Shopping Centre and Urban Precinct Upgrades

Selected Projects

Southlands Shopping Centre, Mawson

Completed 2003

Mawson Centre is a pleasant and safe precinct for shopping and socialising since its recent refurbishment. New features include paving, lights, street furniture, shade trees, shade structures and a bus stop. A pedestrian crossing links the shops with the Canberra Raiders Club and nearby residential areas while an avenue of trees connects the shopping centre to Mawson Drive.

The achievements of Douglas Mawson are celebrated in the form of artworks that reflect the Antarctic landscape and experience. These include a tall, illuminated entrance sign resembling the funnel of the ship Aurora and a renovated mosaic fountain that maps the colours and forms of Antarctica. Other artworks depict artefacts from Antarctic expeditions. The refurbishment represents the culmination of extensive public consultation that addressed the needs of businesses, community organisations, schools and residents.

Hobart Place

Completed 2003

This busy city space was upgraded to improve public amenity and safety at a cost of $2.5m. Collaboration between designers, building owners, traders, waste agencies and artists has resulted in new features that include a performance space, paving, grassed area, seating and drinking fountain.

A feature fountain named "Sweet Justice" is designed to be viewed from the ground as well as from surrounding office buildings. Other new structures designed with the help of an artist, are positioned to reduce the effect of winds and to encourage people to use outdoor cafe spaces. People who use Hobart Place will also benefit from improved lighting waste storage enclosures and enhanced stormwater drainage.

Jamison Shopping Centre

Completed 2003

Traffic management, visual amenity, pedestrian movement and disabled access have been improved as part of the refurbishment of Jamison Shopping Centre. Community consultation played a part in identifying and clarifying issues of access, safety and amenity that are important to the Jamieson Community and the issues that were resolved have resulted in some new features. These include an access ramp that meets the required Australian Standards, enhanced lighting and safer pedestrian arrangements on Bowman Street. New pavement is also installed at selected areas around the centre and additional deciduous trees will offer shade and reduce the effects of wind.

Artworks are incorporated throughout the site. These are integrated visually and functionally with buildings, other structures and landscape elements. Examples of this integration at Jamison is shown by the inclusion of illuminated 'wings of wire' that act as a feature, coloured glass artworks that form part of the balustrades and interpretive steel panels that double as windbreaks at the bus shelter.