Colonel Light Centre Forecourt
2017 National Award of Excellence - Small Projects
2017 State Award of Excellence - Small Projects
City of Adelaide
A living wall that is perfectly integrated with a 1970s high-rise, thereby highlighting how green infrastructure can be successfully retrofitted to existing structures. The mix of climbing and cascading plants creates a wrap-around effect that is thick, layered and voluminous but that never obscures the Brutalist detailing of the building.
The variety of foliage textures, shapes and colours softens an otherwise harsh public landscape making it a more inviting and intimate place to gather. The ‘family tree motif’ artwork in the forecourt paving adds another layer of visual interest and forges a connection between the vertical wall and the trees already growing in the forecourt. In addition, the green wall links to the wider natural landscape by providing habitat for wildlife, harvesting storm water, improving air quality and cooling the temperature of the immediate surrounds through plant transpiration.
This project demonstrates how councils can use sophisticated green infrastructure technologies to create more vibrant and inviting public spaces.
