Water_ the shifting sea
Water is culturally associated with qualities such as calm, openness, depth and wisdom. Being near it can calm and connect people, increase innovation and insight, and even heal what’s broken.
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The ocean as a place is experienced and cherished by people as social, communication and cultural spaces, playing an important role in how we as humans understand ourselves as communities and individuals.
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Perceptions of the sea have changed over time in response to greater technological control and climate change, giving rise to an ambiguous view of the sea that appears cold, dangerous and unapproachable. This has influenced our perception of the waterfront as an increasingly “industrial” landscape. As the rising sea levels currently impede on our foreshores the sea is further recognised as a force of death and destruction.
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The waterfront architecture will create a new sense of place in relation to its programme, the poetic shift of its conditions, its urban context and future use.
Our site lies within the two major nodes of the city. It is considered as a bridge or a “breathing space” of respite, leisure and art - between the North Sydney CBD and the Sydney CBD. Within its urban landscape the project incorporates strategies to respond to the rising sea levels while drawing the city closer to the water’s edge. This is achieved through the integration of the threshold between the home and the office, the land and the waterfront, and the sky and the streets.