The original design emerged from the urban constraints and edge conditions of the site. The developed project enhances its responsiveness to urban, residential and environmental contexts, and increases its ability to connect and activate the site. More importantly however, it proposes a deeper sense of identity: the design celebrates the visual and environmental qualities of the surrounding natural landscape and integrates them in a refined, ephemeral, green architectural proposition – a Green Ryde. To this end, the proposal unfolds and structures the plot in three key elements:

The Edges: the response to local context;

The Green Plaza: the response to collective wellbeing, activation and civic identity;

The Towers: the response to extended urban context and socio-economic needs;

The design proposal organizes a chain of dynamic, pedestrian oriented, public open spaces that hinge on the Green Plaza, are framed by the new Council Building and supported by a mix of civic, retail and commercial uses enabling pedestrian and social connectivity within the site and through to the surrounding fabric. The displacement of program within the architectural and vegetated proposed urban-scape creates a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable new hub for the City of Ryde. By rationalizing the project’s footprint the proposal offers a broader green public space that becomes at once the symbol and the place of the new Civic Precinct. An urban garden activated by a range of commercial and civic functions along its edges, and informed by the glimmering qualities of indigenous vegetation. Shaded by a tall and light canopy, the Green Plaza enables socio-economical activation and acts as the main visual and pedestrian connection throughout the site. This expanded civic public space also generates a natural micro-climate resulting in a sheltered indoor-outdoor environment and functions as a visual and environmental buffer for the site. The Multi-Purpose space is located centrally within this public area along with other commercial and hospitality activities and the main entry to the new Council Building, whose volume mediates between the urban front on Parkes St and the Green Plaza. The Blaxland street edge is addressed through a terraced garden – Vegetated Steps – gently sloping towards the residential area. The proposal engages with the unique indoor-outdoor Australian lifestyle and aims to develop and further intensify this concept at a Civic scale. We shall not be suspicious of Architecture. Given the chance, (good) architecture generates intensity, cultural stimulus and social dignity as well as collective wonder and curiosity.