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Adelaide's seaside space Henley Square to be redeveloped



ONE of Adelaide's most loved seaside spaces, Henley Square, will be redeveloped in a plan which promises to retain and enhance the village atmosphere, heritage and lawns that make it popular with families.

The gateway to the beach, the coastal promenade and the famous jetty will receive its long-awaited redesign after a decision by the City of Charles Sturt to award the project to landscape architects Taylor, Cullity, Lethlean (TCL) and Troppo Architects.

Their plan to unite the site's three critical elements of square, beach and promenade, as well as its connections with Seaview Rd, won over the jury in the design ahead of two other finalist teams led by Tridente Architects and Lahznimmo Architects.

TCL director Kate Cullity will work with Troppo Architects' director Phil Harris on the redesign, beginning with community consultations later this month. The project will cost $8 million but council has so far allocated only half that amount.

Although little-known outside professional circles, Ms Cullity's creative vision has had a profound impact on some of Adelaide's most significant public spaces. She has been part of various teams responsible for the redesign of North Tce and current projects involving Victoria Square and the Torrens footbridge.

The firm has worked on a number of prominent waterfront redesigns, from Newport Quays at Port Adelaide to Melbourne's Docklands, the Manly Corso in Sydney and Auckland's North Wharf.

Ms Cullity said that Henley has a "village feel" which the would work to enhance. "Henley has particular loved qualities so the design is about building on the good bones that everyone enjoys about it," she said.

Her partnership with Mr Harris on the project has a particularly poignant personal dimension. Mr Harris was involved in a traffic accident in Darwin two years ago which killed Ms Cullity's husband and managing director of TCL, Kevin Taylor. Troppo Architects' husband and wife team Lena Yali and Gregory McNamara also died in the accident.

Hearings in the coronial inquest into the accident were held in June, and when they weren't in court, Ms Cullity and Mr Harris worked on their submissions for the Henley Square competition.



"It was incredibly intense," said Mr Harris.

TCL has worked on a number of prominent waterfront redesigns, from Newport Quays at Port Adelaide to Melbourne's Docklands, the Manly Corso in Sydney and Auckland's North Wharf.

One of the most-loved and used elements of the site were the patches of grass, Mr Harris said.



"Kids run around on them, people pitch beach tents on them, they're great for fish and chips," he said. "We love them, and so we'll look at how we serve them better."

City of Charles Sturt mayor Kirsten Alexander said she was delighted with the sense of fun and family in the winning design.

"They've got some really clever things in terms of water play," she said. There were numerous child play areas and a water feature in the centre. "I thought 'wow, they've really designed it with families in mind and there are a lot things that will appeal to kids," she said. She also welcomed the respect shown for the heritage aspects of the site.

It is expected that construction work will begin within the next 12 months.

how good is he wrote:No offence but do you remember what was there before???
The previous building sat in front of the same cafes on the same location on the beach for many decades and that building was even brown like a turd!

Ok so tell us Dvious considering there has to be surf lifesaving clubs on the beach.... give us an example of a building/s you would like to be built there instead?