Urban activation at the Rocks Laneway
Two years on, we revisit and reflect on one of our regional projects – The Rocks Laneway in Geraldton, a coastal city 424 kilometres north of Perth.
In 2018, the City of Greater Geraldton acquired The Rocks building with the idea of creating a new kind of public space for the community, in the city centre. It was our task to imagine and deliver a catalytic urban project for the Geraldton CBD – to develop a ‘sticky’ space that encourages people to visit and stay, as well as to improve physical and visual links between Geraldton's foreshore and main street.
As lead consultants, we worked together with the City of Greater Geraldton; architects, TRCB; artist, Trevor Richards; lighting designers and electrical engineers, ETC; and engineers, Arup; to develop some solutions around connectivity in Geraldton’s centre, with the Rocks building as an urban catalyst.
A key move was to create a new function for the Rocks building – effectively transforming it into a village square sheltered from the elements. This space is now a laneway – an additional (and now essential) pedestrian link through town. A meta-graphic by Trevor Richards connects the foreshore to Geraldton’s central art gallery, an art trail that acts as a ‘visual glue’ and a background for changing outdoor exhibitions.
This project was completed in 2019 – and now, two years on, we’ve had the chance to reflect on how the project has impacted life in Geraldton’s city centre.
The Rocks now hosts regular events with an ongoing curated public program of activations and curios. In the 15 months following the project’s opening, the space has attracted 4,757 participants and 9,497 spectators, with a total engagement of 14,254 community members and visitors to the city.
It’s important for us to continually revisit our projects. Our process is about ensuring our projects are grounded in place, and designed according to the needs of the specific community we’re designing with and for. We’ve loved the chance to take a look back at the Rocks, and see that this space is one that is loved, and used, by both locals and visitors to the town.
