I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which this book was made, the land of the Awabakal people.
I pay our respects to elders past, present, and emerging, and acknowledge that the sovereignty of this Country was never ceded.
Movement addresses the implications of urban sprawl and the automobile. The word movement underpins how this infrastructure molds the way people inhabit urban environments. These urban environments are driving the decline of the environment and inducing an unhealthy way of living.
This individualistic urbanism creates a collection of anti-social spaces, diminishing human encounters and physical health of pedestrian thoroughfare. A discourse against this urbanism outlines the framework that Movement applied to the “city within a city” brief and its ability to further influence a relevant surrounding context.
This “city within a city” proposal accommodates for 3,000 people, providing a more social and healthier urbanism for a large demographic to inhabit.
Located in Mayfield North, NSW the site was operated by the Broken Hill Propriety (BHP) as a major steelworks company, opening in 1915 and employing over 13000 people from the Newcastle/Hunter region.
BHP played a massive role in the economic turnover of Newcastle, exhausting everything the site had to offer, leaving it in the state you find it today.
Situated within an industrial area, the site is closely connected to a highway, railway and the Hunter River.
During operation, BHP utilized these modes of transport to maximize the performance of manufacturing and exporting steel.
The design brief released by the NSW Government prompts architectural practices to consider the role played by architecture in shaping processes of urbanization. More specifically, the brief seeks to generate speculative proposals for a model city that is both situated within, and yet remains distinct from, the existing fabric of Newcastle.
The brief outlines a few key requirements and conditions that must be adhered to in order for a proposal to be deemed eligi ble:
- Propose a design for a ‘city within the city’ with a population of 3,000 residents on the former BHP site in Mayfield North.
- Residential buildings must not exceed 30m in height and building heights should be varied. Ground floors cannot contain any residential space.
- In addition to housing, schemes must also propose a masterplan for the overall site including the landscape areas. Except for the former BHP Administration Building, which is state heri tage listed, all buildings may be demolished if required.
- Although the site is clay-capped, it is still heavily polluted. Schemes must not propose to grow edible crops from the ground.
- Schemes must elucidate a model of ownership and governance for the site, broadly outlining the terms under which the 3,000 residents will occupy their dwellings.
- Proposals should speculate on the future of the surrounding area in anticipation of the region’s economic transition away from coal.
The framework outlines the overarching hierarchy the schematic master plan will follow. Placing a core focus on people and the environment, the ideas matrix was formed. The ideas matrix consists of 6 main ideas:
- Decommodification
- Build-to-rent
- Re-Wilding
- Repurpose
- Social Autonomy
- Shared Communal Space
Translating these ideas into a set of programs, allowed the ideas matrix to realize itself into the masterplan and design.
The underlying program to construct these combinations looks at a focus cluster set/building that provides amenity to surrounding sets/buildings. In combination this creates semi-private spaces and smaller ‘neighborhood’ communities within the site as a whole.
Through the configuration of cluster sets into blocks a direction of thoroughfare is created. These paths become a common direction of travel, whether by foot or bike, it influences human encounter with those who live around the neighborhood.
This program is based on the Influence of Robert Martin, a master planner architect from JAJA architects based in Denmark. Robert developed a Mobility Diet Pyramid, a spin on the food pyramid, informing a new way of thinking to how we should travel.
“Move most from the bottom – Least from the top. It’s good for you, your wallet and environment.”
A strong case for putting this into motion is a project by JAJA architects, “PARKING HOUSE + KONDITAGET LÜDERS.” The project is a Hybrid structure between a playground and a car park.
By compacting the footprint for cars when parked, it frees up space for pedestrian movement within the urban environment. Using the structure for a secondary use as a playground turns it into a hub of transport and community.
Movement uses this programming on site, repurposing existing buildings into mobility hubs to encourage foot and bike travel on site. By doing so it eliminates the need for car infrastructure and the health and anti-social implications of that.
Program 3 outlines the need for connection to green space.
By keeping all existing buildings, the central green area works in conjunction to provide places for people to meet and create a sense of community.
The green space was outlined before any new building was placed to emphasize on building a connection to this central part of the site.
By achieving this, foot and bike paths were directed to move through these community areas. Improving the health and wellbeing of those moving through the site.
This program outlines the financial model of the development, focusing on making the cost of living affordable. To achieve this, rental payments will be capped at 25% of residents yearly income. The model also takes into consideration for 40% of residents being unemployed, highlighting the need for an ethical investment group.
The model will take on an ethical market-based development and will do so through a build-to-rent method.
An outlined timeline provides calculated estimates on how this will be achieved:
Step 1: Ethical Investment Group (EIG) land purchase.
Subject to multiple caveats:
- Minimum 2 years tenure.
- Rent capped to 25%.
- Reduced building costs must be passed on to residents.
Step 2: EIG Funds development, estimated $215 million.
- Design and construction conducted to be sustainable and minimise costs.
Step 3: Rental Income repays EIG over approximately 30 years.
- Approximately half of the estimated annual rent income (20 million) will be allocated to investment repayments.
- Investment will be paid off with an fixed 5% p.a interest rate.
Step 4: Income managed by council of tenants
- Upon completion of repayments, extra income will be managed by a council of tenants, elected by residents.
- Scope for upgrading existing facilities, funding similar developments etc.
The programming becomes evident in the early stages of the masterplan. The central green space and mound organization start to depict foot and bike paths as well as the building lines for the residential blocks. Limiting access to site by car places importance on the use of the mobility hubs. The mobility hubs are located either side of the admin building.
FOUR BEDROOM
FIVE BEDROOM
ONE BEDROOM
TWO BEDROOM
A diagram demonstrating how a residential block will house 50 residents. The cluster consists of a ground floor for commercial/retail space and three floors of different apartment types above.
Exploring the early stage cluster for 50 people in a physical sense. Portraying scale and the light quality of different spaces.
The 50 person cluster aims to include people of a variety of demographics including both young and old singles and couples, families, including single parent and multi-generational families.
The one bedrooms may house students, young professionals, elderly widows, as well as any age individual who finds themselves in need of a place to live alone.
The occupants in a couple one bedroom may house students, LGBTQI+, elderly couple and empty-nesters.
The 2-Bedroom apartments will predominantly be for families, generally with 2-3 people, depending on whether the occupants are a single parent family.
4. Family - Three bedroom
The occupants of the 3 bedroom apartments would mostly be 3-4 person families. The 2,3 and 4 bedroom apartments could be also set up as share house accommodation.
5. Family - Four bedroom
The occupants of the 4 bedroom apartments would be predominantly 4-6 person families, with the capacity for multi-generational families.
6. Sharehouse - Five bedroom
The 5 bedroom apartments would mostly be occupied in a share-house situation, with some exceptions for very large families.
The final masterplan underpins the result of Movements program philosophy:
- Program 1: Block Combinations
As evident on site, cluster buildings are arranged to create smaller neighborhood communities and play a part is directing thoroughfare through the site.
- Program 2: Mobility Diet
The site restricts car access and repurposes two existing buildings for mobility hubs. This decision also influences people to walk and bike around site as a healthier way of living.
-Program 3: Prioritized Green Space
Central green areas draw people to the middle of the site, creating community.
-Program 4: Affodability
As outlined in the financial plan, minimizing the final cluster design solution to core structural elements whilst still maintaining quality living conditions was important to save on costs.
The final cluster has taken on further refinement from the conceptual phase. Opening up the service core allows for the improvement of natural light quality to enter the building. Warming up crucial areas during the Winter months whilst proving shading under the archways during the Summer.
1:50 Plan - Studio Apartment
1:50
In further developing Movements scheme, there is an opportunity to connect the site to the Greater Newcastle region.
Movement will address this through revitalizing the pre-existing railway systems built for the BHP steelworks and rework them to into the scope of the “Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan 2036.”
The metropolitan plan outlines two key points relevant to the site:
1. The proposal of a new ferry wharf that would connect Newcastle interchange to the ferry system.
2. To further develop tourism opportunities within the Throsby precinct.
Movement proposes to connect a railway to one of the mobility hubs on site, as a method of transport to the existing main train line and a proposed ferry wharf in Throsby precinct.
Further building upon the Metropolitan ambition to develop tourism and connect different modes of transport.
Waratah & Hamilton train connection
Mobility hub connection
Proposed station & wharf connection
The mobility hub connects the site to the main NSW train line that runs through to Sydney as well as the new developing areas of Newcastle.
Movement proposes a train station and wharf to assist the site in further connecting to other modes of transport in Newcastle. They are situated in the Throsby precinct to also connect visiting cruise tourists to Greater Newcastle.
Movement repurposed the computer center and eastern office building into mobility hubs to tackle the overpowering infrastructure that cars require.
The computer center became the transit connection to the proposed railway system, using the ground floor for that amenity whilst the floors above for car parking with a rooftop garden.
Linking back to Movements philosophy, reducing the use of the car and its infrastructure unlocks the city back to the pedestrian. Promoting human encounter and pedestrian travel having less effect on the environment and encouraging a healthier way of living.
Australian and New Zealand Standards (2004). AS/NZS 2890.1 - Parking facilities.
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