Civic Assessment 2 Presentation

Slide 1 — Introduction

Hi, my name is Josh, and this proposal is a Land Restoration and Community Learning Centre located between the East Perth Power Station and the Swan River. It explores how a civic building can connect education, community gathering and practical care for the landscape.

Slide 2 — Site Analysis and Design Process

I began by looking at the environmental conditions of the site. The prevailing wind generally approaches from the river in the east before shifting towards the south-west during the day. This influenced the placement of openings, courtyards and outdoor spaces in a way to encourage natural ventilation.

Perth can become hot and dry during summer so the need for shade is important. The building should have spaces that provide protection from direct sunlight while still allowing people to spend time outdoors.

The form of my design is towards the river and has two curved courtyards to soften the building’s geometry and create a contrast with the symmetrical character of the power station.

Slide 3 — Site Strategy and Building Objective

I combined two ideas from my previous assessment: land restoration and community learning. Its purpose is to give visitors opportunities to learn about the local community, the industrial history of the site and its relationship with the river. This learning is combined with hands-on activities such as planting and caring for native vegetation.

Slide 4 — Land Restoration Option

The first option I decided to work towards was the Land Restoration Centre. From this option, I carried forward the greenhouse, planting areas and the idea that restoration should be visible and accessible to the public.

Slide 5 — Community Learning Option

The second option was the Community Learning Centre. Combining the two options allowed the project to become a place where knowledge of the site can be shared through both discussion and practical activity.

Slide 6 — Ground Floor Plan

The ground floor contains the most active and publicly accessible parts of the building. The spaces are arranged along a linear circulation path, with rooms opening towards the courtyards.

The smaller courtyard provides a more focused area for planting and restoration activities. While the larger courtyard is organised around a central tree and provides space for gathering and rest.

Learning, workshop and planting areas are distributed across the plan. To the right is a multipurpose room which is mostly used as a workshop while the left side is where the gardening practices are held.

Slide 7 — Second Floor Plan

The second level provides an area for private learning and uses roof terraces for more gathering spaces while maintaining visual connections to the courtyards below. There is also an exhibition room to display historic artefacts and stories of the East Perth Power Station and its community.

Slide 8 — Sections

The first section shows how the different spaces are connected and how the two floor levels relate to one another. The section below shows the direct relationship between the interior and the smaller courtyard for gardening purposes. There are large openings visible in these sections to show how daylight enters the building.

Slide 9 — Elevations

The elevations express the building's design through its terraces, openings and changes in height. You can also see the materials I decided to work with. I combined concrete structural forms with warmer timber elements. The concrete responds effectively to the industrial character of the power station, while timber gives the civic spaces a softer and more welcoming quality.

Slide 10 — Exterior Views

These exterior views show how the courtyards and roof terrace would be experienced by visitors. The main courtyard acts as the centre of the building, with seating, shade and a lot of space for social gatherings. The roof terrace provides another informal gathering area and gives visitors an elevated connection to the river and landscape. 

Slide 11 — Interior Views and Conclusion

These are two interior spaces that play an important role to the overall design. The greenhouse represents the hands-on restoration part of the site, where visitors can take part in planting activities. While the exhibition space represents the learning side, an area to communicate the history of the site, the river and the local community.