Landscape Architecture Portfolio 2022 by Paul Zhong

ZHONG

I have studied my Bachelor’s course at the University of Technology Sydney and graduating with a Landscape Architecture Bachelor (Honours) Degree in 2022. I immigrated to Australia with a Chinese background.

I have a unique passion and love for drawing and design. During the four years of my study and life at the university, I have gained much knowledge in the field of landscape architecture design, and at the same time, I have obtained the ability to use design software and materials. The course has allowed me to travel and visit sites in New South Wales. When going through the journey of field study, I can understand that there are exciting solutions and strategies to explore.

I desire to work in the context of urban landscapes. In addition, I will further explore my topic in the Master’s course by mainly focusing on urban landscape design.

In the future, I will continue to improve my skills through continuous exercise, pay attention to the combination of theory and practice, and have considerable practical design ability.

Central Park Section

The Greening Sydney plan acknowledges the tree canopy, understorey and greenspace on our urban landscape both on public and private land. The policy coordinates with the city’s projects and focus on the programs to provide the canopy by aiming to create a liveable green city. It recognise the importance of tree canopies and their potential to support the diverse ecosystems in the city surrounding environment and the benefits that biodiversity can bring urban life.

- The city is managing a shift from the concept of individuals handling trees to managing vegetation as a collective canopy.

- The city set goals by managing vegetation as collective canopies to maximise the social, economic and ecological benefits of its urban canopy.

- By 2030, the city will increase the canopy coverage from 15.5% to 23.25% through a targeted plan for trees in streets, parks, and private property, and then increase to 27.13% by 2050.

- The city will improve the age distribution of trees in our streets and parks, also increase species diversity, while ensuring that the population of any one family does not exceed 40%, any one genus is 30%, and no particular species exceeds 10%.

- The city will engage, educate and support the community by taking a part in greening Sydney through the benefits of tree canopies.

Central Park Plan

Central Park Transects

Scientific name: Platanus × acerifolia

Generic name: London Plane Tree Height: 15-30m

Variegation: Green/white Endemic status: International

Scientific name: Jacaranda mimosifoila Generic name: Jacardna Height: 10-15m

Variegation: Purple/white Endemic status: Peru

Scientific name: Eucalyptus grandis

Generic name: Flooded gum Height: 45-55m

Variegation: Grey/grey brown Endemic status: Eastern Australia

Scientific name: Ficus macrophylla

Generic name: Fig tree Height: Reaching up to 6m

Variegation: Grey brown Endemic status: Eastern Australia

Scientific name: Angophora costata

Generic name: Sydney Red Gum Height: 10-30m

Variegation: White, grey/pink Endemic status: Eastern Australia

SYDNEY PARK ANALYSIS

Sydney Park Plan

Environmental Action 2016-2021

The policy aiming to improve the environmental performance through the following six areas: low carbon, water snesitive, climate resilient, zero waste, active and connected, greening and cool. The plan focuses on by helping our canopy grow to keep our city green and cool.

5 Million Tree Masterplan

The 5 million tree policy focus on the expansion of tree canopy across Sydney, the target is to plant 5 million trees in Sydney by 2030 and aiming to crease the canopy cover percentage up to 40%.

Street Tree Masterplan

The street tree masterplan policy alongside with the 5 million tree policy, aiming to maiximise the environmental benefits of the street planting, which ultimately enhance our public domain and improve our environment, living standard and quality of life.

Sydney Park Section

Sydney Park Transects

WATERLOO PRECINCT PROPOSAL

Waterloo Site Plan

Waterloo Park should encourage people to walk, provide a comfortable and healthy lifestyle, with good building quality, excellent design, environmental protection, natural characteristics, and a safe outdoor place that can be shared by all people of different ages, cultures, or abilities.

According to the Urban Forest Strategy, by 2030, the city will increase the canopy coverage from 15.5% to 23.25% through a targeted plan for trees in streets and parks, and the Greening Sydney Plan recognise the importance of tree canopies and their potential to support the diverse ecosystems in the city surrounding environment and the benefits that biodiversity can bring urban life. The park is to repond to social needs of residents in Waterloo, it is to connect people supported by a tree-lined up pathway. Water pond and botanical gardens were implemented to create biodiversity and enrich the ecology of the precinct.

George street boulevard was designed for cyclists to avoid the potential conflicts, also providing cycling route for local community to engage with the site.

Masterplan

WATERLOO PRECINCT PROPOSAL

Transect 1 - North to South

Perspective Collage

Transect 2 - East to West Site Axonometric

SEDIMENT TRANSPORT AND SOIL FORMATION

‘Space does not simply exist in time; it is of time’, this was mentioned in the text “Models Are Real” by Olafur Eliasson, the model is to show on the changing environment of the site within 100 years of time, how space is changing overtime and why is changing overtime.

My project focus on the impact of the sediment transport and soil formation, how these factors affect on the change of the site. As Eliasson quote ‘we tend to lose a feeling of responsibility for the environments in which we move’, this model apply this idea to illustrate the impact on natural causes on this site due to the lack of care by human. After 100 years of time with the continuous impact such as erosion and sedimentation, the soil and rock fragments will become damaged, thus creating an irregular surface on top of the site. With the impact of sediment transportation caused by water and wind, the tree trunks have fallen apart, the rocks have been exposed on top of the soil, the fallen leaves and tree sticks will be flooded under the ground and embedded in the layers of soil. Also with the extreme heat over the next 100 years, the site will become more less of grass and more soils which causes nutrient unbalanced, the grass will eventually die, dry land occurs and will eventually split under the strong exposed sun.

Tree trunk falling down with water flooding on top of the soil.

The ground turns into dry condition and the surface begin to split.

Sedimentation and erosion causing the tree sticks and leaves embedded into the soil.

The soil and rock fragments became damaged overtime which causes irregular surface.

Axo

Detail Views

Homebush/Newington Bay

Pittwater Berry Island

Port Waratah Site Plan

Historical Context

This project is to develop a solution for the environmental issue that Port Waratah Coal Field is currently facing, our proposal is to develop series of scenario to maintain sustainability of the coal field. The main problem of the site currently facing is coal production causing water contamination in the local area. Therefore, the primary actor of this project is the coal exports followed by the secondary actor is the water run-off system. We are proposing a water drainage process through the piping system to avoid flooding and pooling, in response to the excess water left on the surface of the coal field which caused by heavy rainfall.

Followed by the water drainage process, the tertiary actor of the project is the ecological factor. Water flow channels take excess water goes to the ash dump and finally guide to the designated area, the wetland. Mangroves are planted in the wetland area to absorb excess water and helps it to grow, thus benefit for the community within the local area by allowing the mangroves absorb carbon dioxide, enriching ecology diversity of the area.

Current Plan - System of Port Waratah Coal Field (Team member’s work)

Coal Field System Water Circulation

Drainage Process Wetland System

The mangroves and their inorganic environment constitute the wetland ecosystem. Grows on muddy wet area, has air roots to help it breath in soil that does not have much air in it. Another important ecological benefit of mangroves is its functions of preventing wind and waves, protecting industrial site and purifying seawater and air The densely intertwined and developed root system can effectively hold the land and reduce the sand content in the coastal waters, the dense and tall branches effectively resisting wind and waves.

1. Mangroves absorbing the water in the first process. Also in a process called photosynthesis, mangroves can take in carbon dioxide and sunlight to make food.

2. As leaves and branches fall, they are buried by the sediment in the water. This traps the carbon undergound, recuding the amount of carbon dioxide released in the air.

Axonometric Diagram - Wetland

Coal Exports

Coal Field System Coal Exports

Basin - Pipe System Basin - Capturing Key Moment Wetland System - Mangroves

This proposal is to reconnect people to nature through the method of a forest planting. In reponse to the people’s interaction within the forest, this proposal is intend to give people a unique experience including elements such as biodiversity, circulations, textures, different pattern of pavement, lighting bench etc.

In the Jone Street proposal, I have decided to use a zig zag pattern as a one way path, this act as a journey to guide people through the forest to give them a unique experience. The ground was filled with steel and wood pavement to refine the texture and gives people a fragmented view of the landscape. The bench which is the resting area for people to gather and interact under the shade of canopies. It is backup with the lighting elements which add a layer of atmosphere within the forest, especially during dawn and night time where it illuminates the forest.

In the Blackfriars proposal, I have decided to use the triangular shape for the planting area, it act as metaphor of the mosaic, the triangular mosaic establishes a relationship between path and route systems to planatation and canopies. This is a space for parents and children to gather through the elements of triangular circulations, and a place to rest with the bench lining alongside the planting area. As the same in above, the bench contains lighting condition which illuminate the forest and light up the pathway during dawn and night time, and ultimately add a sense of atmophere to the area.

Jone Street Analysis

Blackfriars Analysis

Jone Street Ground Plan

Blackfriars Canopy Plan

Blackfriars Ground Plan

Jone Street Perspective View

Jone Street Section

Blackfriars Section

Blackfriars Perspective View

LACHLAN SWAMP

The notion of ‘Amphibious’ is associated with life-forms that transition between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Yet there are many species that have to suddenly adjust from a dryland to an aquatic existence. The emergence of amphibians is the result of the obscure domain between land and water environments. Although Amphibians became the first ‘tails’ to land adapted lifeforms, they are not as yet completely dependent on the land and so must face the co-inhabitation between the land and water. Consequently, the solid, clear-cut boundaries of their twin habitats collapsed in the muddy spaces. To live in the ambiguity of this transitional zone/realm of land and water is interpreted it as a ‘swamp’ in which the way of living will be maintained as an ‘Amphibian Society’. This Amphibian Society is more than co-habitating in groups, it is the living together in the co-existing systems in land and water where all life-forms including plants, critters and micro-organisms integrate to form an ‘Amphibian Society’, a society that allows individuals to freely collaborate in all aspects of the work necessary to create an environment for its members and thus for the benefit of the Society

The ‘swamp’ captures the intrinsic interplay of relationships between members of the ecological world. ‘Where the Earth meets and greets the water’ and ‘Water welcomes and merges with the Earth’, brings to mind the functions and abilities of the ‘swamp’ in which water brings a collection of lives together in the Botany Wetland that are united through various social relations and where soil is the foundation of nutrients for raising living organisms with air giving the energy that allows critters and plants to survive. Among them, individual species have their unique identities, but shared common interests, so that a new composition of organisms emerge to form an alliance within the ‘swamp.’ The ultimate goal of the three devices are to offer the amphibians group a restored living conditions, for them to breed, to grow and inhabit. To assist we as human being better understand in the nature of swamp, to accept and appreciate them as a whole, as a part of swamp. Remaining a healthy condition within soil and water, is a representation of a heathy existence of critters and plants, therefore, whether it’s creation or changes we made upon our intervention, will lead to a positive outcome to the swamp.

Botany Sands Aquifer Map (Team member’s work)

Swamp Diagram (Team member’s work)

Phase 1 –

Wearing the touch configuration device is the start of the trip in the swamp, stepping on the soil to feel its muddiness, recording each layer of the soil moist content, allowing human to identify the healthy status and the soil profile of the swamp.

Phase 2 -

After the trip of observing the swamp, the algae boot will be taken in place to collect algae according to the data collected from the touch configuration device. This process is to protect the swamp, and help the swamp to regenerate. Wearing the boot and stepping on top of the shallow water of the swamp, experience the wetness of the aquatic land, feeling a sense of humidity entangled around the feet, the algae collecting process has begun.

Calendar (Team member’s work)

Eucalyptus Grandis

Phase 3

When finish collecting the algae from water, human will take this boot which contained collected algae to the soil, releasing them down to the soil to improve the soil quality and increase the plants population in a year. Thus, more and more plants will grow to attract more birds and animals, which ultimately forms an amphibian society, allowing human and amphibian to co-inhabit together.

Phase 4 –

After the regeneration of the swamp, the filtering station is used to protect the swamp and enhance the quality of the swamp by removing excess particles from the water. As the over excess amount of small particles accumulated over a year, care of the swamp is needed to provide a healthy inhabitation for the tadpoles to gather along maintaining an enjoyful amphibian society.

Algae Boot

The algae boot is made up of magnetic materials and the concave convex shape which are used to extract algae from water, with the support of organic fibre material to help to breakdown the algae in the soil, when collecting the algae by walking on the swamp. The process is pollutant-free, can be used for largescale collection of algae.

The process starts by collecting microalgae from the water and store it in the boot during the wet season, then take it to the soil for fertilizer to improve the soil quality and grow more vegetation, hence, this will help the swamp to regenerate and attracts more critters to come, which forms an amphibian society for human and amphibian to co-inhabit one step further.

Collecting microalgae from the water by wearing the boot.

Side filtering to drain excess water

Push in to release algae to soil after

The rod on both sides is used to push the algae backdown to the ground as fertilizer when stepping on the soil.

When stepping on the swamp to collect algae, the bottom layer of the boot with the hole will blend into the ground, the algae will be will intend to be squeezed in by the concave convex shape of the first layer.

The second layer is made up of magnetic material which is to extract algae from the first layer, hold tied to prevent the algae from dropping down.

The third layer is the filter layer to drain the excess water out from the boot, when gathering enough amount of algae, all the algae it will be squeezing up to this layer for storage due to the push force from the bottom.

Full 3D view of the boot

Algae Boot Section 1

Algae Boot Section 2

Nostoc

Chlorella

Touch Configuration

Algae Boot

In Section

Description Season Location In Swamp

This is determined to enhance our‘human experiences’are the features of the different layers of the Swamp. There are particulars layers that are moist, while other areas remain dry, differences that we will be able to register and record from sensors worn on the foot. This device will enable human to appreciate the existing soil environment surrounding the Swamp, with findings such as what would be in the dry soil, be it rocks, dry leaves, wood or any other materials. By contrast, how would the person feel within an area of wet soil with moist contents, its proximity to the water, would it be soft or hard to touch? Humans will be able to record the information they experienced while walking in the Swamp environment through this touch configuration sensor worn on their feet to identify the health status of the soil. The eventual investigation on the data collected will enable the soil profile to be determined and any concerns about bacterial or other microbial matter redressed to ensure the sustained health of the Swamp Community.

This device will take care of the swamp during both wet and dry season, which allows human to experience the wetness or dryness in different seasons.

Mainly on the middle and the inside of the swamp where the water level is not too deep, which allows people to walk on top of the water and soil to experience the site.

Filtering Station

The algae boot intervention is a method and application for quickly collecting algae by using magnetic harvesting method, as the living algae is highly attractive to magnet. The bottom of the boot is made up of magnetic material and spikes which are used to extract algae from water, with the support of organic fibre material to help to breakdown the algae in the soil, when collecting the algae by walking on the swamp. The process is pollutant-free, can be used for large-scale collection of algae.

After collecting algae from the water, people will carry these algae to the soil by using the boot, releasing them down to the soil layers it restores the natural health of the soil, helps plant absorb nutrients, resistance to pests and diseases, improving the soil balance and restoration.

As algae added to the soil, it’ll quickly breakdown and release nutrient to the ground, it further absorbs water and expands to keep the soil moisture and improve the soil aggregate stability. Microalgae fertilizer captures and stores solar energy, creates organic matter and adds it to the soil, and extends to the root area. Thus, new plants will grow.

Collect microalgae from the water and store it in the boot during the wet season. In the dry season when the swamp begin to dry out, soil may experience instability, the boot will be act as fertilizer by carrying the sotred algae and release them down to the soil to improve the soil quality and growing more plants.

Phase 1 –Wearing the touch configuration device is the start of the trip in the swamp, stepping on the soil to feel its muddiness, recording each layer of the soil moist content, allowing human to identify the healthy status and the soil profile of the swamp.

The essence of our project is ultimately protecting the Lachlan swamp through various stages of the swamp cycle, as the swamp water plays an indispensable role, in leading towards the flourishing of critters and plants, it is especially crucial to maintain the water purity in the swamp.

The implementation of water purification comes into place, where we managed to reinforce the idea of swamp conversation through the design thinking, the ultimate goal of this intervention is to balance the water quality by performing three stages of water purifying filtration. As tadpole desired to grown in a rather fresh water source with less bacterial substances, this device is creating a reliable water source for native tadpole, small critters to thrive. it removes the unnecessary particles that could potentially causes harm to small critters and tree frogs living inside, as well as culture nitrifying bacteria in protecting the survival rates of the species.

The system seeks important connection to the touching configuration device that are worn on man’s feet. Such device which allows individual person to walk across the swamp and feel the swamp in person, records data that reflects areas of swamp that are lack in nutrient or whether been attacked by bacteria. Therefore, the device will direct the person to the closest Filtrate Station. The person will then manfully operate the pump and perform the water purification cycles.

This device will take care of the swamp during the whole year, as the swamp may accumulated an excess amount of small particles which affecting on the inhabitation of the critters in the water.

Mainly on the end side of the swamp where there is not much water to benefit the soil. With the lack of water on the other side of the Lachlan Swamp, the organic matter and soil quality may decreases. Thus, the algae boot will take in place by stepping on the swamp to collect algae from the water, utilising these microalgae as a source of fertilizer to give nutrient to the soil, which helps the swamp to regenerate.

Phase 2 After the trip of observing the swamp, the algae boot will be taken in place to collect algae according to the data collected from the touch configuration device. This process is to protect the swamp, and help the swamp to regenerate. Wearing the boot and stepping on top of the shallow water of the swamp, experience the wetness of the aquatic land, feeling a sense of humidity entangled around the feet, the algae collecting process has begun.

Phase 3 When finish collecting the algae from water, human will take this boot which contained collected algae to the soil, releasing them down to the soil to improve the soil quality and increase the plants population. Thus, more and more plants will grow to attract more birds and animals, which ultimately forms an amphibian society, allowing human and amphibian to co-inhabit together

Several filtering devices have been placed throughout the entire Lachlan Swamp.

Phase 4 –After the regeneration of the swamp, the filtering station is used to protect the swamp and enhance the quality of the swamp by removing excess particles from the water. As the over excess amount of small particles accumulated over a year, care of the swamp is needed to provide a healthy inhabitation for the tadpoles to gather along, maintaining an enjoyful amphibian society.

This scheme is let people encountering wilderness in Moore Park. By rewilding the site, we can create an environmental suitable place for humans and natures to encounter together. Landscape elements are often referred to as plants, terrain and water bodies. The ecology is supported by these entities, and the landscape is mainly for people to encounter wilderness about with the elements mentioned above.

According to Peter Andrews’s book, water is an important transport system for fertility in the landscape, as the water can carry nutrients to the soil during the drainage process. Moore Park has a tremendous amount of waterflow in the lowland that is being collected after the rainfall, so there is a potential to create a wetland and a waterflow movement in the middle of the park, and enrich the soil nutrients for plants, bring the site back to wilderness. The terrain of the park performs a vital role for water transportation, as Moore Park has a quite distinguish highland and lowland topography, which increases the water flow movement.

The scheme has identified certain high and low points which can be important and interesting for people to gather and visit, thus experiencing this unique landscape terrain while walking through the park. These points are linked together and formed as a pathway and connected through the whole park, with pavilion situated on top of the highland for people to gain a full view of the city, and open platforms for people to gather, bridges were placed across the water for people to trespass through. The existing grassland will be remained for golf courses, and the areas that are outside these regions and other open spaces will be transform into a woodland or a forest, to enhance the wilderness experience.

MOORE PARK REWILDING

Site Plan (Group version) Territory Map (Team member’s work)

Exploded Axo Diagram (Team member’s work)

Sections (Team member’s work)

Lismore located in the centre of the lowland and has been flooded in early Feburary to March 2022, where all the water coverge into the city, causing the properties to be inundated.

The main concern in response to the flood event was the peak level water reduction, studies in recent years have found out that the rising urbanisation led to the significant increase of flood events in urban areas, ground surface has been altered into houses and roads (Talebi, 2019), where these areas are more tend to be floodprone due to the highly steep topography. As a result, heavy water run-off after the rainfall which leading the flood begin to occur.

In the hydrological and ecological circumstances, vegetation and forest will be one of the most ideal strategy to maximise water infiltration in order to prevent flood. For the reason that forest can be a major user of water as the vegetation absorbs water and reduce the water flow through the process of plantation.

Therefore, this proposal focus on solving urban flood disasters in Lismore. We are proposing solutions by implementing plantation both on steep terrain and near the creek. At the same time, we want people to recognise the Lismore culture and heritage by connecting the Lismore residents in our strategies.

Flood Map Soil Map

Lismore Masterplan

WilsonsRiver

Leycester Creek

Flood Area

Lismore Flood Recovery Timeline Lismore Flood Height (Team member’s work) Site Photos

Buffer Zone

Strategies

Flood flows from highland to lowland, where Lismore is located in the centre of the lowland, resulting the urban area being inundated. During the scene, rainwater cannot complete natural infiltration, groundwater cannot be replenished, and the ecological environment continues to deteriorate.

On the uphill landscape, issues of flash flood are coming down from the creeks and gullies, which creating a high water velocities flowing to the water channels. In the lower creeks, high water velocities causing the sediments and debris flushing downstream from the upstream flow.

Our stratgeies is to find the potential areas, and implement four key ideas according to the water flow to resist flood.

The four key ideas are:

- Swales on contour

- Buffer zone

- Plantation on steep terrain

- Dynamic boundary line between existing canopies and new plantation

Plantation Area

Dynamic Boundary

The topography in the Lismore CBD surrounding is very steep, as a result, heavy rainfall has caused the area been flooded badly. Our design of swales on contour will implemented mainly on the highland, where the water run-off on steep terrain.

The water first flowing down from the ridge, when flood happens, water flowing very quickly from the gully down to the lowland, resulting a serious flood occurs.

We decide to use the cut and fill method to dig into the contour of the slope to create the swales on contour. This will change the water flow direction going into digged contour line, where it stores water in the ‘cut’ section, and the ‘fill’ section will help to break down the velocity of the water fall with the bump.

Buffer Zone is to be implemented on the lowland, where the grazing pasture located, which collects water flow from the highland and flows into the creek. Vegetation will be planted alongside the creek to slow down the speed of the water, and reduce water capacity. This is to be negotitated with the farmer with this strategy,

Bushwalk activities will be integrated into the design, this will connects the community of Lismore.

The Queensland Buffer Zone Guideline helps us to understand the characteristic and function of a buffer zone.

It provide natural habitat connectivity, and forms a connection between river and floodplain.

Plantation strategy is to be planted on the highland, this is to be integrated with the swales on contour, where it helps to absorb water with the root system beneath the soil.

The plantation helps to control the water run-off from the high hill, and control sediment run.

The design has chosen land area where there are limited amount of canopies, and planted according to the contour line. This is to be negotitated with the farmers at the surrounding area.

The strategy is mainly based on Eucalyptus forest, as it is widely distributed across Australia.

Dynamic Boundary Cycle In A Year (Team member’s work)

Future

AERIAL TOPOGRAPHY

CENTRAL LISMORE

NORTH LISMORE

WILSON RIVER POINTCLOUD Start

Trajectory over PointCloud, WIlsons RIver, Lismore

aerial stories of WILSON RIVER 2022 Wilsons River, the major streams in the junction of Lismore, along with Leycester Creek, it drops around 359m over its 131km length. The point in adjacant to Lismore is constantly subjected to flooding. While the most recent offical flood warning were made by the government on the 23rd of October, 2022. Where the offical claims Lismore is under situation thats "Rapidly Evolving" where the rainfall may cause minor to moderate flooding along the Wilsons River, and urged the residents to stay alert about this predicted floodwater events. These footage were taken from the DJI Mini 3, The scenes below are shot s tracking of the Wilson river and modeling of the point cloud.

KEY FRAME OF LISMORE & WILSON RIVER (from drive)

It is clear too see that from the phasing between footage and the pointcloud models, the flood have deeply affected the floodplain area around wilson river and Lismore.