H+H Architects were engaged by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder to lead the Visioning and Master Planning for the Boulder Tourism Precinct. The project vision included the development of a tourism precinct in Boulder, with spaces and attractions that will enhance the liveability of the City and attract visitors to experience the history of this unique precinct. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s Tourism Strategy 2020-2024 identified the Loopline Park as a Priority One project and proposed working with stakeholders and partners to resolve the future of the Loopline Park. H+H Architects undertook visioning and engagement to create a prioritised action plan and concept masterplan.
H+H Architects were engaged by the Shire of Esperance to develop detailed design concepts for the CBD following the key findings of the 2015 Esperance Town Centre Revitalisation Master Plan. Focusing on the first priority areas around the main streets of Andrew and Dempster Streets, H+H utilised local traffic studies and detailed onsite assessments to create a design that would manage issues of pedestrian safety and vehicle parking alongside place-making strategies.
In particular, the design team wanted to respond to the strong vertical character and organic forms of the distinctive Norfolk Island Pine trees that lined each street in a way which allowed people to better appreciate their contribution to the streetscape. Traditionally the tree roots and massive trunks had fought against the strong linear forms of the footpaths and edge treatments, creating visual disharmony and conflict between soft and hard landscaping. To address the relationship between the trees and the surrounding hard surfaces we created organic shaped Tree Nodes which introduced tree-friendly permeable paving solutions around the base of each tree, introducing a range of ground surfaces that would allow the tree trunks and roots to have priority, and breaking down the strong linear emphasis of the footpaths and road edge.
H+H Architects also worked to soften the CBD zone with the introduction of tree plantings that are positioned along the outer edges of the roadway, keeping lower planting to the central median to allow retention of views to the Foreshore. Targeting established businesses and buildings that could accommodate streetside gathering spaces with street furniture and trees, H+H created a template for new Urban Nodes. These were designed to allow sections of the footpath to widen, creating pedestrian friendly spaces that could be utilised for Alfresco dining or informal gathering. These Urban Nodes offer advantages to a number of cafe's and retail spaces to expand their business operations to the street, creating a more vibrant central hub.
H+H Architects also introduced Urban Nodes out the front of the historic Bijou Theatre, the local cinema, as well as the local Police Station, which is a popular gathering space for local youth at the west end of Dempster Street. The concept design for the Post Office Square was also created as part of this project, working to enhance Esperance's main CBD event space which is located on a busy roundabout in the centre of town. We considered the existing Norfolk Island Pine tree which dominates the Square, as well as new plantings and street furniture to create an attractive and functional community space. The CBD Landscape design created by H+H Architects was strongly supported by Shire staff who would be implementing the design over a staged construction, and was also endorsed by Council without objection, demonstrating genuine support for the design approach, and confirming that we had got the details right.
H+H have worked with GSIT over multiple years to assist with various stages of the Albany TAFE campus. The process began with a staged masterplan to guide development on the site for the next twenty years. Consultation with the client, detailed analysis of the site, a review of access routes and flow, and close consultation with a cost consultant ensured the masterplan met the needs of the client for the immediate and long term future of the facility.
The Health Science building was the first project completed from this masterplan in 2014.
H+H Architects combined with a team of local consultants to deliver this large, environmentally sensitive subdivision for Landcorp. The project site is immediately behind the Middleton beach dunal system and is considered to have high environmental significance. The final subdivision proposal was developed through a rigorous process that questioned and tested all the decisions on the project against best practice environmental standards. The outcomes included detailed design guidelines, a 'green points' sustainable initiative, building envelopes to protect solar access and 60% of the site retained as bushland.
The Middleton Beach Development was a masterplanning exercise undertaken by H+H Architects to demonstrate future development options for this iconic beachfront site.
This project involved the relocation of the Mount Barker Primary School to co-locate with the High School and create the Mount Barker Community College. The planning provided separate Primary School facilities with some shared facilities across the precinct. The buildings were specifically designed for the site, and take into account environmental considerations.
This project was a complex Master planning and programming exercise to replace the existing Yakamia Primary School on an existing site while the school remained in operation. It was designed to enable the school to be procured in 4 stages including a forward works project to upgrade the power, gas and sewer to the site. This involved close liaison with all client levels (BMW, DOE head office, school, community) to gain approval of the Masterplan and program. An ongoing close relationship with all parties enabled H+H Architects to achieve the project over a 5 year program.
A planning exercise undertaken by H+H Architects to demonstrate the potential to create a Cultural Precinct centered around the Town Hall, Library and the Old Primary School.
York Street photo courtesy of Lee Griffith.