The Long Shed, Exploded Construction Axonometric, 2021
Incident: The Long Shed is built, Floorplan
Incident (top) in 10 years time. Incident (below): In 25 years time
Incident (top) in 25-100 years time. Incident (below): In 75-100 years time
Completed as Big Al’s architectural thesis project, a thesis essay (A), an Infrastructure Catalogue (B), and a series of Trace Drawings (C), were developed as part of her research at Notre Dame University.
The proposal focused on a gradual managed retreat, outlining two potential futures for APACE Nursery: staying on the current site or relocating.
These futures were developed using coordinated social, ecological, and built infrastructure strategies projected across a 100-year timeframe, in response to the predicted flooding of the Derbal Yerrigan. Each scenario included a connecting path, allowing the nursery’s program to function independently on either site——depending on the future APACE chose.
APACE’s social legacy relied on volunteer-run events and the use of materials that were maintainable, easily constructed, and readily available.
Through historical archives and site tracing, a design emerged for a wetland site that——with the support of a levee——could regenerate the shoreline while continuing APACE Nursery’s long-standing commitment to ecological renewal.
Precedents and painting informed the design of a linear shed, which provided a just public space that incorporated accessibility and a flexible program. The aim was to reflect APACE’s built legacy.
This architectural research served as a model for other community groups located on Swan River Trust land, enabling them to explore their own managed retreat strategies. To uncover the inner workings of such organisations, researchers could apply the tactical toolkits developed in this thesis——social, ecological, and built infrastructure——to other sites along the Derbal Yerrigan that faced similar flooding threats.
The legacy of this managed retreat strategy for APACE Nursery extended beyond built form: it represented an expanded social movement and the potential evolution of a dynamic tidal ecosystem.
2021/10/20 The Legacy of APACE Nursery
CATALOGUE : archived
LOCATION : Whadjuk Country, Walyalup, Western Australia
WITH : APACE
this project is dedicated to Tony