Good Urban Design in Adelaide
by Douglas Clarke, 2005
Landscaping
Windsor Street Linear Trail
Location: Fern Avenue Reserve, Malvern, to Henry Codd Reserve, Parkside.
Designer: Unley Council & supported by Planning SA's Planning And Development Fund.
Benefits: Streetscape beautification, connect existing open spaces, enhance public access, and create a unique natural environment & promote biodiversity.
- A project of State significance.
- The Trail is a five-year project that commenced in June 2003.
- More than 9,000 indigenous plants have so far been planted.
Special Notes:
The Windsor Street project is a pilot for a long-term, broader vision for the City of Unley that involves the development of a native and indigenous plant corridor that traverses suburbs and Council boundaries, stretching from the foothills to the Parklands.
Link: City of Unley - Windsor Street Trail
Roadside Mounds
Location: Aldinga Arts Ecovillage, Aldinga.
Designer: Aldinga Arts EcoVillage Pty Ltd. (Steve Poole & John Maitland)
Aldinga Arts Eco Village - Mound between road and front yard
Benefits:
- Provide a buffer from the road to the private residences.
- Help shelter the homes from wind & traffic.
- Heavily planted with local native plant species to promote biodiversity.
- On site recycling of top soil (taken from road & construction sites).
Special Notes:
The Aldinga Arts Eco-Village is designed using Permaculture / ESD principles. The development is committed to ecological, social and economic prosperity with a focus on artistic and ecologically sound enterprises.
Interpretive Walking Trails
Kaurna Walking Trail
Location: Adelaide CBD and Parklands
Designer: Adelaide City Council
Benefits:
- Acknowledgment of pre-European & present cultural identity by indigenous peoples.
- Promotes cultural unity & reconcilliation
- Educational & tourism
- Acknowledges, supports & creates a cultural link to biodiversity
Link: Adelaide City Council - Kaurna Walking Trails
Water Management
Food Forest Reed Bed
Location: The Food Forest, Clifford Rd, Hillier
Designer: Chaz Martin & Graham Brookman
Benefits:
- Economical & easy to operate.
- Environmentally safe, (no by-products or use of chemicals).
- No noises or smells.
- Filtered clean water with a high level reduction of nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations.
- Water can be recycled onto gardens.
- A habitat for wildlife
Special notes:
Reedbeds work on the simple process of running grey water into a channel of separate compartments all filled with gravel and planted with sedges. They are approved by the Department of Human Services.
Link: The Food Forest - Permaculture Farm and Learning Centre
Green Fields Wetlands
Location: Salisbury Hwy and Port Wakefield Hwy, Green Fields
Designer: Salisbury Council
Benefits:
- Non toxic storm water management through natural processes.
- Less pollution.
- Recycling of water and replenishing of aquifer.
- Habitat for animals and promotion of biodiversity.
- Educational resource and ecotourism.
- Enhancement of urban environs and lifestyle.
Special Notes:
First granted approval in 1984 and completed in three stages, it was one of the first large, constructed urban wetlands in Australia. Today it covers more than 114 ha and is recognised as a landmark success story in ecologically sound storm water treatment. Is home to over 160 species of birds, eight species of fish, four species of frog, yabbies, long-necked tortoise and numerous aquatic and invertebrate fauna.
More than 30 wetlands sites including the detention ponds, totalling some 250 hectares have been developed as part of the open space network of the City of Salisbury.
Link: City of Salisbury - Wetlands
Participatory Sport Venues
City Beach Volleyball Court
Location: Corner of Frome St.& Pirie St.
Designer: Adelaide City Council
Adelaide Inner City - Participatory Sport - Beach Volleyball Court
Benefits:
- A place for healthy activities .
- A dynamic focal point for spectators.
- Community participation.
Special Notes:
This development is the first of it's kind in Australia and includes four courts, a boardwalk and kiosk.
City workers use the facility to compete in the Lunchtime Cooperate Competition and more than 100 teams of four play in the evening recreational competition. Almost 100 Schools play at the site.
Link: Adelaide City Council - City Beach
Adelaide BMX Track
Location: South Parklands, Adelaide, near Unley Rd.
Designer: Adelaide City Council
Adelaide Parklands - Participatory Sport - BMX Track
Benefits:
- A place for healthy activities .
- A dynamic focal point for spectators.
- Community participation.
- Family involvement.
- Youth activities.
Special Notes:
The BMX park consists of three tracks suitable for beginners, intermediate, and expert. The site provides the opportunity to host high level competition. There could be a link between the Jacobs Creek Tour Down Under bicycle race, an internationally competitive mountain bike event and a similar BMX event. This would highlight Adelaide as a bicycle-sporting city.
Link: Adelaide City Council - BMX Track
Ecovillages
Aldinga Arts Ecovillage
Location: Coach Rd. Aldinga, Onkaparinga Council.
Designer: Aldinga Arts EcoVillage Pty Ltd.
Aldinga Arts Eco Village - Mound between road and front yard
Benefits:
- Ecologically designed homes.
- On site water treatment.
- Local economy, business and organic food production.
- Edible and indigenous flora landscaping.
- Community focus and involvement.
- Community land backing onto each lot.
Special Notes:
- ESD & permaculture principles are combined with a practical focus upon the arts and economic development.
- 142 lot owners.
- Produce farms and markets, arts facilities and an alternative business centre will be built into the development.
- Its own, elected team of residents and assisting experts will manage the development.
Link: Aldinga Arts Eco-Village
Christie Walk Ecocity Project
Location: Sturt St. & Russell St. Adelaide
Designer: Ecopolis Pty. Ltd./ Initiated by Urban Ecology Australia.
Benefits:
- City living with ecological principles.
- Low Energy Embodied and non-toxic housing materials.
- Passive and active solar power/design.
- On site waste water management & rainwater collection.
- Community Garden.
- Community participation and educational workshops.
Special Notes:
Christie Walk is an inner city EcoVillage dedicated to ecological 'human scale development.' It is the first and largest type of development in Australia of its kind. There are regular educational site tours. The next stage of development is to begin soon.
Link: Christie Walk EcoCity Project
Willunga Garden Village
Location : Kookaburra Court, Willunga
Designer: Ian Colete & advisers
Willunga - Kookaburra Court - Shared Garden
Benefits:
- Community land planted with fruit trees.
- Community house and swimming pool.
- Houses are designed with ecological principles.
Willunga - Kookaburra Court - Shared Garden
Special Notes:
Kookaburra Court has been inspired by Permaculture design, in particular the Davis Homes of California. All 20 lots are freehold and the owners are then part owners in a company that owns & maintains the common lands. Water is not treated on-site but is transferred to Willunga township that has a reed-bed water purification system.
Willunga - Kookaburra Court - Shared Garden
Conservation and Bush Regeneration
Parklands Revegetation
Location: Cnr. King William St. & Green Hill Rd.
Designer: Adelaide City Council & Urban Forests Biodiversity Program (UFBP)
Adelaide Parklands - Revegetation
Benefits:
- Preserves rare plant species.
- Promotes biodiversity and creates habitat.
- Provides employment and teaches skills.
- Community participation.
- Promotes cultural links.
Special Notes:
Adelaide retains only 2.7 % of its original native flora cover. Bush regeneration is essential for preserving seed stock & creating habitat for native animals within the urban environment. The UFBP has been established since 1997 as an initiative by the state government to promote and protect local biodiversity.
The Adelaide City Parklands have long been regarded as excellent urban design that provides the people of the city with plenty of open space and recreational opportunities.
Link: Urban Forest
Community Art
Stobie Pole & Seat Art
Location: Goodwood rd. Unley Council
Designer: Commissioned by Goodwood Rd. Traders Association.
Artist: Vaughan Green
Benefits:
- Community participation.
- Streetscape beautification
- A social / community voice.
- Cultural representation.
Special Notes:
The Unley council has many community arts projects scattered throughout its city. The development of the Goodwood library and the art produced there is reflective of pre- European culture and the transition of the area into its current multi cultural social climate.
Link: City of Unley - Art & Cultural Development
Last modified: 2006.05.29