Mooloolaba Concept Design

Creative Placemaking Design for the redevelopment of Mooloolaba Foreshore

We were asked to create a series of place-driven design concepts that would tie in with the landscape design of the Mooloolaba Foreshore. These concepts took everyday objects and elements that were to appear in the revitalisation and applied a place-driven artistic lens to their design. This process occurred after a place analysis was conducted and local themes and narratives were identified for expression.

Concepts included:

  • a custom concrete seat inspired by the topography of the local landscape and shaped like a whale bone. The seat would be placed in a location where whale sightings were common at certain times of the year
     
  • a retaining wall treatment including a handrail that reflects the design and patterns from 1960’s caravan culture
     
  • a playground wall with fossilised metal sculptures taken from animals that existed in the local area in prehistory
     
  • a concept for embellishing a standard playground swing with prehistoric fish and plants - artistic metal fabrication
     
  • a handrail treatment that was designed to create a tactile surface that mirrored the surfaces on the nearby rock. This was created so users that are unable to access the rock due to mobility or age could also have a tactile experience.
     
  • a wayfinding sign made from aluminium and timber inspired by traditional boat building techniques
     
  • a garbage bin treatment with a butterfly that is unique to the area
     
  • a surface embellishment for standard tables that graphically tell a range of local stories

Other projects

Southport Broadwater Play Attraction: Delivering Place-Based Creative Play Infrastructure

 
Southport Broadwater Play Attraction: Delivering Place-Based Creative Play Infrastructure

Destination playgrounds are increasingly vital for urban activation, but they often rely on off-the-shelf equipment that lacks connection to place. For the Southport Broadwater Parklands, the City of Gold Coast required an iconic play attraction that was not only fun but deeply rooted in the ecological narrative of the Broadwater Estuary.

Miles Main Street Revitalisation: Regional Placemaking & Urban Renewal

 
Miles Main Street Revitalisation: Regional Placemaking & Urban Renewal

Regional town centres often struggle with generic urban design that fails to resonate with local history or encourage economic “stickiness.” In the heart of the Western Downs, the town of Miles required more than a standard streetscape upgrade; it needed a strategic revitalisation that could express its unique cultural heritage while fostering a renewed sense of community pride.

Palmwoods Town Square: Community-Led Creative Placemaking

 
Palmwoods Town Square: Community-Led Creative Placemaking

Palmwoods, a historic town in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, faced a challenge common to many regional centres. Despite a rich 100-year history the town lacked a central civic heart. The designated site was an underutilised, sloping car park that offered no social or economic utility to the community. The objective was to transform this functional void into a “sticky” destination. To achieve this the new infrastructure needed to feel like an authentic extension of the town’s identity rather than a modern imposition.