

(World buildering Compe on 2008, Berlin) 62

Egon Moller Nielsen is a Swedish designer uses a hybrid between considered climbing and children’s play expressed via sculpture in the landscape. He invites the users to climb to interes ng perches with similar movements found in bouldering.

h p://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com

h p://zero1magazine.com/2010/05/places/

Egon Moller Nielsen’s Stcckholm playground ‘The Egg and Stuff ’

h p://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com

63

pragmatic design tests...

64

This chapter looks at some pragmatic principles about bouldering and current playground saftey regulations, tested through progressions of one designs

65

STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS There is not a great deal of standardized informa on on how high we can boulder or over what surface. Although Aus Standards has a part to play so does who is insuring your interven on. There is much more inves ga on to be done on this subject.

I have found three precedents for how high we can legally climb in public space.

2.5M according to Australian Standards (AS 4685.1: 2004) 3.5M according to the Burnley Wall precedent. Burnley is classed under playground equipment under Park Victorias insurance. Parks Victoria worked out the height restric ons for the project. (Interview with J. Middleton) In both these cases the ground surface must be an impact a enua ng surface under Australian standards AS4422:1996 protruding 2M from the most extended part of the structure.

66

The Sea le University precedent is that we can climb to 5M over 200 mm of smooth river pebbles (C. Matheison interview). This ground fall technique is reflected in the Malmo Sweeden Boulders Sea le has a climbing culture and with Mt Rainier in the background 5M may not seem like an issue.

What a designer must consider is the intent of the space in relaon to its context. 5M high boulders may not be appropriate near a populated shopping strip but may be applicable tucked away under the Bolte Bridge.

Precedent studies show that Australian views on height and bouldering are not reflected around the world. Hopefully soon we will stop nannying and catch up. People are responsible for their ac ons believe it or not.

67

THE BOULDERING GYM IN THE PARK This design is a simple applica on of Australian standards to learnings from this research about how a simple bouldering gym like the Lac c Factory may transfer to a landscape se ng. In this case an open field was chosen to allow the ac on to orchestrate ithe space and not visa versa

Sec on of a variety of desired primary planes and their climbable distance to 2.5M

15* 2.7 M 45* 3.5 M Aus Standards Height 2.5M

0* 2.5 M

35* 3.1 M

Max protrusion

2M so fall

80*17 M

Overhang angles and climbable distance . Sec on scale 1:75

0*

0* - 35*

35*- 80*

80* - 15*

15* - 45*

Desired angles built in 2.4 M sec ons (the size of ply) arranged in a linear fashion.

Back wall must be added to provide room for frame and to lock the holds into place to prevent the

So fall to 2M past point of furthest protrusion

68

Considera ons of drainage to direct water away from the wall.

Drainage direc ons

300 mm minimum to turf over concrete

1M balustrade

Concrete roof over back area

Roof to cover holds or water WILL rust out the T- nuts ruining the re usability of the holds

Climbing gyms are known for there social atmosphere. By scoring and folding the straight wall we cluster the boulderers crea ng a more social and safe atmosphere

69

ITERATION TWO What I find lacking in designing a gym to the 2.5 M standard is a sense of height. In this second itera on a non climbable cut back is explored to create more depth of vision past head height. This cut back also prevents be er climbers using the balustrade as a final move past the set height.

The interven on makes an imprint with the need to contour the grass to meet the levels changes. What seemed ini ally simple has evolved into something much more complex.

Plan. Scale 1:2000

N To Contempla ve Le uce

- 2M

- 1M +2M

70

+1M

0

6* incline Ground level 3* decline Sec on. Scale 1:750 Roof Concrete back wall

Balustrade Turf

8M

Sec on. Scale 1:250

So fall

Min fall area.

Safety factor x 2

Retained earth backfill

3.5 M

Frame and surface as per Burnley 2

71

CONCLUSION/ PROJECTION When reflec ng on world precedents it seems understandable why most precedents seem to be sculpted objects. To facilitate a gym style bouldering wall outdoors is very dependent on site’s ability to hold and shelter the primary plane.

Sculpted boulders which are both permanent and weather proof seem like the more sensible op on in terms of material sustainability.

The next phase of research looks at the surface , the form which holds the surface and its applica on to the exis ng urban realm through the deconstruc on of terrestrially scanned material.

The aim of this research is not to design the perfect rock but to look at how designers may take these ar ficial climbable surfaces and use them in urban space not only on a par cular site but in rela on to each other via an urban program.

72

73

creating a bouldering centre in Melbourne......

74

This chapter tests the potential of creating a circuit of bouldering with three spatial propositions in three different but linked contexts.

75

SOMETHING MORE THAN AN OBJECT There is no doubt that bouldering is an emerging form of urban sports recrea on now common throughout the world. This research asks how the object of the ar ficial boulder can be used throughout the urban realm to do more than just facilitate climbing.

This series of spa al proposals inves gates the poten al of bouldering to be integrated into exis ng contexts and programs and the poten als of connec vity between these contexts and programs.

Phase 1: Prahran ramp 1985 h p://www.unseenmagazine.com

As an observer of bouldering’s precedent industry skateboarding in Australia, I have iden fied three dis nct phases which has informed skateboarding’s urban evolu on. Phase 1 is the rudimentary landscape object. Phase 2 is the skateboard park as regular programmed feature in urban space. Phase 3 is the evolu on of the skateboard park into award winning design which seeks to go beyond it’s rudimentary func on.

Urban bouldering precedents currently sit at phase 1. This applica on of the research postulates the poten al for the evolu on of urban bouldering into phase 2 and 3.

Phase2: Convic’s Northcote Skatepark 2002 h p://ww.skateboard.com.au

h p://www.aila.org.au/victoria/ awards2009/GeelongYAA.htm 76

Phase 3: Convic’s Geelong Youth Ac vity Area 2009

In designers terminology these boulders in Malmo, Sweden seem to have been plonked in this plaza however, the proper es inherent in a climbable object brings the idea of an event to the space crea ng an experience richer than the plonked object. It essen ally uses form to create an amenity of sports recrea on in a landscape se ng. They promote both psychosocial and holis c health benefits through its innate quality of being climbable.

This is an example of phase 1 urban bouldering however from these necessary star ng points a new landscape typology could poten ally emerge and evolve like skateboarding before it. This interven on succeeds by facilita ng the act of bouldering but does seem rather plonked.

The personal experience h p://entre-prises.com

The social experience h p://www.flickr.com/photos/tomibiloglav Apparent disjunc on with context.

How do we evolve from this?

77

URBAN CIRCUIT FOR BOULDERING

High density residen al and commercial for professional people into city living

NEW QUAY DOCKLANDS 1

E

LD

LIN

FIE

UP

1 km

78

High density commission flats with adventure playground program

FLEMINGTON BRIDGE 2

3 ROYAL PARK Central spor ng and recrea on park

79

A SNAPSHOT OF THE THREE SITES SITE

RESIDENTS

3937 residents

1

4400 residents (commission only)

2

0 residents

3 80

HOUSING COST

LANDSCAPE PROGRAM

$458 000

PARKING SHOPPING

$635 000 house $333 000 unit Commission housing 23 - 25% of income

ADVENTURE CLIMBING PLAYGROUND/ BASKETBALL SPORTS OVAL/

N/A

SPORTS OVALS/ GOLF COURSE/ STATE HOCKEY CENTRE/ PARK RECREATION/ ZOO

81

WHY A CENTRALIZED CIRCUIT? The research in ques on asks how bouldering can be imbedded into the urban environment to cul vate holis c and psychosocial health.

The act of bouldering can help cul vate holis c health but it is the way the act of bouldering is presented in the urban landscape has a greater influence on the psychosocial health poten als of the sport.

Bouldering by nature is a sport of journey and discovery. Mobility is a key to accessing the many opportuni es to climb whether at a climbing gym or in the natural environment.

The bouldering at The Trenches in Baulkam Hills Sydney can be uninvi ng when alone.

Where are all the other boulders today!

An analysis of the distribu on of boulders rela ve to Sydney and Melbourne in rela on to psychosocial poten al has informed the decision to opt for a centralized urban strategy. It is hoped that smaller interven ons can flow on from the development of the sport throughout the city in a later expansion phase.

Sydney has boulders throughout the city however this distribu on pa ern creates no central hub reducing the poten al of encounters with other people.

Sydney bouldering is decentralized h p://www.australianbouldering.com

Victorian bouldering is centralized

Everybody Here

Everybody Everywhere

Map: Grampians bouldering guide 82

Melbournians travel 3.5 hours to boulder in the Grampians and Mt Araplies. Although this creates accessibility issues for many people it means that all the boulderers are concentrated at to two central hubs. What works is concentra ng the boulderers in two loca ons.

The poten als of encounters with others is quite high. The journey to the loca on also adds to the experience of bouldering and may be applicable to movements around the city as much as travelling to a na onal park.

Although eco- experience elements such as camping are removed from the urban program the idea of clustering boulderers centrally remains. The interven ons are based around the Upfield line close to Southern Cross Sta on. Southern Cross is a central node for Melbourne and allows anyone with a daily rail cket access to three different styles of experience with a high chance of encountering others.

It is this concentra on of people which o en dis nguishes the Sydney from the Melbourne bouldering experience. It is this psychosocial quality which adds value to the sport past the development of holis c health. This magnifies its value to the urban realm.

This image was part of my applica on to this research program. It shows the ini al intent of a decentralized bouldering pa ern around Melbourne.

The masses gather at The Pines Campground at Mt Araplies leading to quite social bouldering experiences

Hanging out with visi ng Americans at the Golden Streak Boulder at Araplies

ǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤሺ Ǩሻ

It became apparent quite quickly that this style of urban strategy would separate people and not achieve the psychosocial benefits achieved by a centralized plan.

Ra R adw wal alll

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A VISION Much of bouldering has nothing to do with bouldering. There’s actually alot of hanging out. There’s mes of rest between a empts, there’s the excuse of si ng around in the sun, there’s the idea of taking me for self. There is that connec on to the landscape you feel in your veins as you bliss out at your surroundings charged on adrenaline but mentally s ll.

Chilling out at the Torture Chamber.

There are the random mee ngs and discoveries. Like the Torture Chamber at Araplies. I heard about it but somehow never got there as I could never get that far up Central Gully without being distracted by the Campground boulders.

I went up there with Jeff. Pre y much my presenta on sucked which was my fault for being pre occupied with other things. I woke up flustered and hassled my girlfriend to close her laptop and head with me to Burnley. There, a er 3 years was Jeff. It was nice to catch up by the river between traverses the sun was shining but it was cool under the bridge. Perfect.

Jeff said he was heading up to Araps and there was a spare seat. Four hours later I was on the Western Highway . The next morning he took me to the torture chamber. The bouldering was awesome. Low roof, nice landing, shady spot, awesome view. I kept missing the pesky crux of the problem I was working and cant wait to go back and nail the sucker soon.

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I used to work out at the gym in my building. It was good for the first year but it started to get boring. I hooked up with the girl on the eleventh floor for a bit but a er that went pear shaped I hated going to the gym. It was like we would split days so we didn’t see each other. I tried to use another building but it became a hassle to get access.

I never thought Id start bouldering but they built this park off Docklands drive. At first I didn’t like the bouldering so much but I loved the excuse to laze around in the sun and watch the bouldering around me. A er a while I got into it. I kept ge ng obsessed by the puzzles set in the form, if I only put my foot that way, damn it Ill go back tomorrow.

I went down to Flemington. It was weird at first going near the commission flats. I’m not racist or anything I’ve just never met that many Africans before, well not ones who don’t rap. There were these Sudanese kids there. They did well to climb the roof in sand shoes.

There was one kid who was par cularly into it. He even had an old pair of climbing shoes which was given to him by a passing German.

One day we both went up to Royal Park. It was really hot so we just sat under the shade of the biggest boulder and talked crap un l it was cool enough to climb. I was be er at the overhangs but he ruled the face climbing. It didn’t ma er anyway. We both got to the top and sat there blissing out at the landscape, adrenaline in our veins but mentally s ll.

This kicks bu on the gym.

What I want to see

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NEW QUAY An inter- generational playground based on bouldering

Events space Meeting place

New Parenting

Alternative exercise

Practising

RESIDENTS BOULDERERS

Actually I pre y much come back here to sleep. I like the views though

I don’t have me to clean which is why I like living in a service apartment

I’ve never met the neighbours, I think they live overseas.

I’m in Docklands. It will be $300 per hour

This side of the building sucks. At least you get to see the water on the other side

I’m seriously bored dude

Sure there’s nothing else to do

I don’t want to go home. Lets get trashed!

Holy Ba Jesus it’s windy!

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New Quay is a mixed use precinct of high density residen al, commercial, retail and entertainment located at the Northern end of Docklands. It is best known for the Cost Co and infamous Docklands Ferris wheel.

Although there are landscape features such as the marina and public sculpture ‘s there is li le to no ac ve recrea on provided except a playground stuck in an uninvi ng corner and a lawn conveniently near a plaza size television.

New Quay is interes ng as it is almost the opposite of what a designer of bouldering would look for but relevant to the way we develop. The challenge here is cross programming ac vity anchored by bouldering with basic landscape ameni es needed and lacking in Docklands.

The inten on of this space is to create an inter genera onal playground which works as well as a place to exercise as much as of a place to simply meet or sit. Many climbers find that once they have children climbing in a na onal park becomes problema c. Several have suggested I think of ways climbers can bring there families to a space and let the children play as they boulder.

Plaza style public realm Exis ng and projected residen al

Commercial use Sculpture

SITE EXISTING CHILDREN PLAYGROUND

N

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CONTAINING CONTEXT In response to the idea of a space where children can run free but s ll be contained and supervised, the first decision to be made is how to separate play from the busy Docklands context.

The playground faces south towards the New Quay towers. This keeps the site cooler in summer when there are more daylight hours to climb and opens the space visually to the towers crea ng a panop con level of perceived surveillance.

Scale 1:2000 So edge used to create visual contact between entrance street and site.

There is only one entrance into the site on the south side so there is only one point of surveillance which needs a en on. To create a barrier around the entrance whilst retaining a personal field of vision from the street a 5M wide thick plan ng has been employed as a so edge . This creates a more invi ng space than a fenced o play area.

PLAN: scale: 1/1000

Docklands Drive

Visually permeable hard edge

Wide so edge plan ng

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Entrance/ Exit Line of site from towers

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VISUALLY PERMEABLE HARD EDGE The park is surrounded by a ts;; fence which doubles as a windbreak, To so en the hard edges a leaf and branch pa ern from Eucalypts and Acacia’s have been cut into the 3.5M fence. This allows a visual connec on into the playground allowing moments of the context to bleed into the park whilst preven ng physical movement in or out. This increases the idea of the park as an events space especially on the more secluded Northside of the park where there are more opportuni es for watching people work the harder boulder problems.

Corten steel would be the preferred choice as it very much the material used when designers wish to reference the Australian outback vernacular. The intension is to amplify the idea of separa on from the context through the use of the material in conjunc on with the pa ern.

The Australian Garden h p://ayoinmoorabool. blogspot.com/

ACCA Melbourne h p://www.wherewasitshot.com

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THE CENTRAL LAWN

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Only part of bouldering is actually physical. The rest of the experience is either journeying too, or simply spending me in the landscape. In the case of New quay the idea of journey is reduced for those living in the area. With this in mind crea ng several se ngs to relax in became essen al.

Shotgun Boulder

Boulderers spend much me on the ground plane and as most of the context is hard materials the facilita on of a lawn became the preferred choice as it can be used by boulderers and non boulderers alike.

The Central Lawn takes its basic shape from the Shotgun boulder at Anderson’s boulders (Grampians) . Its oval shape allows a long visible edge towards the entrance side of the park but con nually cuts o line of site as you travel around it crea ng separa on and depth of space.

An a rac on to climbing in general is to experience a perch. It was decided from this to perch a lawn on a climbable surface at 2.5M allowing access to the lawn from all points via bouldering. A pedestrian ramp is also included so even those in wheelchairs can easily access the perch.

The shape also separates the park into two areas the southern side is the integrated playground and the northern side for harder bouldering.

To create a safe space the lawn has a 2M edge (req safe distance from a fall) and a 400 mm recession below that edge to act as a visual and physical barrier. The 400 mm drop allows this safety feature to be used as a seat

S1

88M

S3

6M

18M

8M

36M

S2

S3 90

S1

S2

S2

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PLAYGROUND INTERFACE There are two modes of convenient surveillance provided in close proximity to the entrance. The parents island is placed in the most sunny North facing posi on and provides a bench as well as opportuni es in the shape of the island itself to sit close to ground level and interact with playing children.

h p://begadishop.com The ground plane in this part of the design is so fall. An Australian Army camouflage pa ern has been used as it is innova ve of the Australian bush. From the ground plane the army connota ons are hopefully lost but the performance of the pa ern remains.

Wooden climbing walls with plas c holds are also located near the entrance. As this typology features sequences via colour coding a higher density of problems are provided in the one area meaning parents can have many choices of problems without ever straying far from the playground area.

To amplify the inter genera onal aspect of the playground, standard play equipment has been incorporated into two boulders to allow a familiar friendly interface into the complexi es of bouldering.

The 1M island is used to perch standard play equipment allowing familiar play with non complex climbing over a simple boulder form. It is at a height which allows easy access for parents as well.

Sec on: scale: 1/200

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Coloured holds create density of problems

The 2M island strips back the play equipment to a slide for descending the boulder. Much standard playground equipment is based on the idea of climb up and slide down however the style of climbing is based around developing basic motor skills for children.

This part of the design allows these fundamental motor skills to be developed further through the op on of bouldering. The slide in way is the reward for the climb. Play has not been provided on top of the boulder to encourage a quick slide down so another climb can take place.

To achieve this the balustrade on top of the island has been altered to a curvy form with a spacing of 400 mm. Generally railings are 135 mm so a child cannot pass through. In this case the balustrade provides constant safe hand holds which allows the mantling of the object to be performed safely.

Basic park style condi oning equipment has been provided to allow climbers to warm up and down as well as for members of the general public who use this style of equipment. The close proximity to the access ramp will hopefully encourage people to appropriate the structure into their training rou nes.

Ballustrade 400 mm wide.

Regula on size is 135mm

Climb up/ slide down , a standard for playground design

Condi oning equipment roller 1M island

Shape allows safe hand holds at top of structure

Slide

Slide

Playground tower

Flying fox

Spring things

slide down climb up

Gap allows permea on from the surface to the top

Sec on: scale: 1/200

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INTERFACE FOR BOULDERERS One cri cism of Docklands is that there is no reason to go there and if an idea like this was to work the experience of bouldering itself must be worthy of repeat visits. The first notable change in the northern end of the park is the in the ground plane material. The so fall gives way to pine bark (at least 300 mm) which is considered to be the same impact a enua on as so fall but is much friendlier to fall on.

Some Adelaide dude showing me the moves of Silly Pu y (V6) at The Happy Camper Boulder in the Grampians.

The pine bark also allows the ground plane to be prepared for the trees which shade the site from the north. The intent is, between the pine bark, tree’s, fence and boulders there can be a feeling of being at a boulder field away from the world in which you live.

The two climbable surfaces in this area are based on two boulders in the Grampians , the happy camper boulder and the Amazing boulder.

Happy Camper allows steep overhanging climbing. The other is based where the Amazing Boulder is more upright and balancy.

Cardigan Street Massacre (V7) at the Amazing Boulder, Grampians.

Photo: Grampians Bouldering Guide: Pearson and Parsons.

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These boulders are 3.5M high with plan ngs on top to prevent top outs thus retaining the standards set for the Burnley wall. Unlike burnley the undula ng and overhanging shapes provide much more surface to climb to the 3.5M mark than a flat plane.

The cave already placed under the central lawn is opposed by the overhanging happy camper boulder providing an area of intense climbing. It is preferable to give boulderers looking for an intense challenge for social as well as privacy purposes. Although this site promotes integra on there are mes where the boulderer just wants to concentrate without being gawked at by the non climbing public.

This spa al move allows this to the level which being in Docklands allows. This event is however visible to the public via the permeable fence crea ng a sense of voyeurism.

As a boulderer I would hope this provides a snapshot of what I drive to the Grampians for and for even just a brief moment I forget I’m in the city and especially in the Docklands. This feeling is skewed towards the boulderer as the mental state of bouldering will re enforce the sense of awayness which passively walking through the site will not.

Maybe its my toes being crushed together but as a boulderer the minute I put on mu shoes I am already detached from my everyday.

The moment all my limbs are o the ground I am away. The full experience of this part of the design is very much favoured towards the boulderer.

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PROGRAM

PROGRAM

Hard edge vis visually permeable fence

Cave Overhang

Technical/ balancey climbing Plinth Island/ lowball traverse Central sculpture Central lawn/ long traverse

10*, 15* and 35* overhanging training walls. PlasƟc holds. High density of routes per M General access ramp

SoŌ edge with street via planƟng

PROGRAM PLAN: Scale 1:200

2M high playground Island

1

Parents island (non climbing parents)

2

Supervised children

3

Training in close proximity to children

4

Central Lawn

5

Technical climbing

6

Overhanging climbing

Disability Access

Summary of the program inten ons

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1M high playground island

MATERIALS

Summary of the material inten ons

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GRADING PROGRAM Disability Access BOULDERS Happy Camper Boulder The Amazing Boulder

V3

V4

V5 V8

V6

V4

V6 V9

Anderson’s ConsulĆ&#x;ng Boulder V2 V3

V7 V8 V1

V3

Shotgun Boulder

V0 V4 V0 The Font Boulder

V1

BOULDERS TOPOGRAPHY PLAN: Scale 1:200 The Citadel

Pedestrian Access

The Campground Flake

Mantle edges Parents Island Edge

Summary of the boulders which influenced the design and grading inten ons. Note that the grades are for traversing meaning ver cal problems can be programmed against the features of the traverse. This is a conversa on to have at the choreography/ fabrica on stage of the project.

The transi on between the pine bark and the so fall creates a hard edge through retaining the pinebark. To make this edge suitable for a fall this sand bag system is built on top. It also doubles as a seat.

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NEW QUAY CONCLUSION New Quay is an example of embedding bouldering into a site where the context is not obviously appropriate for physical ac vity. Docklands is quite compartmentalized and this design creates an ac vity specific compartment. Although it would be more roman c to find a way to incorporate the ac vity throughout the context my inves ga ons into regula ons and intent of design has steered me towards a single entry contained design. When people enter the space they are aware of a certain ac vity and remain there at their own risk (how ever small that risk may be).

Although New Quay Docklands is used as site, the concept may be taken to any high density residen al situa on where recrea onal space is limited and even le over space. It is a reality that landscape architects will not always get to pick the ideal space so inves ga ons into these sorts of spaces is necessary for the depth of the research.

The next site along our urban bouldering hub is much different to this one. It is once again a le over space but one with sublime spa al quali es. It also has a much different demographic and landscape program surrounding the interven on.

So hop on your bike and ride with me for ten minutes. We are going to Flemington Bridge.

These fit people make me feel unhealthy dude, maybe we should detox a bit

Check out the old guy. He’s really good!

I really like hanging out down here

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FLEMINGTON BRIDGE Flemington Bridge uses the opportunity of the Citylink infrastructure to create a bouldering interven on. Flemington Bridge unlike Docklands is the sort of site a designer of bouldering might look for. The precedent of the Burnley walls in Melbourne show how freeway infrastructure can not only be appropriated but encouraged by the authori es which run them.

Freeways have a quality of sublime movement. They allow us to move around and out of the city at high speeds allowing poten ally fast distribu on throughout. They are a dominant structural presence where ever they occur. Freeways are also expensive and tend to segregate urban space. Maybe this is a way of recovering some of the social costs at a much lower price than the freeway itself.

The challenge for the designer is to create an interven on which not only uses the unique poten al of the freeway but also creates benefit and connec vity to the needs of the context to maximize psychosocial poten al through ac vity and holis c health.

Freeway system around Shanghai’s Nampu park. As ci es develop these structural arterials develop as well giving designers much opportunity for appropria on

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Through my decade as an industrial rope access rigger at an infamous firm located in North Melbourne much me has been spent accessing the Citylink system from Flemington Bridge. As a climber it is quite natural to look at such structures and wonder how you could make them climbable.

This design phase began with a search for an appropriate site. The freeway had to be accessible meaning o ramps were the main target as they connect the elevated structures to the ground plane. Besides physical accessibility other site features were considered.

How many points of access and from where? What are the lines of site and how would that open or close a design to to the context? How would the interven on connect to the exis ng programs in the context?

This site on Alfred St North Melbourne provides easy access to a spectacular structural plane which could facilitate an interven on. It is unfortunately on private land and does lack the vistas of the chosen site.

It is one thing to appropriate a freeway for bouldering but beyond that what could this interven on be? What style of bouldering could be facilitated here?

Citylink

X

SITE Moonie Ponds Creek Max flood level

Exis ng access Bike path

Lines of sight to interven on

Mul ple access points and good line of site from Racecourse Rd, the bike path and even the train provides a safe but private site in which to climb that is visually connected to its context.

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CONTEXT Flemington Bridge has a diverse demographic of commission housing and inner city single detached dwellings which is tradi onally ethnic working class but now quite mixed with professional types as well.

The analysis of the kilometer around the site also shows much industrial land mainly made up of factories, lowrise oďŹƒces and commercial showrooms.

In many ways it is culturally richer, established and more diverse than what makes the context in New Quay Docklands. This is seen in the wider demographic make up of the area.

As factories mainly surround the site it is important to keep the visual lines into site as open as possible so there is an element of safety.

Without this basic move there is a risk that the site will not be deemed safe and will not be used by anyone except climbers reducing the interven ons poten al to encourage psychosocial opportuni es especially for the non English speaking low income popula on of the area.

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There is a large popula on of people near the site including the residents of Docklands and the New Quay interven on. This coupled with the fact that mobility is culturally part of bouldering opens up this site to many more people than just from the immediate context.

The site is also quite close to the third interven on in Royal Park and in some ways becomes the central hub of the three interven ons.

X

The centralized urban plan of placing the interven on close to the central rail distribu on hub of Southern Cross as well as access from the Citylink system. www.transurban.com.au

X

www.metrotrains.com.au

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PROGRESSIONS IN HUMAN MOVEMENT One aspect of bouldering which has developed in the last twenty years is the love of roof style climbing. This is borne from opportuni es in climbing gyms and its subsequent influence in the natural realm especially through bolted sports climbing.

Bouldering gyms allows the training of roof climbing leading to its popularity outdoors

Phil enjoys an easy flake near Mt Stayplton Campgrounds Grampians

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Quality roofs suitable for bouldering are much rarer in the natural environment due to the deteriorated rock quality which o en makes low caves. The world famous Hollow Mountain cave is a notable excep on and being a local spot for a Melbourne boulderer the ability to climb roofs is something quite close our hearts.

Stephen Pollard sends Sleepy Hollow (V11) at the world famous Hollow Mountain Cave in the Grampians

BOULDERING OPPORTUNITIES ON SITE A freeway is a structural plane, almost horizontal and in this case suspended rela vely close to the ground. In most circumstances the an expensive part of an urban boulder is related to the structure which holds the surface. To make a roof especially would be quite costly. The freeway gives us the opportunity to exploit this exis ng plane to create urban bouldering which may be not economically possible otherwise.

The freeway allows us to hang a roof from its structure which allows not only the upside down plane but the adjacent ver cal planes which makes up the climbing experience. In terms of choreography this allows problems to be set which takes pressure o the body by incorpora ng these planes. Depending on the size and choreography of the holds there is no reason this style of climbing should be any harder than a ver cal face.

Once the ground condi on is modified to meet regula ons this structure could be made climbable with simple glue and bolt on holds

Site also contains an interes ng pillar which can be incorporated into the interven on with some ground plane adjustments providing a scenario where we can poten ally climb the context as well as an abstrac on of the context.

80M

5.5M Usable distance on pillar

Usable distance on roof if ground plane is no more than 3.5M

3.5M Usable distance on pillar to Burnley Standard

Roof allows long con nuous choreography which is usually facilitated in urban space via a traverse 105

EXISTING ACTIVITY PROGRAM The Flemington commission flats has a recrea onal landscape program which, is being extended at the me of this wri ng. For quite a while the flats have been provided with a cricket oval for cricket, aussie rules and soccer.

The oval now is one part of a four part ac vity zone which stretches along Moonie Ponds Creek. The other parts being a skateboard park which is not yet built a basketball court surrounded by adventure contours and a climbing adventure park featuring a 7 meter spidernet, a mul level climbing rope network and the afore men oned horrible Kompan climbing Bloqx.

Climbing features in this new movement in playground design. These sorts of apparatus help develop motor and social skills through a common ac vity.

Clockwise 1. Orange theme basketball court 2. Orange theme spidernet 3. Orange theme ne ng and barriers which link the playground to Racecourse road 4. Orange theme barriers which link the playground to Racecourse Rd.

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Both the climbing playground and basketball court are surrounded by exaggerated topography with ropes and climbing holds to aid use. Both basket ball and climbing playground have a bright orange theme either in the topography or the the surrounding balustrades.

APPROPRIATING EXISTING ACTIVITY PROGRAM One piece of personal philosophy which drives this research is the idea of inter genera onal play. We are given places to climb as kids. As we become young adults we may move onto skateboarding. As adults out op ons are generally reduced to running and team sports. We program playgrounds such as the one at Flemington to develop basic motor skills but at what point do these developments need a new level of sophis ca on? What happens as we get older and look for similar challenges but with a level of maturity found in the rest of our lives.

Bouldergeist Flemington Bridge seeks to extend this exis ng program from the commission flats across the road and into site to address this next stage of climbing development which adds depth to the interven on. It thickens the exis ng program from which the design appropriates physical characteris cs and inten on.

The first move is to connect the two sides of Racecourse road via a pedestrian bridge so the site may be accessed in a con nuous, safe manner. The road is taken out of the equa on as a barrier between the spaces.

The second key move is to take the colour of orange and a key symbol of connec vity throughout the en re ac vity precinct.

A simple orange footbridge across Racecourse road creates safe passage to the climbing as well as appropria ng the colour coding of the adventure playground

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PREPARING SITE

5.5M

S1 Exis ng scale 1:600

Ground plane moved up to 3.5M from the top of the pillar

3.5M

Raise and connect pedestrian walkway to bike path across creek

S1 Modified scale 1:600

Ground plane moved to 2.5M the lowest point of the bridge

S2 Exis ng scale 1:600

Burnley standard 3.5M

S2 Modified scale 1:600

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2.5M Fall zone

Aus standard 2.5M

So fall

Exis ng Plan scale 1:600

Access via footbridge from flats Modified Plan scale 1:600 Access via Stubbs Street

Raise and connect pedestrian walkway to bike path across creek

Access from bike path

Create viewing area next to bike path to provide an even ul stop 109

CONTINUOUS MORPHING CLIMBING The freeway is con nuous object. Without this quality the freeway loses its ability to connect. This freeway is also obviously structural. and made of flat planes.

These quali es have informed the climbable structure designed for under the freeway. The idea of a flat structural plane has been modified through snaking the extrusion throughout the space. The shape is a physical con nua on of the orange concrete balustrade of the pedestrian ramp. It travels along the ground via a pavement detail and then morphs into the climbable shape. It ends 3M from the appropriated pillar at the height of 400 mm to create a seat

Convex planes force centre of gravity closer to wall

The X and Y axis has been based on the path of Sleepy Hollow in the Hollow mountain cave. Outside basing the shape on something quite symbolic to bouldering the shape allows subtle changes in the concave and convex of the ver cal surfaces of the shape.

The Z axis creates a series of caves throughout the shape allowing choreographers to work between the underneath and side surfaces to create a varied climbing experience.

Concave planes force centre of gravity away from the wall and provides opportuni es to rest via bridging legs

Sec on: scale 1:500

Z

PLan: scale 1:1000

X Y

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The holds are glue and bolt on rocks in the classic style of urban appropria ons as seen at Burnley part one. Choreographers will be asked to place two styles of routes, one for rock shoes and one for sand shoes to include those without rock shoes or those looking to climb the en re shape in one go.

Holds are not placed more than 2.5M from the ground plane no ma er what opportuni es the shape allows. To prevent topping out a curved concrete top is built above the shape and le grey to blend into the freeway.

The en re structure is meant to be hung from the freeway above. Bolts which fix holds onto the climbable shape only need to be 100 mm deep meaning with engineering considera ons the wall may be thin as 200 mm to reduce overall load.

The shape is a consistent 2500 across which allows the choreography to snake quickly from ver cal side to side via the upside down face.

This use of both faces is much easier on the body than pure upside down climbing. The consistent shape reflects the planes and shapes of the context.

Rocks glued and bolted onto a plane can provide excep onal climbing if set by a good choreographer.

Movements between upside down and ver cal planes

Shape creates three sec ons which can be then divided again into individual problems

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A CONNECTED URBAN FABRIC What Bouldergeist Flemington bridge does on an urban level is links up an exis ng ac vity precinct in a way which extends use through the idea of me through age. The newly built climbing adventure playground will develop holis c health and psychosocial wellbeing to a point but as we grow older there needs to be an op on for something more refined which allows us to develop basic skills into something much more sublime.

Revised Flemington Bridge Ac vity Zone Sec on, Scale 1:1000

Revised Flemington Bridge Ac vity Zone Plan Scale, 1:1000

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LEAVING FLEMINGTON BRIDGE If one was to cycle from Bouldergeist Docklands to Flemington Bridge they would be exposed to two completely different styles of climbing with very different landscape se ngs. Docklands is a contained experience. Flemington Bridge is almost framed by the planes of the freeway system.

One element which a racts many to bouldering is the sense of being away and almost isolated from the everyday world. It is why we travel to na onal parks and hike into the bush. It is that moment as your driving down the Western Highway you switch your phone off and throw it in the glove box.

It is hard to achieve this separa on in the city through inhabi ng landscape alone. The act of bouldering allows another layer of separa on which amplifies what we draw from the landscape.

The third interven on typifies this sense of being away and its only ten minutes up the road. back on your bike dude, lets go to Royal Park.

STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION MORE DETAILS SOON

The worlds longest urban roof climb.

Hell yeah!!!

Stubbs St access (good parking)

Sublime lines Balustrade 2.5 M Con nuous seat

Raised Ground Plane

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ROYAL PARK Royal Park is a 180 hectare recrea on park two kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD. The park is home to the Royal melbourne Zoo, State Hockey Centre, a golf course and many formal and informal sports ovals. The park is connected to Princess park which contains Optus Oval.

Figure ground of Royal Park as it exists

When you travel though the park via train, tram, bike or foot the scale of the reserve is quite striking. There is that sense of detachment from the context of the city. Royal Park is not a manicured park and this lack of pampering re enforces its restora ve charm.

One space in the park which is par cularly interes ng is a 385M in diameter circular oval which is occupied by thick overgrown browning grass. There is only one informal track into the oval and when walking towards the centre there is a feeling that this may be the most isolated , undeveloped spot close to the city.

Figure ground of Royal Park if it was developed into suburbs

The idea of developing this field into an obviously designed space would not be appropriate however this feeling of separa on could be used for a bouldering interven on providing the design did not interfere with the overall feeling of isola on from outside the oval.

Flemington Bridge

Royal Park

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Bouldergeist Royal Park seeks to capture the essence of journey as a restora ve tool by encouraging the boulderer to spend me in the middle of this vast field. It seeks to strip away distrac ons and present the simplicity of the boulders, self and other boulderers and self in a contained social se ng in the middle of a field.

The intent is to experience something reminiscent of a magical story where the individual finds a field and disappears into it leaving the outside world untouched.

This interven on is about the boulderer. The non boulderer in this space is an outsider who has ventured into another’s territory. This interven on is about the boulder in its purest form, the challenge of (wo)man Vs problem with only God as a witness (O.K a bit drama cand who ever else is there at the me).

Bouldering reduces climbing to movement on form. It is just you and the rock

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THE WALK IN

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Walking in from parking across Mcarthur Rd (extension of Racecoourse Rd - Flemington Bridge) to site.

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MABLEY GREEN BOULDERING In 2008 sculptor John Franklin placed two boulders in a park in Hackney. Franklins art generally focuses around the idea of weight (the boulder) and weightlessness (the boulderer) “Frankland considers physical contact with the rock as a way of energising or ac va ng the work, as well as a way of playfully debunking the no on of those sculptures in park se ngs, which are o en fenced off or prominently labelled as ‘not to be touched”( h p:// www.peeruk.org/projects/frankland/john-frankland.html). h p://www.flickr.com/photos/lenzflare

These granite boulders are over 1oo tonnes and 4 M high and are sourced from a Cornwall quarry. A er much nego a on with the authori es these boulders were deemed safe as only experienced climbers could climb it. The cultural prac se of spo ng over a crash mat was also considered. Climbers like any sport sperson do not go out to hurt themselves or they can not play their sport.

h p://www.oscarkrumlinde.com

h p://www.oscarkrumlinde.com

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What I like as a boulderer is the purity of simply placing a rock. What I like as a designer is the restraint and respect for the sport in this par cular situa on. Its a well selected boulder placed centrally in a field. It is the context of its loca on in Hackney and the facilita on of an event through bouldering where there was none before which makes it truly special .

FACILITATION VS DESIGN Contextually these ar ficial boulders in this plaza in Malmo Sweeden provide bouldering to local residents as well as a rac ng those from outside the immediate area to share in this event.

As a designer looking at these sorts of interven ons it it natural to wonder what i would do with similar objects in rela onship to myself as a designer and boulderer who lives in Melbourne and climbs in the Grampians.

Where Malmo fails for me is in the fact I associate forms such as the constructed boulders with a more ‘naturalis c context’. It is almost like the boulder has taken the place of a sculpture. There is something quite disjointed about these images.

h p://entre-prises.com

h p://www.flickr.com/photos/tomibiloglav

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BENEFITS OF A CENTRALIZED HUB One aspect of a centralized hub is bringing all the boulderers to one area in the city where they can experience all three interven ons. By concentra ng climbers spaces such as the isolated Royal Park field can be jus fied in terms of usage.

I could imagine a summers day with bouldering beginning in the early a ernoon under the coolness of Flemington Bridges shady structures. I could imagine heading up to Royal Park a couple of hours before dark. maybe grabbing a brew and si ng out in the middle of a field occasionally working a problem waxing lyrical with who ever was around.

I can imagine the rumble in my belly as the sun goes down ending another fun day of bouldering.

With my li le fix of restora on in my system I could imagine heading to the pub, mee ng mates and ordering a meal peacefully reflec ng on the days climbing through a well earned cider.

The campground boulders are a classic a ernoon mee ng place at Mt Araplies

The Campgrounds

The Campground boulders

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THE BOULDERS THEMSELVES This is the sort of interven on that would suit real rocks, selected for there features, trucked in and set in place however if this was created with ar ficial boulders there are several features which should be part of the design.

Free standing boulders should be designed with a walk down for safe descent and so non climbers can enjoy the perch.

Boulders should have at least one overhanging side to increase shaded climbing possibili es in summer.

In the case of this design boulders range from 2.5 M to 4.5M giving the choreographers a wide range of possibili es of movement to set.

To maintain safety in urban space body posi ons which increase the chance of an injury should be kept below 2.5M. Each boulder has a 2M ring of so fall to ensure a clear line of site in the fall zone. As the chosen field is thick grass the so fall prevents a boulderer unwi ngly stepping on a snake.

Boulders are shaped by manipula on of horizontal contours with the idea of designing from the internal frame

Plan and sec on Scale 1:500

Surfaced boulder Scale 1:500

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ARRANGEMENT Boulders have been arranged in a formal way for several reasons.

9 am

To reduce the visual impact from the periphery ,clustering the boulders with the overhanging faces towards the centre and walk downs towards the outside contains the climbers to the inner ring making them less visible.

The social field of vision is 25M (Gehl, 2010, P 34) The boulders are approximately 18 M across on the inside face and 27M across on the outside faces. By using this formal arrangement we maintain close human connec ons . When we spread the boulders out we lose these connec ons which increase psychosocial interac on.

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Boulders are arranged with the tallest to the West and shortest to the East to maximize shade in the a ernoon when the boulders are used the most. This feature will be most felt in summer.

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By clustering smaller and seemingly non significant boulders will not be overlooked increasing their usage.

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Formal plan concentrates boulderers within a social field of vision and limits them being seen from the periphery

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Informal plan spreads people out beyond from the social field of vision and also causes a high impact from the periphery

Boulders within social field of vision.

All overhangs face the centre

Boulders within social field of vision.

All walk downs are on this side

Outer ring of small non climbable boulders caps the field of vision from in to out and out to in. This re enforces the idea of a room inside the boulders.

Meandering gravel paths are designed so that the line of site is always cut short adding a feeling of journey to the walk in.

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THOUGHTS ABOUT ROYAL PARK Bouldergeist Royal Park makes use adds func on through the sculptural. It is an example how the object can facilitate something richer by adding a layer of climbability.

This design is somewhat nostalgic to the natural experience of climbing where peaceful spots detached from the everyday are sort out for the ac vity of bouldering and all those mes in between.

The aim of this design is not to create the perfect boulder but to narrate what would be ideal for the boulderer and the public in respect to this par cular context.

It is hoped that when bouldering here the backdrop of the city is a simple reminder of what has been momentarily le behind and that when it is me to rea ach it can be done so with the mind both invigorated and restored by the simplicity of movement on form in a field.

From the periphery the intervenĆ&#x;on does not immediately give away what it is for.

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STILL TESTING MORE DETAILS SOON

Inside the ring of boulders is an event set in the tranquillity of an open field with the city and park in the background.

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CONCLUSION v

The purpose of this research is to advocate bouldering as a choice of sports recrea on in urban se ngs.

This document is meant to be as much a guide as a narra ve. Allowing designers to quickly reference the different topics chapters inside the document.

I believe that the case for including bouldering in the urban realm is in its ability to provide holis c health with a posi ve psychosocial outlook in the ever changing fabric of the city.

This research looks at exis ng precedents which posi ons urban bouldering as an emerging part of sports recrea on which can be delivered through many different styles of design philosophy, design vernacular and methods of fabrica on.

To test this I have created three spa al proposi ons in three vastly different contexts with the intension that all three can be used to create journey and discovery throughout the area via the act of bouldering.

Bouldergeist New Quay and Flemington Bridge seek to provide amenity for local residents as well as create an event not usually experienced in the city through bouldering.

The best thing about bouldering is some mes the me in between bouldering and this social landscape connec on lends many opportuni es for designers who wish to create socially progressive experiences in the many different situa ons we encounter both theore cally and in prac se.

It is hoped that for the price of a daily rail pass, some rock shoes and a chalk bag genera ons of people may pass through these sites on a regular basis and leave healthier, happier, ready to face the challenges of contemporary life.

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Thank you for reading this. I hope to see out at a boulder some Ć&#x;me soon :> 127

INFORMATION SOURCES CONVERSATIONS AND INTERVIEWS

vv Glenn Robins- Writer/ Photographer: The golden era of Araplies climbing: 27/02/11 Chris an Mathison- Owner of Lac c factory: Pragma cs of a bouldering gym 03/03/11 Mark Buchanan- Radwall Climbing Walls: Building boulders and walls 10/03/11 Stephen Pollard- Anthropologist: Framing nature and self through climbing: 04/06/11 Dr Tiffany Rubaich-: Osteopathic considera ons of bouldering 13/04/11 Robin Mueler- Climber: Ar ficial boulders in Sheffield 21/03/11 Mark and Paddy- Gracious Space: Fabrica on 21/04/11 Jacquie Middleton- Victorian Climbing Club: Burnley climbing wall 23/05/11 Jocelyn Cheiw- Sustainability advisor Monash uni: Sustainability 05/05/11 Rob Brimblecombe- Sustainability advisor Monash uni: Sustainability 05/05/11 Jim Naylor- Climber/ sculpter: The climbable sculpture 08/05/11 Anthony Callaghan: Ver cal earth climbing holds 08/05/11 Poul Tvermoes- Head planner Monash Uni 05/05/11 Dr Adrian Hoel- Victorian government solicitors office : thinking about legali es 21/07/11 Ross Taylor- Editor, Rock Magazine Australia: A climbers perspec ve: 06/08/11 Belinda Wiltshire: Curator: The event: 15/08/11 William Coogan- Place Manager Moreland Council: A council perspec ve: 23/08/11 Lincoln Walker- Ar st: Rock as a vehicle for art: 05/09/11 Horse- Ar st: The sculpture: 06/09/11 Andrew Hustwaite: The sculpture/ fabrica on of the sculpture: 15/09/11 Tim Ryan: Architect: Retrofi ng the city: 15/09/11 Jus n McGee: Oper ons manager, Ver go High Access Specialists: Fabrica on advise (con nual) Dr Rebecca Hill: The body and sports (con nual)

INDUSTRY FEEDBACK Kirsten Bauer- Aspect Landscape architecture Andrew Partos- Vic Urban Dean Thorton- Hassell Aaron Wallace- Convic design Sco Adams- TCL Garry Kel e- RMIT Dr Sue Anne Ware- RMIT Alison Cur s_ Play DMC THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FEEDBACK, THOUGHTS , CRITICISM and ADVISE TOWARDS THIS RESEARCH Thank you to everyone who has given their exper se and insight into this research.

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REFERENCES Gehl. J 2010, Ci es for people, Island Press Washington D.C USA Richardson. T 2009, Avant Gardeners, Thames and Hudson, London England Kaplan S and R 1998, With people in mind, Island Press, Washington D.C, U.S.A Nicolin.P 2003, Dic onary of Today’s landscape designers, Skira Editore, Milan, Italy Krinke.R 2005, Contemporary Landscapes of Contempla on, Routledge, NYC, U.S.A Pollard. S 2008, Nego a ng nature throughrock climbing prac se, Honors thesis, University of Melbourne Anthropology Banjeree.Y 2011 Companion to urban design, Routledge NY USA Giovanna.E, An osteopathic approach to diagnosis and treatment 3rd edi on, Lippinco , Williams and Wilkins Philidelphia USA Rudd 2007, A future agenda for Australia 2007, Australian Labour Party, Canberra Pearson and Parson 2009, Grampians Bouldering, self published Department of Human Services 2004, Planning for a healthy communi es: h p://www. health.vic.gov.au/healthpromo on/downloads/healthy_communi es.pdf Beyond Blue, www.Beyondblue.org.au NSW public health bulle n 2007, NSW Health bulle n sept - oct 2007. State Health Publica on PH070 153 Preventa ve health taskforce 2008, Australia the healthiest country by 2020, Australian preventa ve health taskforce

PHOTO’s All photo’s by Stuart Beekmeyer unless otherwise credited

SPECIAL THANKS Mum, Dad and Paul Rebecca, Parvy and Bum Bum Hope Street Studio’s Brunswick (esp the mezzanine dwellers) The Brunswick Show organizing team Everyone who I have ever been bouldering, climbing or worked on ropes with!

Ver go high access for the work you have given me and indoctrina on of the do it yourself corporate ethos Anyone who has contributed to the development of the mighty, mighty sport of climbing (except Ian Anger) RMIT LA staff and fellow students (big thanks:>) Neil Young, Sonic Youth, Joy Division/ New Order, Iron Maiden, Dragonforce,

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