Freefall Engineers Australia Competition
On 1 August 2014 the winners of the Freefall Engineers Australia Competition was revealed. We are pleased to announce that Surface Design’s project was chosen as one of ten out of thirty-three for an exhibition at the National Arboretum Canberra.
Freefall competition entrants were invited to design a new feature for the National Arboretum Canberra as a showpiece destination within the Freefall Pin Oak forest.
Our design incorporated inspiration from Australia’s contribution to science, technology and engineering combined with Aboriginal history of the area.
The structure acts as a swale crossing and viewing platform for both able and impaired pedestrians and a crossing for small vehicles. The spiral shape gently leads you up to two viewing platforms while taking you along a path with 360 degree views of the arboretum allowing the visitor to experience the complete surroundings.
It is designed for durability, with minimal impact on the environment by reusing materials where possible. Materials such as reclaimed telegraph poles, shipping container and reclaimed wood. Through the use of these materials, our hope is to add character and history to the structure and ultimately, to express the importance of preservation to the future.
Each of the columns both support the spiral walkway and provide information through interpretive symbols. Each interpretive panel is incorporated into the pole at various eye levels along the journey and will be of a variety of technologies explaining the past, present and options for the future of both the cultural element and contribution of Australian ingenuity to the world.
We send our congratulations to Bligh Tanner on their winning concept. We here at Surface Design are very proud of our achievement but aim to improve in our next competitive project.
