Yarralumla Brickworks Precinct

The Brickworks site forms a major part of the industrial history of Canberra. Here most of the material for some of Canberra’s first buildings, such as Parliament House and the Powerhouse, were fabricated. The project celebrates the industrial history of the site through the use of bricks as a dominant material for pavements and edges. Remnants such as the old rail tracks are utilised for new purposes, and ignite conversation of the reinterpretation for new uses. The design embraces this material language conserving as much of the existing finishes as possible. New finishes are chosen to highlight the industrial rawness by using similar materials however in a contemporary refined manner, juxtaposing new against old. Through the support of interpretive signage, the Water Spine provides access to the site’s past in a walk of leisure connecting all key public spaces. The site is proposed as a new landmark destination in Canberra, adding value to the community, whilst embracing the natural, and industrial heritage values of the site.