ANITA LOUISE DESIGN
Anita Justins
Wellama Plaza
2021
Group Concept
Anita Justins
Daniela Sandoval Sandovik
Kirsten Felice
The group brief was to design a sculptural element as part of a conceptual design for the Woolworths building at Town Hall, Sydney located on the block bound by Pitt Street, Park Street and George Street. We had to review "What makes Sydney Sydney?". The design was to include a three level public and private plaza with a link to Town Hall Station and street level (George, Pitt and Park Streets), while connecting the design to the nature of the area itself.
Essential to the design was a need to include strong sustainable qualities, be an innovative multifunctional design, have a metaphorical element relating to the history/culture/social aspects of the area.
Our design of Wellama Plaza was influenced by April Pine's Exterior Figures, the Red Cross Building ampitheatre in Copenhagen and Cora Gooseberry, an historical local Aboriginal woman referred to as the Queen of Sydney.
We designed a light and bright space with organic shapes to represent Indigenous Australians with neutral colours, earthy tones and rustic materials to symbolise regeneration and returning the material to the earth. The Gadigal word "Wellama" was selected as it means "to return or come back".
Our ideas evolved throughout the design process and our final design includes a street level plaza which is slightly elevated from the street. Three steel sculptures are placed, in opposing directions along the pathway. The public are invited to move around the sculptures as they travel through the plaza. As they traverse the sculptures, their view of the cityscape changes depending on relationship to the sculpture.
Street level access from George Street is via a canopy covered staircase to B1. Level B1 allows you to travel directly through to the Concourse at Town Hall Station or alternatively, you can pass through this level and continue to the private space being the ampitheatre, constructed from rammed earth or waste construction material from the original site returning the materials to their original place.
The ampitheatre space is designed for the local Aboriginal community as a meeting place and a community space where people can gather for exhibitions and talks to encourage community togetherness in a place which was originally Aboriginal land.