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June 2015

Project Kingston Arts Precinct Feasibility, Management Options and Design Study Prepared By Stewart Architecture Prepared For artsACT, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD) Date June 2015 Contact Sean Hogan

Stewart Architecture 36 Mildura Street Fyshwick ACT 2609 PO Box 3469 Manuka ACT 2603 T: 02 6228 1200 E: [email protected]

CONTENTS

June 2015

Contents

1. Executive Summary 1

2. Introduction

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3. A Functional Brief and Ground Work Study 6 3.1 Aims and Objectives of the Functional Brief and Groundwork Study 6 3.2 Key Stakeholders and Existing Facilities 6 3.3 Background 9 3.4 Summary of Heritage Significance 9 3.5 The Functional Brief 12 3.6 Area Required for Arts Activities 15 3.7 Recommendations and Findings of the Functional Brief and Ground Work Study

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4. Consultation and Reuse of Existing Facilities Study 17

4.1 Aims and Objectives of the Consultation 17 4.2 The Consultation Process 17 4.3 Alternative Uses for Existing Facilities 23 4.4 Recommendations and Findings of the Consultation and Reuse of Existing Facilities Study

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5. Statutory Planning Context 29

5.1 Aims and objectives of the Statutory Planning Context 29 5.2 Urban and Statutory Planning Considerations for the Precinct 29 5.3 Recommendations and Findings of the Statutory Planning Context

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6. Design Study 35

6.1 Aims and Objectives of the Design Study 35 6.2 Urban Design Principles 35 6.3 The Preferred Design Option 42 6.4 Other Uses to the Precinct 47 6.5 Analysis of Sites 48 6.6 Consistency with the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan 51 6.7 Design Option Study 1 54 6.8 Design Option Study 2 57 6.9 Design Option Study 3 60

6.10 Urban Design Guidelines 63 6.11 Recommendations and Findings of the Design Study

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7. A Management Model Study 74

7.1 Aims and Objectives of the Management Model Study 74 7.2 Issues surrounding different Management Models 74 7.3 The Recommended Model 75 7.4 Recommendations and Findings of the Management Model Study 77

8. Final Recommendations of the Study 78

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Stewart Architecture has been engaged by artsACT, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD) to undertake a study and prepare a report which will investigate and document Planning options, Management Options and Feasibility for a new arts precinct on Section 49 Kingston. This report will explore the requirements and options for accommodating a range of identified arts organisations on Section 49 Kingston, which would be developed into a mixed use arts precinct, and follows on from the work and ideas presented in the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan. Main Areas of the Study

Stewart Architecture, with the assistance of an expert sub-consultant team, is identified as the ‘Project Team’ and has been tasked to undertake the following studies and provide recommendations for the way forward:

• Undertake a Functional Brief and Groundwork Study to develop a consolidated Functional Brief for a new arts precinct which would accommodate all of the identified arts organisations in either one or more new or existing buildings. The Functional Brief identifies the types of required spaces, and calculates the total area required for the arts organisations, including area for parking, servicing, amenities and public interface spaces. This section also discusses and summarises the heritage context of the precinct which is based on a number of Conservation Management Plans and Heritage Reports which have recently been prepared by a number of different specialists.

• Undertake a Consultation and Reuse of Existing Facilities Study, which documents the specific needs of

the various arts organisations through one-on-one interviews, identifies and documents the possible options for re-use of the existing buildings (the Former Transport Depot, the Fitters’ Workshop and the Kingston Powerhouse) that are already located on the precinct.

• Undertake a Design Options Study, which reviewed the existing Indicative Master Plan as presented in the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan report, exploring the potential break up of sites, traffic network, and landscape and public realm areas into a resolved urban framework and proposes a range of options for the siting of arts organisations within the precinct. A number of Design Options are explored in this study, and a recommended option, detailing the preferred arrangement for the accommodation of arts organisations on the precinct is presented.

• Undertake a Management Model Study, which identifies and analyses the various options for the management and governance of an arts precinct. This study compares a range of different models through case studies, discusses the pros and cons of the various management options and provides a recommendation for the most effective option for the Kingston Arts Precinct.

Key Findings of the Study The Project Team presents the following recommendations arising from this report:

1. Functional Brief

The Functional Brief recommends that the identified arts organisations will require about 7,571sqm of floor area in office, exhibition, retail, workshop, training, meeting circulation and servicing type spaces. These spaces could be located in one or more buildings, arranged close together to ensure strong working synergies between the different arts organisations can develop.

2. Parking

The precinct needs to replace the 480 public parks that currently exist, plus provide the parking generated by new development and parking generated by the arts organisations, for operators, artists and visitors.

The parking generation for the arts organisations has been based on the Parking and Vehicular Access Guidelines Code and it is estimated that 7,571sqm of arts use will generate about 152 employee parking spaces.

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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This report recommends public parking be located in either 1 or 2 centrally located basements running through the middle of the site, directly underneath new arts buildings. The report calculates that up to 760 new public car parks could be provided on site in both below ground or surface parking arrangements.

3. Consultation

One-on-one consultation with the various arts organisations concludes that there is strong support for the development of an arts precinct at the Kingston Foreshore. In addition to this, there are a range of other organisations (both government and private) that have expressed an interest in being located at an arts precinct and thus indicates that a mixed use ‘arts focussed’ precinct at the Kingston Foreshore would have considerable support.

4. Statutory Planning

The current CZ5 Commercial Zones Development Code and Kingston Precinct Code indicates that a mixed use arts precinct would be suitable for the site and that the majority of proposed uses would be permissible.

It is the opinion of the project team that the precinct should be considered a ‘special place,’ unique to other parts of the Kingston Foreshore. There should be a variation to the Territory Plan to increase the flexibility of permissible uses, floor area restrictions and height restrictions to ensure that the intention of an arts precinct as described in this report be realised.

5. Design Options

The report has been prepared based on a review of the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan. This report highlights the importance of locating arts organisations in the centre of the precinct, with the focal point of the precinct being a public quadrangle and colonnade. This preferred arrangement is identified as Design Option 1 in this report

This arrangement can provide up to 9,120sqm of public and arts use space, and potentially up to 53,413sqm of mixed use (commercial and residential) and a large amount of quality public outdoor space.

6. Management Model

The project team recommends that a new, independent entity be established to realise the Precinct Vision. It is recommended that this entity be placed at arms-length from Government at as early a stage as practical after the process of establishment. The selection of initial board members should be recommended by artsACT, and approved by the Minister for the Arts, with consideration of the range of cultural, marketing, property management and other skills which will be appropriate to the operating entity.

Refer to Section 8 of this report for the Final Recommendations of the Study.

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Conclusion

Stewart Architecture believes it has identified an exciting opportunity to re-brand an existing precinct into a world class cultural, mixed used precinct which would show case the best of local art and art making as its focal point. The precinct will combine new architecture with heritage buildings and quality public spaces building on the strong connections that already existing between the local Canberra community and the history of this important precinct. Stewart Architecture recommends that this vision be realised, firstly through the formation of an Estate Development Plan, based on the preferred Design Option presented in this report. This would identify future development sites, and confirm the sites that should be reserved for future arts uses. In addition to this, variation to the Territory Plan should be sought to remove some of the restrictions that currently exist on this precinct, to provide greater flexibility of use, and to ensure that this precinct can be identified as a ‘special place;’ the future heart to the Kingston Foreshore. Stewart Architecture recommends that the development of a public quadrangle and colonnade that will link new arts buildings and heritage buildings is pivotal in claiming this precinct as a dedicated home to the best of local arts and crafts. In addition to this, the development of a central below ground public car park will unlock future sites for development, providing safe and accessible parking without compromising the existing uses of the precinct. It should be noted that without the work prepared, and the issues examined, in the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan, these recommendations and conclusions would not be possible. We thank all those involved in the preparation of the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan and we look forward to working with the ACT Government to realise this landmark project.

2 INTRODUCTION

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Stewart Architecture (formerly Colin Stewart Architects) has been engaged by artsACT, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD) to undertake a study and prepare a report which will investigate and document planning options, management options and feasibility for a new arts precinct on Section 49 Kingston. This report will provide the ACT Government with valuable information, options and recommendations of the feasibility of the Kingston Arts Precinct. Stewart Architecture has compiled an expert team of sub-consultants who have contributed to this report and its findings. The team of sub-consultants consists of:

• Positive Solutions Arts Governance Modelling • Susan Conroy Cultural Planning Cultural Planning Advice and Consultation Work

• SGS Economics and Planning Funding Modelling • David Flannery Architect Heritage Advice

• Turner and Townsend Cost Planning and Life Cycle Costing • Colliers International Property Advice and Yield Analysis

• Mott MacDonald Conceptual Traffic and Civil Advice • Claire Middleton Statutory Planning Advice and Input

The above sub-consultant team combined with Stewart Architecture comprise the Project Team. The Kingston Arts Precinct will provide for a vibrant mixed use precinct and may provide accommodation for key arts organisations as follows:

• Canberra Contemporary Art Space • Canberra Glassworks • Craft ACT • Megalo (additional area)

• CIT Fashion Incubator • Screen ACT • Artsound FM • Photo Access • Canberra Potters Society

A range of organisations which provide complementary services also expressed an interest in being located at the Kingston Arts Precinct. The study initially focussed on reviewing the existing May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan, analysing the proposed master planning principles and site conditions to ensure that any further master planning work would be seen as consistent with what had previously been proposed by the Land Development Agency (LDA). The main elements driving the approach to this report are location and strategy for public parking, the location of ‘Arts Buildings’ on the precinct and the design response to on-site heritage elements. During consultation with the various arts organisations, the desire for complementary organisations to be associated with the precinct was identified. The findings presented in this report seek to confirm the extensive work prepared in the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan and the March 2011Kingston Arts Precinct Strategy, proposing a complete strategy and needs analysis for locating arts organisations within the Kingston Arts Precinct as the defining use of the precinct as a whole.

2 INTRODUCTION

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The report is presented in six parts:

1. A Functional Brief and Groundwork Study of the report summarises the key stakeholders for a new arts precinct and discusses the formulation of a Functional Brief which describes how a range of different organisations, which have operated independently, could operate in either one or two buildings through the use of targeted consolidation of functions and the co-location of space. This section also discusses and summarises the heritage context of the precinct which is based on a number of Conservation Management Plans and Heritage Reports which have recently been prepared by a range of specialists.

2. The Consultation and Reuse of Existing Facilities Study discusses the strategy for consultation about the

Kingston Arts Precinct, the various consultation sessions that were conducted and the types of findings that arose from the consultation report. This section also discusses possible alternate uses for the existing facilities on Section 49 Kingston.

3. Statutory Planning Context discusses the statutory planning context for Section 49 Kingston.

4. A Design Study reviews the existing Indicative Master Plan as presented in the May 2014 Section 49 Master

Plan report, identifying the potential break up of sites, traffic network, and landscape and public realm areas into a resolved urban framework and proposes a range of options for the siting of arts organisations within the precinct.

5. A Management Model Study analyses the management options for the different arts organisations within the

Kingston Arts precinct and considers maintenance, marketing, programming, venue hire of different spaces (both indoor and outdoor) leases and licences.

6. The Recommendations of the Study take into account all the information that has been compiled during the

report and concludes with the preferred option for an arts organisation accommodated at the Kingston Arts Precinct, taking into consideration the current and future needs of the relevant arts organisations, urban design outcomes, planning, governance structures and economics.

3 A FUNCTIONAL BRIEF AND GROUNDWORK STUDY

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3.1 Aims and Objectives of the Functional Brief and Groundwork Study

This part of the report summarises the key stakeholders for a new arts precinct and discusses the formulation of a Functional Brief which describes how a range of different organisations, who have operated in separate locations, could operate in either one or two buildings through the use of targeted consolidation of functions and the co-location of space. This section also discusses and summarises the heritage context of the precinct which is based on a number of Conservation Management Plans and Heritage Reports which have recently been prepared by a range of specialists. 3.2 Key Stakeholders and Existing Facilities This section is aimed at identifying the accommodation requirements for arts organisations. The following arts organisations are considered to be the key stakeholders relevant to this study: Arts / Cultural / Commercial Organisations located on the precinct

• Megalo (additional area) • Canberra Glassworks • The Old Bus Depot Markets

Arts / Cultural Organisations currently located elsewhere throughout the ACT

• Canberra Contemporary Art Space • Craft ACT • CIT Fashion Incubator • Screen ACT • Artsound FM

• Photo Access • Canberra Potters Society

In addition to the arts organisations, who are targeted in this report as the potential occupants of the Kingston Arts Precinct, there are a number of other stakeholders who have been consulted throughout the course of this project:

• artsACT

• Land Development Agency Megalo

Megalo Print Studio + Gallery is one of Canberra’s key arts organisations. Megalo delivers printmaking classes to schools, universities/CIT and the general public. Megalo also runs an exhibition program, a residency program and has access for its member base year round. Megalo currently operates out of the southern offices of the Former Transport Depot which has address to Wentworth Avenue. Canberra Glassworks Canberra Glassworks is Australia’s leading centre for contemporary glass art, craft and design. Canberra Glassworks purpose is:

• To enhance the careers of artists’ by providing state‐of‐the‐art equipment, facilities, and high quality programs which support innovation, development, production alongside the exhibition and promotion of their work.

• To provide accessible opportunities for children and adults to view and learn about contemporary glass and connect with the heritage values and history of the Kingston Powerhouse.

• To provide a world‐class tourist experience alongside Canberra’s significant national attractions and institutions.

• To build and promote Canberra Glassworks as a nationally and internationally recognised Australian centre for excellence in contemporary art, craft and design.


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• To operate in a manner that is professional and financially responsible so that Canberra Glassworks endures. Canberra Glassworks provides artists’ with state-of-the-art equipment; intensive workshops taught by leading glass artists’; studios and mentorship programs; and a unique context to explore, develop and realise new work. Canberra Glassworks also provides diverse opportunities for visitors to interact with and learn about glass making and the heritage of Canberra’s Kingston Powerhouse. Visitors can meet artists’, see glassmaking as it happens, view exhibitions, take tours and have a hands-on experience working with glass. The Canberra Glassworks currently operates out of the Kingston Powerhouse and sub-licences part of the ground floor level of the Kingston Powerhouse to the popular commercial food and beverage operator, Brodburger. The Old Bus Depot Markets Dimor Pty Ltd, which trades as the Old Bus Depot Markets, runs a Sunday, high quality urban market (including handmade products and food) which is relevant to local Canberrans as well as visitors to the ACT. The market operates Sundays year round and Saturdays in December before Christmas. The Old Bus Depot Markets operates out of the Former Transport Depot and, including staff and stallholders. The Old Bus Depot Markets estimates that there are generally up to 10,000 – 12,000 people during most Sundays. Canberra Contemporary Art Space (CCAS) CCAS is one of a national network of contemporary arts organisations (CAOs) that provides a supportive environment in which contemporary artists’ can develop innovative multimedia practices and sustainable careers. Other CAOs galleries exist in NT, NSW, SA, VIC, TAS, WA and QLD. The CCAS program of exhibitions, performances, artists’ talks, public programs and publications aims to provide opportunities for artists’ in the ACT to exhibit their work within the competitive context of current national and international art practice. Annually, CCAS presents over 40 contemporary art projects in the ACT including exhibitions, performances and seminars. Canberra Contemporary Art Space currently operates out of the Gorman House Arts Centre and a small gallery space in Manuka. Craft ACT Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre is the peak organisation for craft and design in Canberra. The purpose of Craft ACT is to represent, promote and foster development of contemporary craft and design in Australia and in particular in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT); to encourage excellence in professional craft and design practice; to raise the profile of Australian craft and design; to raise awareness about contemporary craft and design practice; and to work collaboratively with other organisations and stakeholders, in Australia and overseas, to promote Australian craft and design. Craft ACT is a membership based organisation and it manages a year round exhibition program (including in-coming and outgoing touring exhibitions), membership services, a diverse range of public programs and one-off projects. Craft ACT works closely with the tertiary, business and cultural sectors and is acknowledged for its high level of management skills in the delivery of its artistic programs and its capacity to collaborate with and embrace other organisations and individuals. Craft ACT currently operates out of the North Building on London Circuit, Civic. CIT Fashion Incubator The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) College of Technology and Design has a vision of being the leading provider of education in Australia and its mission is to change lives through education.


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CIT recognises the importance of being involved in the Kingston Arts Precinct which will result in collaboration and innovation through the CIT graduates networking with other creative sector professionals/businesses. CIT currently have approximately 140 graduates each year in the following disciplines:

• Fashion Design. • Graphic Design. • Interior Design.

• Photography. • Media. • Music. • Creative Product Development.

The bridge between education and business needs a closer link and having an incubator type space for fashion has been a long term ambition for CIT. Fashion in the ACT is maturing with designers no longer leaving the city for the bright lights of Paris, Milan, NYC, Sydney or Melbourne. FASHFEST has demonstrated that the city is of age, by running a four night fashion parade. Fashion graduates still have difficulty launching their labels without support; therefore there is now a need for an incubator/workshop facility which has close link with professional artist workshops and studios. Screen ACT The ACT Screen Industry Association (ACTSIA) delivers the Screen ACT initiative in partnership with the ACT Government. Screen ACT is the office of film, TV and digital media. Screen ACT provides development services, funding and its work is based around advice, support and training. ACTSIA currently operates out of the Canberra Technology Park in Watson. ArtSound FM ArtSound FM 92.7 & 90.3 (Tuggeranong) is Canberra's own music and arts radio station. ArtSound FM broadcasts to the Canberra and Queanbeyan regions 24 hours a day, 12 months of the year. ArtSound FM is an integral part of Canberra's cultural community with its broad coverage of literature, theatre, film, spoken word, art exhibitions and local concerts. Supporting local music and the arts is part of ArtSound FM's commitment to develop and foster Canberra's unique cultural identity. ArtSound FM is a volunteer-powered radio station, run by volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. Artsound FM currently operates out of the Manuka Arts Centre. Photo Access Photo Access is a member-based visual arts organisation that presents an ongoing program of exhibitions, courses, talks, publications and special projects (including community digital-storytelling workshops and artist residencies). Photo Access’s purpose is to enrich the arts and provide creative opportunities to challenge and inspire the ACT community. Photo Access aims to be the principal destination for people to see and appreciate, learn about, make and show contemporary photo-based art. Photo Access has one exhibition space, the Huw Davies Gallery, which is the only gallery in the ACT exclusively dedicated to contemporary photo-based arts. The gallery is divided into three spaces and is a place where people can see exhibitions of new work and work from the existing Photo Access collection. Exhibitions change every three to four weeks. Photo Access has a particular interest in showing work relating to the ACT and region. The Photo Access darkroom is the only publicly accessible photographic black & white darkroom in the ACT region, and is integral to the services provided by Photo Access to the community. The darkroom is a platform for people to create and learn through traditional black-and-white photographic processes.


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Photo Access currently operates out of the Manuka Arts Centre. Canberra Potters’ Society / Watson Arts Centre The Canberra Potters’ Society/Watson Arts Centre (CPS/WAC) provides a dynamic hub for ceramic arts practice in the ACT. The CPS / WAC has almost 300 members many of whom use the workshops, studios and kiln facilities. CPS / WAC has over 900 class enrolments per annum catering to beginners and professional practising ceramicists. WAC oversees the tenancy of the 5 purpose built Studios and 1 artist in residence (1 bedroom self-contained) unit. CPS also operates the ‘Artist in Residence’ program and operates the Gallery space which hosts a mix of community and professional exhibitions throughout the year. CPS has an onsite shop selling selected members work. The onsite shop is run by the members and operates 4 days a week Thursday-Sunday and during exhibition periods. The Canberra Potters’ Society currently operates out of the Watson Arts Centre. 3.3 Background

In March 2011, a team headed by Susan Conroy, in association with Susan Davis, Sue Kyte, Eric Martin, David Moyle and Claire Middleton prepared the Kingston Arts Precinct Strategy report for artsACT that was to help inform the future development of the precinct and included exploring complementary arts and cultural activities on the site. The report provided the following direction and guidance on:

• Providing a vision for the Kingston Arts Precinct by identifying opportunities to expand and enhance creative arts activity at the Kingston Foreshore.

• Identifying future high-level needs required to make the precinct a viable arts precinct. • Informing possible future uses for the Former Transport Depot.

• Identifying potential need for new purpose built facilities. • Providing a staged approach to the development of a range of uses that would complement the existing

activities occurring on site. Much of the learnings from the March 2011 Kingston Arts Precinct Strategy have been used to inform the work presented in this report. 3.4 Summary of Heritage Significance

Items of heritage significance

Kingston Section 49 includes a number of culturally significant buildings, some associated industrial archaeological and engineering elements of interest and soft landscape areas which are included on the ACT Heritage Register. Elements listed on the ACT Heritage Register include:

• The Kingston Power Historic precinct comprising the Kingston Power House and Fitters’ Workshop. • Sections of the original rail embankment. • Landscape elements associated with the early 1920s planting of the area.

• The Former Transport Depot. The precinct also includes an operational electricity substation, areas of open space mostly utilised for open car-parking which are not included on the ACT Heritage Register. The Power Station, designed under the direction of John Smith Murdoch, was the first permanent building erected in Canberra pursuant to the decision to construct the city as the Australian national capital. The building has now been successfully adapted for use as the Canberra Glassworks. Although its location was not part of the Griffins’ proposal for the city, its location was based on access to water and the existing rail head at Queanbeyan to enable the transport


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and delivery of coal. The rail lines also extended to the provisional Parliament House during its construction phase and, via a smaller line to the brickworks at Yarralumla.

Figure 1: The Kingston Powerhouse with the original south-west rail lines and embankment. Source: www.engineering.org

Figure 2: The Kingston Powerhouse with the original north-east rail lines. Source: www.engineering.org The former Transport Depot closed in 1992 but has been successfully reused since 1998, one day per week, as the Old Bus Depot Markets. The Fitters’ Workshop remains vacant but is used periodically for displays, festivals and events, including as a venue for the annual Canberra International Music Festival. An application for demolition has been recently approved for the former Switch Room (known as The Chapel). Status of Recent Documentation

The most recent report on the heritage significance of the Kingston Arts Precinct was “Kingston Section 49: Heritage Strategy” by Lovell Chen dated September 2013 for the Land Development Agency. This document provides a comprehensive overview analysis and assessment of heritage significance under the following six headings:

• Background and brief

• Document review • Summary history

• Components of the study area • Assessment of Significance • Heritage Strategy

The document was prepared to inform Master Planning of the precinct as an arts precinct. The document follows a number of heritage studies for the individual buildings that were undertaken by others. These earlier studies address particular issues related to condition, setting and curtilage, however the Lovell Chen work has endeavoured to provide


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the analysis across the whole precinct and to provide a “holistic overview of the former Kingston industrial/government services area”. A key outcome of the document is to provide a “suite of conservation policies and development guidelines that have regard for the cultural significance of the area”. These are discussed below. Earlier heritage reports addressing the heritage significance of the principal heritage buildings include:

• Kingston Power House Precinct, Conservation Management Plan Review, 2001, Peter Freeman Pty Ltd.

• Fitters’ Workshop, Conservation Management Plan, 2011, Duncan Marshall, Keith Baker, Nicola Hayes (Navin Officer Heritage Consultants) and Brendan O’Keefe.

• Former Transport Depot, Conservation management Plan, 2011, Power House, Philip Leeson Architects Pty Ltd.

• Heritage Significance of Section 49 Kingston. The Lovell Chen heritage strategy document sets out an assessment of significance of the whole area, described as “the former industrial/government services area at Kingston Section 49”. The assessment has a holistic examination to the heritage value of the area rather than any comprehensive assessment of the value associated with the individual buildings. In saying that, it provides a summary statement of the key heritage significance of extant buildings: “Buildings at Kingston Section 49 that demonstrate a high degree of creative achievement are the Power House and Fitters’ Workshop, and the Administrative Building at the Transport Depot. The portal frame at the Transport Depot is of technical significance.” The site has strong associations with the establishment of Canberra as the national capital. The key values noted for the whole of the site relate to the former uses of the industrial land as evidence of a distinctive way of life, function, process and tradition rather than any reasons relating to design and aesthetics.

Figure 3: The Fitters’ Workshop (left) and the Former Transport Depot (right). Source: ACT Heritage Library Heritage Strategy

Key elements of the precinct that should be retained, as recommended by Lovell Chen, include:

• The Kingston Power House (Canberra Glassworks). • The Fitters’ Workshop. • The rail sidings to the north-east and south-east of the Power House, including the rail embankment to the

north-east of the Kingston Power House and the section of railway platform to the south-west of the Fitters’ Workshop, refer Figure 1 and Figure 2.


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• The remnants of the 1920s windbreak to Wentworth Avenue, comprising Monterey Pines (pinus radiata) and White brittle gum (eucalyptus mannifera). This excludes the poplar pines along Wentworth Avenue.

• The upper half of the Transport Depot, including the fully welded rigid portal frame (1940).

• The base of the 1948 railway track. Significance of Heritage Context to Existing and Future Tenants

The project team was interested to understand what significance / value the heritage context (the Powerhouse, the steel rafters in the Former Transport Depot and the Fitters’ Workshop) of Section 49 had to the proposed arts organisations. In particular there was interest to understand what it is about the buildings that makes them significant and how they contribute to the character of the precinct. During the consultation process, interviewees were asked to provide opinions on the heritage context. Generally there were positive values and characteristics identified with regard to the heritage listed items. The Powerhouse and the Fitters’ Workshops were valued as some of the oldest industrial buildings in Canberra. The buildings are recognised as having been places of significant employment for the emerging Australian capital, of being an enduring reminder of the city’s early developments and in particular helping to define the character of the precinct. It was noted that the buildings are landmark buildings in their own right, are highly visible and have provided a sense of scale and durability over time. “They provide a grounding for the precinct, are visually appealing, and were purposeful buildings for Kingston and Canberra.” There was however an alternate view that as a new city, Canberrans struggle with the sense of identity and look for symbols that provide a sense of longevity and that this is a key aspect of the value of the buildings to the community at large. While the old buildings may contribute to the aesthetic, some felt that there is a clear need for new life and energy and a new legacy to be developed for the buildings and the precinct. Ironically, and in contrast to the Navin Officer Conservation Management Plan which stated that the Fitters’ Workshop had a lower social value than other buildings on the site, the interviewees commented that the Fitters’ Workshop was described as being the most appealing building being “pretty inside and out”. With regard to the Former Transport Depot it was noted that the multiple entry points into this building would facilitate a diversity of uses and is strongly identified with the Old Bus Depot Markets. Benefits of the heritage items included that:

• they provide a sense of history and exemplifies early Canberra, • the buildings convey a sense of purpose, strength and grounding for the precinct,

• they are purposeful, inspiring buildings, • help to build stories of place, • provide the background on which to tell stories about the supply of electricity and early government services

such as public transport, ambulance as well as the early development of Canberra,

• can inform future programming comparing old and new technologies, • the re-purposing of old buildings,

• providing an industrial feel associated with making and production. 3.5 The Functional Brief

Susan Conroy conducted one-on-one interviews with the various arts organisation in order to document the demand for additional space and the type of space that was required by each organisation.


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Individual Functional Briefs

Following on from this, individual Functional Briefs were prepared and these were primarily concerned with documenting the ideal or requested amount of space that had been ascertained in the one on one interviews. The individual Functional Briefs also began to classify different ‘types’ of spaces as a method of grouping spaces to identify efficiencies and typologies. The individual Functional Briefs were arranged and colour coded by ‘type’ of space. The types of spaces that were identified were as follows:

• Office and administrative space These spaces are general office space and contain workspaces, administrative and filing space, small meeting rooms, and IT spaces, printing, scanning, and photocopying facilities.

• Designated user space

These spaces consist of workshops and studios for use by professional artists’. Also including are training spaces which are similar to workshops and studios, but provide flexible space for students and members to use for a variety of different activities.

• Public interface space These spaces include spaces that are used by the general public and include primarily gallery and exhibition spaces, front of house spaces and retail spaces.

• Meeting space A range of meeting, conference and multi-use space was identified. These spaces range in various sizes and could be used on a hireable basis to other community / private groups.

• Service and storage space These spaces include sanitary facilities, kitchens, building servicing, waste, loading docks etc.

• Residential use Many organisations regularly host visiting artists’, sometimes for several months at a time. These artists’ will generally work in the workshops and studios, and may also run master classes in the training rooms. They (and their families) require accommodation.

A Consolidated Functional Brief A review of each individual brief reveals an overlay or double up of much of the spatial requirements such as kitchens, loading docks and storage spaces. There was also a desire by the project team to ensure that the arts organisations would be subject to a high level of pedestrian and public interface. This desire was also reinforced through the advice by Susan Conroy; arts organisations should ideally be clustered together to help create the type of synergies that currently exist between Megalo and the Canberra Glassworks which is a result of their close proximity. The need to contain arts organisations in close proximity with one another led the project team to consider a level of co-location and consolidation of uses where the exposure and public activity of one organisation could be a benefit for all organisations. It should be noted that the proposal for co-location and consolidation of uses is also consistent with the arts hub policy objective. There is evidence that locating organisations in close proximity (such as Megalo and the Glassworks); positive working synergies can be formed and that these synergies not only benefit the arts organisations but also the broader ACT community in terms of increased patronage and exposure to local art. It was also important to ensure that each organisation could retain its own level of autonomy and identity. The information derived from the individual Functional Briefs was subject to an analysis exercise where the information was broken into separate components and cross referenced against the information provided in the one on one interviews and requirements of the National Construction Code Series (NCC). This was used to help justify the requested areas.


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The following analysis work was prepared:

1. Documenting the amount of space identified in the individual Functional Briefs by ‘type of space,’ refer table 2.1. This gave total areas for the different types of spaces i.e. office, public interface, storage etc. This exercise helped identify where there was an oversupply of space, for example, this table documented 151sqm of kitchen to serve only 9 different and relatively modest organisations. This documents a total requested area of 6,504sqm.

2. Analysing the requested amount of space in relation to the number of patrons each space was required to

serve, refer tables 2.2 and 2.3. The first table used the areas given in the first exercise and documented the number of patrons for that particular size of space based on the NCC requirements (NCC (D1.13)). This indicated that at peak demand, with all organisations operating at full capacity, that the maximum number of patrons and staff would be 939. The second table then documented the amount of patrons and staff for a particular size of space based on the information from the one-on-one interviews. This indicated that at peak demand, with all organisations operating at full capacity, that the maximum number of patrons and staff would be 878. This exercise informed the project team that a total area of 6,504sqm would accommodate 939 people at peak capacity, and that it was not too much different from the real number of 878, therefore indicating that the figure of 6,504sqm of un-co-located space and an average number of patrons and staff of 909 people is realistic.

3. Proposing co-location strategies to find efficiencies in accommodating arts organisations together and

reduce the overall area of 6,504sqm to a lesser figure, refer table 3.1. This exercise looked individually at each type of space and proposed a co-location strategy for each space. Studio, Workshop Spaces and Training Spaces were considered to be bespoke spaces, specifically designed for the purpose of making and learning art and these spaces were therefore not co-located and their areas were not revised. However, the project team proposed shared office spaces and were therefore able to reduce the overall area of office space. Kitchens, storage and meeting rooms were considered spaces that could be shared and therefore could have reduced overall areas. The result of this exercise meant that the overall area of 6,504sqm could be reduced to 6,174sqm.

4. Using the co-located total area to calculate building servicing areas, waste areas and sanitary facilities, refer

tables 3.2 – 3.7. The 6,174sqm figure was then assessed against the NCC to determine the amount of waste that would be generated, and therefore how much space was needed for a waste room. The NCC generation rates were also used to determine the quantity of sanitary facilities required, and how much space for sanitary facilities were needed. In addition to this, a loading and deliveries co-location strategy was proposed.

The outcome of this analysis concluded that by providing a co-located space of 6,174sqm, the total space required, including servicing, circulation etc. would be 7,571sqm and that a building of this size would generate 152 parking spaces for both patrons and staff, refer tables 4.1 and 4.2.


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3.6 Area Required For Arts Activities

The Consolidated Functional Brief is structured in the same way as the individual Functional Briefs, arranging spaces by type and detailing the break-up of the 7,571sqm or space and recommends the following spaces: Office / Administration Space

468sqm

Studio / Workshop Space

1,972sqm

Public Interface Space and Retail

2,021sqm

Training Space

334sqm

Lecture / Meeting Space

320sqm

Storage / Service / Amenities

1,119sqm

Residential Use

650sqm

Circulation

687sqm

TOTAL

7,571sqm

The majority of these spaces would be located in the one building, but there would be a number of spaces that would be located in separate buildings. For example, Canberra Glassworks currently operate in the Kingston Powerhouse and it is proposed in this study that the Glassworks would remain in the Kingston Powerhouse. Additionally, the project team believed it would be important to ensure that the residential uses (artists’ accommodation) are not located in the same building as workshop space to ensure suitable acoustic separation and maximum amenity and flexibility of residential use. Spaces that have been considered to be separate from the ‘Arts Building’ are shown in italics. This results in the following break-up of space: Total GFA required for Arts Uses 7,571sqm

Assumed GFA in a single ‘Arts Use Building’ 5,284sqm*

Arts uses located in other buildings throughout the precinct

2,287sqm*

*These figures act as a guide only and can be refined during the detailed design phase of work. Testing the Functional Brief

A meeting of the key visual arts organisations was held on Thursday 28th August, 2014, to present the draft Functional Brief for the precinct as a whole and for individual organisations in particular. Overall, organisations expressed satisfaction with the draft functional brief presented at the meeting. Each organisation undertook to review the draft functional brief and update/amend their spatial requirements within two weeks of the meeting. While there was some concern about the potential to lose identity of individual organisations, overall there was support for the approach taken by the project team in allocating spaces and activities across the precinct. Following the presentation to the arts organisations, the Consolidated Functional Brief and the respective Individual Functional Briefs were provided to the various arts organisations for review and comment. The relevant comments were addressed and included into the consolidated functional brief, included in this report.


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In addition, artsACT held a range of other meetings and reviews of the consolidated and individual functional briefs with the identified non-visual arts groups to ensure their specific comments were documented and included as necessary. 3.7 Recommendations and Findings of the Functional Brief and Ground Work Study

Based on the initial consultation work and analysis work that make up the Preliminary Study, the following recommendations can be made: 3a.

Arts Organisations:

There are a number of Arts Organisations in the ACT that require additional or updated space to provide for more arts activity. There is evidence that locating organisations in close proximity (such as Megalo and the Glassworks); positive working synergies can be formed and that these synergies not only benefit the arts organisations but also the broader ACT community in terms of increased patronage and exposure to local art.

3b.

Location:

There are a number of heritage elements that exist on the site, and a number of elements should remain, including the lines of the existing rail line embankments.

3c.

Brief:

A total space, that takes into account co-location opportunities and consolidation, of about 7,571sqm should be included in the overall development of Section 49 Kingston, as designated for arts uses. This space includes a broad range of different types of spaces including:

• Shared and individual office and administrative space • Studio and workshop industrial type space for the making of art. • Gallery, exhibition and retail space for the public exposure and sale of art and art

products.

• Educational type training space that could be a combination of industrial and lecture spaces.

• Conference and meeting spaces that are used by the arts organisations, but could also be rented or used by other community groups / private organisations.

• Service and storage space.

• A range of different temporary accommodation for visiting artists’.

3d.

Parking:

A floor area of 7,571sqm is allocated for ‘Arts Uses’. Arts Uses are considered to be cultural facilities and would therefore be categorised as COMMUNITY USE under the Parking and Vehicular Access General Code. For a CZ5 zone, such as Section 49 Kingston, the arts uses as identified in the Functional Brief generates 152 car spaces which is in addition to the existing patron and employee parking generation that currently exists on the precinct. Some arts organisations have specific requirement for separate secure parking (such as Art Sound which has a mobile studio). Provision, such as basement garaging, should be accommodated.

4 CONSULTATION AND REUSE OF EXISTING FACILITIES STUDY

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4.1 Aims and Objectives of the Consultation

This part of the report discusses the proposed strategy for consultation and the various consultation sessions that were conducted throughout the study and includes comments provided by the public during the sessions. 4.2 The Consultation Process

The consultation program was designed to gather information from identified visual arts organisations and other arts and cultural organisations, individuals and institutions as well as relevant representatives from ACT Government. The purpose was to confirm spatial requirements, consider opportunities for co-working and shared facilities and other opportunities and issues around the use of existing and new purpose built arts facilities and open space at the Kingston Arts Precinct. The intention underlying the program was to use the consultations, in association with other research, to develop a strategic response to inform functional briefs and colocation opportunities for arts facilities, consider adaptive reuse of parts of the Former Transport Depot and explore the potential for regular use of the Fitters’ Workshop for arts and cultural uses. Aspects of the consultation process have also contributed to consideration of feasibility and management model considerations. The consultation process was designed to inform and consult stakeholders as well as selected organisations relevant to the study. The views, issues and interests of stakeholders has contributed positively to the refinement of the design for the precinct. Background

In March 2011, a team head by Susan Conroy, in association with Susan Davis, Sue Kyte, Eric Martin, David Moyle and Claire Middleton prepared the Kingston Arts Precinct Strategy report for artsACT that was to help inform the future development of the precinct and included exploring complementary arts and cultural activities on the site. The report provided the following direction and guidance on:

• Providing a vision for the Kingston Arts Precinct by identifying opportunities to expand and enhance creative arts activity at the Kingston Foreshore.

• Identifying future high-level needs required to make the precinct a viable arts precinct.

• Informing possible future uses for the Former Transport Depot. • Identifying potential need for new purpose built facilities.

• Providing a staged approach to the development of a range of uses that would complement the existing activities occurring on site.

Much of the learnings from the March 2011 Kingston Arts Precinct Strategy have been used to inform the work presented in this report.

Aims The rationale for the consultation was based on the need to:

1. Inform functional requirements - components, scale and inter-relationships. 2. Document the views of potential tenants and others views, issues and interests to contribute positively to the

development of spatial requirements. 3. Consider and advise on requirements for new purpose built facilities and adaptive reuse of existing buildings. 4. Test information gathered in the 2011 Kingston Arts Precinct Strategy to identify changes in attitude and

strategy relevant to the current study.


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Objectives

The focus of the consultations was on informing and involving stakeholders. To fulfil the requirements of the brief the consultant conferred with other team members and identified that the project must:

• Be informed by a sound, sequential methodology and understanding of current and past policy and planning as well as other factors that will impact on the development of the strategy.

• Undertake a limited consultation process, which will provide a range of opportunities for participation. • Provide clear information about the issues and challenges to all stakeholders.

• Capture the collective wisdom. • Draw out and highlight common goals and aspirations. • Identify the potential for future collaboration. • Contribute to an understanding of the current realities and functioning of the arts and cultural sector in the

ACT.

• Develop an understanding of the values, aspirations, concerns and interests of key arts sector, creative industry, cultural institution and government stakeholders that will inform and strengthen the study outcomes.

Methodology Consultation activities have included:

• Briefing meetings with artsACT representatives.

• 1: 1 consultation with other relevant ACT government agencies. • 1:1 interviews with identified key ACT visual arts organisations, existing tenants at the site. • 1:1 interviews with other organisations and individuals who were recommended in consultations and others

whom the consultant considered may contribute to the dynamism of the precinct. A survey was used to guide the interviews.

• Issuing of two surveys to key visual arts organisations and a range of other potential tenants. In addition to this, a ‘Background Survey’ was developed to help quantify aspects of each organisations operations as well as current and future spatial requirements.

• Further consultation has been undertaken with key arts organisations and others to test the functional brief for the precinct as a whole as well as for each organisations prior to finalising the report.

• Members of the design team and artsACT attended a Kingston Foreshore Stakeholder Meeting organised by the LDA.

Government Interviews

Susan Conroy conducted a consultative meeting with artsACT staff and met with other ACT Government agencies as well as representatives of several national cultural institutions. The range of issues which were considered and discussed at meetings and interviews is summarised as follows:

• The Kingston Arts Precinct has been identified by artsACT as an active arts precinct and thriving destination. It is anticipated that key visual arts organisations located within the precinct will be augmented by other arts and cultural entities and institutions to strengthen the precinct’s identity as a key centre for production and presentation for the Canberra community and visitors.

• The relocation of organisations has real potential to build synergies and foster collaborative activity and programs both locally and with national cultural institutions.

• There is some concern that not all organisations are at the right stage for relocation. Organisations need to recognise and understand that by relocating there will be a higher profile and greater demands on their operational activities.

• Organisations will need to think through a range of things in relocating including new operational arrangements, staffing and branding. Organisations will need to be prepared and expect to need more staff, more activity and greater engagement with the public and other arts organisations and cultural institutions. The organisations will need to be mindful and if the market for their product changes through relocation, the


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organisations will need to be able to be strategic, adaptive and flexible to maintain communities of interest alongside organisational viability and versatility.

• Desire to see a balance between the heritage values of the site and the design of new buildings to be complementary and not restrictive of contemporary design and architectural solutions.

• A key expectation is to ensure that the experience of a visit to the precinct means that visitors will see the arts and production of the arts in action; be able to experience diverse arts and cultural experiences; and be inspired to undertake return visits.

• Anticipate that there could be some issues with neighbours around noise, car parking and movements between the arts precinct and the wider foreshore, particularly as there is an anticipated evening and night time economy on the precinct. It was suggested that there will be a strong push therefore from neighbours to contain and restrict art making impacts from noise, smells and activity.

• Active communications between the arts precinct, its tenants and the wider foreshore was seen as critical to deal neighbour concerns and issues.

• There was some concern that the wider foreshore ambience which was seen as lacking diversity and character could influence the design of new buildings within the precinct and detract from the industrial, active ambience of the precinct. Some staff expressed the desire to see ‘a Canberra feel and look’ and that the precinct looks and feels open and accessible for visitors.

• There is concern to ensure that the design helps orientate visitors and feels open and welcoming and that it is clear where entry points into the precinct and into arts facilities way-finding and orientation. The main pedestrian entry and address of the Belconnen Arts Centre was identified as an example of what not to do while the New Acton precinct was cited as a model where new and old buildings blend but that importantly, there is curation of activity in the precinct.

• There is attention and investment underway in ACT Government in the digital economy, design and innovation arena with specific initiatives underway within Civic. There is keen interest in facilitating links between entrepreneurial creators and innovators with the wider creative design and arts sectors to strengthen and diversify the ACT economy whilst improving the viability of arts based organisations.

• Several cultural institutions have identified interest in being part of a less institutional setting for presenting some of their activities and resources. A cultural institution resource/technology hub with digital connectivity which draws on both local and national cultural institution capabilities and resources is seen as a great opportunity to diversify the types of audiences and experiences to be offered in the arts precinct.

• CIT has identified a strong interest in establishing a fashion incubator in the precinct. The incubator is seen as having multiple benefits by creating the opportunity to strengthen the link between education and business for young designers as well as contributing to and being part of a diverse arts precinct environment.

• CIT anticipates that there would be interest by incubator tenants in shared access for exhibition, studio and meeting room spaces, a commercial shop, music studio and technology rooms.

Kingston Stakeholder and Developer Meeting Members of the project team, including Susan Conroy, attended a meeting of the Land Development Agency’s Kingston Stakeholder Group on the 3 July 2014. An overview of the arts precinct was presented to those in attendance. Participants in the meeting included representatives from the Glassworks, Old Bus Depot Markets and local developers and business owners. The primary issue identified by those attending the meeting was associated with parking and traffic movements and opportunities for future residential development. Key Arts Organisations and Entities Interviews

Individual interviews with representatives from 16 arts/cultural organisations were conducted including existing tenants: the Canberra Glassworks, Megalo Print Studio + Gallery, and Old Bus Depot Markets; the key visual arts organisations included Craft ACT, Photo Access and Canberra Contemporary Art Space and ACT Potters Society. A range of others considered to be relevant to the study including Gallery of Australian Design, Art Sound FM; Screen ACT, Academy of Interactive Entertainment, MakeHackVoid and Zierholtz Brewery. There were also discussions with the Canberra Photographic Society, Skoolbo, Entry 29, Lighthouse Innovation Centre, Canberra Brickworks as well as individual artists’ interested in sessional gallery access.


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The following information is drawn from responses to the interview questions used across the consultation process. Attitudes to the Precinct

Three years ago there were mixed responses to the concept of an arts precinct at Kingston. While the Glassworks and Megalo were enthusiastic, other organisations were more cautious and unsure. Most appreciated that there are benefits to arts organisations being collocated but on the other hand were concerned about what the upheaval and uncertainty of relocating may mean. There was considerable interest to see issues associated with governance and resourcing further analysed to determine the impacts and opportunities associated with further development of the precinct. During the process of the current study there has been a notable shift in position by many of the organisations. Most of the organisations are operating in excess government property with the inherent adverse impacts associated with building, location, image, access, lack of space, work place health and safety, cost burden, outdated civil and technology infrastructure and over three years there is a clearer desire to be collocated with other similar organisations in purpose built facilities. There is clearly greater optimism about the anticipated benefits that the arts precinct will bring. There are also new players interested in being part of the precinct and benefiting and contributing to the precinct. Potential Benefits

Commonly participants expect there will be enhanced opportunities for synergies, collaboration and cross-pollination amongst the key arts organisations and with other compatible arts, design and creative activities and businesses. For most organisations, there is anticipation that the relocation provides the opportunity to expand, grow and diversify programs and services. Across the discussions participants anticipated an improvement in the quality of building in which to operate and deliver services. All participants anticipate that being in a highly visible location will lead to higher public exposure, greater profile and be able to improve their brand recognition. Organisations hope that in being located in a life style precinct with improved facilities and amenities that their organisations will be recognised for providing high quality arts and cultural services. Relocating into the arts precinct is also expected to improve access to a wider and more diverse audience of Canberra residents and visitors. Participants anticipated that accessibility will also be improved by being close to public and private transport while some organisations anticipated being able to upgrade equipment and other resources as part of the relocation. Proximity to National Cultural Institutions

The proximity to national cultural institutions is seen as having two-way benefits for all the tenant arts organisations within the precinct and the national cultural institutions both for program development as well as improving accessibility for visitors and facilitating visitor movements between national and local arts and cultural experiences. Potential Issues

Anticipated issues were commonly associated with relocation included the cost of moving, the impact of disruption to the organisations and their services and the subsequent effect on members and programs during the period of relocation. Other comments included consideration of:

• The need for governance arrangements to be established prior to relocation to facilitate and manage issues and to resolve areas of potential conflict.

• Tenants/hirers having varying levels of resources and experience in interacting with the public over extended hours of operations.

• How to retain a distinctive identity amongst other similar arts experiences activities. • The importance of street frontage for sales / presentation for some organisations.

• Resolving competition for high value, high visibility sites within the precinct amongst tenants.


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• How to make upper building levels work successfully for tenants on those levels as well as ensure a quality experience for visitors.

• The impact of progressive buildings works and relocation activities to not unduly impact on current activities and organisations

Engagement: Kingston Arts Precinct, the Foreshore and South Canberra

In thinking about the reactions of neighbours within the foreshore, participants generally expected the wider neighbourhood to be welcoming of arts and cultural organisations as the arts activities would be contributing and adding to the existing experience and characteristics of the foreshore as a lifestyle precinct. Participants anticipated that there could and should be two way movement between the arts precinct and the wider Foreshore especially the commercial and personal services such as commercial offices, cafes, bars and restaurants and hair and beauty services and that both areas will benefit from visitors looking for destination experiences. On this basis many consulted noted that it will be critical to ensure that there are visible, logical pedestrian and cycle movement pathways within and through the arts precinct that facilitate connects with the wider foreshore as well as Barton and the national cultural institutions. The Canberra Glassworks, having been within the precinct for some time, suggested that neighbours haven’t really thought about what it means to be within or in close proximity to an arts precinct or the expected attendant hours of operation, and on that basis, it could be anticipated that some neighbours will be concerned about multiple matters including noise, increased night lighting and increased pedestrian and traffic movements. In later detailed design stages, it will be important to ensure that there is sufficient consultation with the existing residential neighbours about the future direction of the precinct. Issues for successful development

Participants were asked to nominate key issues to be addressed for the successful development of the arts precinct. The following summarises the key points made:

• Input by arts organisations at detailed design stage into spatial arrangements and facility requirements. • Concern that development may take too long to and the arts precinct misses out on the momentum

generated by the development of the wider foreshore.

• Ensuring there is adequate public transport infrastructure. • Rationalising traffic movement and ensuring there is sufficient parking. • Loading / back of house arrangements. • Facilitating pedestrian and cycle movements.

• Being able to engage with new audiences. • Achieving street frontage/high visibility for art retail and exhibition/presentation activities.

A number of these items have been addressed in the considered options in this report, especially the rationalisation of parking. Visitor parking, in all options, has been maximised to achieve more than required to ensure that the precinct remains accessible at all times. It is proposed that public interface arts uses are always located on the ground floor, and, in particular, having frontage to major and central public areas to maximise exposure. Other arts uses, such as workshops and studio space are located above ground, over the public interface spaces. This ensures that the making of art is always closely connected to the exhibiting of art. Locating studios and workshop spaces above ground floor active uses enables those working in the studios and workshop spaces to maintain a level of privacy and separation from the public without being removed from the general activity. It ensures that the making of art remains as a vital component of the precinct. Barriers to Cooperation and Cohesion

Largely those consulted anticipated that issues would be minimal and most noted that they were looking forward to relocating and being exposed to other art forms and opportunities for audience development. Cohesion was seen as


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being vital to the success of the precinct. It was agreed that while peers are competitors, if the organisations work together then it was anticipated that there would be mutual benefits for all. Building Design and Development

Across the interviews there was agreement that while the future design of buildings should engage with the industrial character that new buildings should be modern and contemporary structures using modern materials. There was a desire by arts organisations to ensure functional and simple design outcomes, well defined entry and arrival points, active uses at ground floor that are highly visible from Wentworth Avenue and other entry points around the precinct. The location of tenants and differentiation between different types of activities within the precinct was noted as a key aspect for successful realisation of the precinct. Interviewees reiterated the importance of planning in regards to the provision of pedestrian and cycle connectivity into and within the precinct and within the wider Foreshore. The arts precinct was seen as being an essential part of the arts precinct’s future. “Entry needs to be porous… the place needs to be vibrant morning, noon and night… linkages are critical”. Wentworth Avenue was noted as a barrier to access and entry and that it is currently unclear how to get into the precinct. The proposals presented in this report seek to reclaim Wentworth Avenue as the address to the precinct for pedestrians and proposes well defined and simple traffic networks to create legible pathways into the precinct. There was also concern about the distance between parking facilities and active uses including the arts precinct and the cafes and restaurants along the waterfront and that the empty and under-utilised spaces encourages a sense of inertia and lack of reason for being in the precinct. Good quality, contemporary designed and effective signage was also noted as essential to the aesthetic qualities and characteristics of the precinct alongside functionality and way-finding. Another clear issue in thinking about building design and the surrounding landscape was linked to personal and public safety. It was regarded as important to consider the integration of the arts precinct with the wider foreshore and to foster pedestrian cycle movement by day, night and weekend. This included consideration of lighting and good views into and out of the precinct. Specific comments to consider with regard to design and location of buildings included:

• Suitable wall heights in exhibition spaces. • Studio spaces need to be simple spaces with large doors and natural light. • Having sound separation between different types of tenants.

• Climate control and adequate fresh air. • Having access to a shared commercial kitchen for tenants.

• Whole building stair access to help facilitate social engagement. • Effective waste management.

• The need to discriminate between essential storage for day to day operations in close proximity to tenants and storage for less frequently used resources.

• A willingness by some to consider options for shared storage space. • Ensure the safety of staff and artists’ housed on site as artists’ in residency especially with regard to out of

hours operations.

• The need for good quality urban green space including outdoor seating and use of public environments for large scale precinct wide events.

• Provision of outdoor informal meeting and gathering space to foster social engagement and provide a sense of the whole precinct.

• The need to make it obvious where to meet people.

• Maximise winter sun. • Industrial lift for activities on upper levels for movement of goods and waste.

• Suitable truck delivery / loading zone arrangements that don’t impact detrimentally on daytime operations.


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4.3 Alternative Uses for Existing Facilities

Alternate uses for existing facilities on the precinct largely depend on the heritage status of those buildings and their current / existing uses. There are four existing buildings on the site all of which have identified uses:

• The Former Transport Depot; accommodating the Old Bus Depot Markets and Megalo.

• The Fitters’ Workshop; rentable space. • The Kingston Powerhouse; accommodating the Canberra Glassworks and Brodburger.

• The Chapel; providing temporary accommodation to visiting artists’. ‘The Chapel’ building, which is currently the subject of a Development Application for its demolition, is not considered in this report. The Kingston Powerhouse

The Kingston Powerhouse is currently home to the Canberra Glassworks and the popular commercial food and beverage operator, Brodburger. In addition to this, the Kingston Powerhouse is a heritage listed building. The Canberra Glassworks is one of the arts organisations included in this study and is already permanently located on site. The building is equipped to facilitate the making of art and studio glass in both hot and cold working studios and its current use is synonymous with the building. The restrictions on the building currently stem from its lack of appropriate exhibition, shop and office space and its shared use with Brodburger. Although the location of Brodburger has added an important level of amenity to the building, it has placed additional pressure on the effective running of a glassworks studio and exhibition and gallery. This project team examined options for relocating either the Canberra Glassworks or Brodburger but recognised the important identity both these uses have with the existing building. It therefore seems appropriate that the Kingston Powerhouse retains its existing uses. To respond to the current issues with the Kingston Powerhouse, without the relocation of its tenants, the solution appears to lie in the need to add additional space to the building. The details of this specific additional are discussed further in this report.

Figure 10: The Kingston Powerhouse. Source: artsACT

The Former Transport Depot The Former Transport Depot is home to the Old Bus Depot Markets which operates every Sunday year round, and on Saturdays in the lead up to Christmas, in the two large industrial type internal spaces. The building also has several office spaces at level 1 and another rentable space known as the ‘Foreshore Space,’ which is also used for the Old Bus Depot Markets operations.


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In addition to the Old Bus Depot Markets, the Former Transport Depot is also accommodation for Megalo Print Studio, who occupies the Administration building with frontage to Wentworth Avenue. The building has been added onto over the course of its life, as detailed in the Phillip Leeson Architects Conservation Management Plan for the Former Transport Depot, 2011. Currently, the heritage elements of the building are the original portal frames of the original structure and the report also talks about the industrial sized space as having heritage significance. Although only a small component of the overall building is marked as being of heritage significance, it nonetheless has a similar importance as the home of the Old Bus Depot Markets as the Canberra Glassworks and Brodburger have with the Kingston Powerhouse. The Old Bus Depot Markets occupy about 5,700sqm of floor area each Sunday which would prove difficult to relocate. Megalo Print Studio have only recently moved to their current location and therefore it could be assumed that the Former Transport Depot should retain its existing uses with Megalo operating in its current premises on a full time basis and the Old Bus Depot Markets operating in its current premises one day a week. This however, does provide the opportunity to utilise the 5,700sqm of industrial space on a temporary basis, or create an arrangement where a full time use of the 5,700sqm could operate alongside the Old Bus Depot Markets and therefore providing a permanent use to the space. The type of large industrial space provided for at The Former Transport Depot, should this space be used for uses other than the Old Bus Depot Markets, may inevitably hamper its ability to find other uses of a more permanent type. The space can only efficiently be used by hirers requiring large amounts of space and therefore would most likely include large amounts of equipment which would need to be stored away whilst the Old Bus Depot Markets are in use (and vice versa). This would only further put pressure on the amount of storage that is available on site if other permanent users were to occupy the space. Another option would be to provide space for smaller uses / groups with less storage requirements to operate in areas on a more permanent basis, which could be seen as complementary to the Old Bus Depot Markets, and could even operate at the same time as the Old Bus Depot Markets. With the recent removal of the Northern Annex, coupled with the proposed extension of the Printers Way road, generally aligning with the underground 132KV lines, there is opportunity to provide the Former Transport Depot with an attractive and accessible northern frontage which has an almost direct link to the foreshore boardwalk. The preferred option proposes for this frontage to become a relocated eatery zone, allowing the current eatery tenants, or more permanent eatery tenants operate to the north 7 days a week with both indoor and outdoor sitting areas taking advantage of an ideal orientation. In addition to this, it could be proposed that this northern façade be opened up to be a more permeable façade allowing patrons to enter and exit the Old Bus Depot Markets through the eatery.


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Figure 11: The Former Transport Depot, showing the large industrial space used by the OBDM. Source: Wikipedia

The industrial sized space could cater well for a range of temporary / casual type activities such as:

• Educational activities.

• CIT events and presentations. • Film/video makers. • Acrobatic and youth based performances and workshops.

• Life of Machines type of events (i.e. like Myth-Busters show). • Autonomous vehicle workshops and exhibitions including setting up a course to exhibit the machines and

their capabilities.

• Mini maker fairs. • Alternate music venue for the Canberra Music Club is possible particularly on the northern ends of the

building. • A flexible space to view international conferences and public forums; a 3D demonstration space.

• Roller skating event such as Roller Derby. • A biennale space like Cockatoo Island in Sydney.

• Temporary festival site – the island of art. • Seniors Week activities. • Specific ‘Food and Farmers’ markets, bearing in mind that a well-established Farmers Market is already held

and Exhibition Park Canberra. It was also noted in the Consultation study that although the scale of the Former Transport Depot was perceived as a problem for using the building effectively, once people are working in the established precinct it will be the scale of the spaces that people will find attractive to create unique types of work to suit the spaces. The Fitters’ Workshop Currently, the Fitters’ Workshop is the only existing building on the site without a permanent use. The Navin Officer Conservation Management Plan for the Fitters’ Workshop, 2011 indicated that the building is of heritage significance, however, it does state that the building on its own appears to have little social value and is not considered to have more or even equal social significance to that of the Kingston Powerhouse or even of the Former Transport Depot. This may be due to its use in the latter part of the twentieth century as a storage facility rather than a space which facilitated more social or gathering uses. It could be argued, however, that due to its lack of use, and perceived lower social value when compared to the surrounding buildings which has resulted in the Fitters’ Workshop having never been assigned a ‘permanent use,’ it is incidentally the most flexible use building on the site.


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The Fitters’ Workshop has been recently discovered as having interesting acoustic qualities for certain types of musical performance. It has recently hosted the Canberra International Music Festival to critical acclaim. The building is essentially a single level industrial type space, significantly smaller than the Former Transport Depot, with an area of about 525sqm.

Figure 12: The Fitters’ Workshop, northern facade. Source: Canberra Times. The physical characteristics make the space suitable for a wide range of temporary uses including:

• Choral music performance.

• Art exhibition or temporary workshop spaces such as photography or film studio. • Temporary retail accommodation for retail that could be considered complementary to an Arts Precinct.

• Fund raising events. • Experimental installations. • Image and sound installations.

• Experimental theatre. • Film/video projects.

• Public art workshop space (for visiting commissioned artist). • Teaching and learning of cinema (for experimental arts practitioners).

• Presentation and broadcast of certain classical / chamber music concerts. • Book and CD fairs. • Concerts linked to a radio-thon. • Night markets. • A workshop space for development of autonomous vehicles for a weekend event.

The building is compromised in a number of areas that are addressed in the Report:

1. Accessibility The building is currently entered either from the north or south through the original large doors. When is use, these doors are generally fixed in an open position as they are too large to be opened and closed by patrons when entering or exiting the building. This severely compromises the ability for the building to maintain its temperature when the weather conditions are less than satisfactory. The building also suffers from not having a covered entry, resulting in patrons being unable to congregate around the building during events in cold or wet weather. The Report proposes to formalise the open space that extends from the Foreshore Space, past the Fitters’ Workshop to the existing railway lines into an enclosed quadrangle, linking all buildings, including the Fitters’ Workshop, via a covered colonnade providing a covered entry to the Fitters’ Workshop and the ability to move


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between a number of buildings whilst undercover. A colonnade could also have the ability to be ‘closed off’ in certain areas via operable glass walls, allowing the existing doors to be fixed in an open position whilst the building is in use, but ensuring appropriate climate control can be maintained. It should also be noted at this time, that the complaints and accessibility issues with the existing doors are currently being addressed by artsACT.

2. Amenities

The building currently lacks any amenities including lighting, climate control, toilets and permanent function services such as kitchen, bar and food storage facilities. During use, where such amenities are required, these need to be bought onto site and removed after use. Currently, lighting, additional power and better access into the building are being addressed, separate to this study. The Report proposes a permanent annex type building to provide suitable amenities to the building. The annex building, located to the south east façade through the existing doors, which could in turn be permanently fixed open, could provide an alternate entry to the Fitters’ Workshop through a lobby / foyer space providing toilets, kitchen / servery, bar facilities and storage. A number of other uses have been associated with this annex building including a possible underground music venue, accommodation for arts organisations and even boutique hotel and artists’ accommodation. Detailed consideration of the connection of the annex building to the Fitters’ Workshop should be given at detailed design stages to ensure that the relationship between new and old elements is expressed appropriately. An example may be to ensure that all lower elements to a new annex building should be in glass, or as transparent as possible utilising quality lightweight elements to ensure that the heavy base and bagged concrete façade and dominant Inter-War Stripped Classical Style is not compromised.

4.4 Recommendations and Findings of the Consultation and Reuse of Existing Facilities Study

Based on the Consultation and Reuse of Existing Facilities work, the following recommendations can be made:

4a.

Support for an Arts

Precinct:

Over time, the level of interest has strengthened and there is strong support for the ongoing development of the precinct across the arts and cultural sectors. With changes in the creative and design sectors in Canberra in recent years including an increasing number of young professionals choosing to stay and develop their practice and business in Canberra, emerging organisations and creative entrepreneurial entities have expressed interest in being an integral part of the evolution of the arts precinct.

4b.

Support for new

management forms:

Participants recognise the need for exploration of new forms of management and in that context expect the need for an arts precinct management entity. There is an expectation that this entity will need to work with tenants to build a welcoming environment and to facilitate movement and interaction within and between the arts precinct and the wider foreshore.

4c.

Co-location and

Collaboration

potential:

Participants are very enthusiastic about the potential of working across disciplines to enrich the creative process and the experience for visitors. The recent collaboration between the Glassworks and Megalo was seen as the beginnings for individual artists’ and the key arts organisations to engage with one another and to exchange ideas. The sharing of resources and facilities and facility management were seen as key for making efficiencies, managing for change and evolution, limiting reasons for conflict as well as leading to strengthening the creative processes of respective member and service organisations.

4d.

Reuse / alternative

use of Existing

Facilities

In addition to the Kingston Arts Precinct as being the home to the various identified Arts Organisations, there are a range of other potentially compatible temporary type uses that could find a home within the existing facilities without disrupting the permanent tenants of the buildings. These additional uses may also bring more activity and life to the precinct and could indeed reinforce the Kingston Arts Precincts role as being a home for the creative industries


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and a diverse range of cultural and artistic community oriented activities.

There are a range of other points that were raised during the consultation process and the Consultation Report should be read in its entirety and in consideration with the March 2011 Kingston Arts Precinct Strategy, also prepared by Susan Conroy.

5 STATUTORY PLANNING CONTEXT

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5.1 Aims and Objectives of the Statutory Planning Context

This section discusses the statutory planning context for Section 49 Kingston. 5.2 Urban and Statutory Planning Considerations for the Precinct

Statutory Planning

This report provides statutory planning information in relation to the provisions of the National Capital Plan and the Territory Plan that apply to the study area for the Kingston Arts Precinct. The Design Study work presented in this report has been prepared in consideration of the statutory planning conditions.

Figure 13: Kingston Arts Precinct study area.

National Capital Plan

Kingston Foreshore is subject to Special Requirements of the National Capital Plan as provided in Part 1 Section 4.5.6 of the NCP. The Commonwealth interest in Kingston Foreshore is to ensure that the Lake Burley Griffin Foreshore in East Basin continues to be developed as a major landscape feature, thereby helping to unify the National Capital’s central precincts. The area of Kingston Foreshore which is subject to Special Requirements of the National Capital Plan is the land bounded by Bowen Park, Wentworth Avenue, Cunningham street, The Causeway through to Jerrabomberra Creek, Jerrabomberra creek and a line approximately 7 metres behind the wall of Lake Burley Griffin. The Kingston Arts Precinct, as shown above, is comprised within the area indicated in red on Section 49. It should be noted that currently there is no Development Control Plan of the National Capital Plan applicable to the Kingston Foreshore area.


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Special Requirements

There are a number of requirements that drive the resolution and quality of built form and urban space on the Kingston Foreshore. The project team considers that work within the Kingston Arts Precinct, at minimum, should conform to these requirements but should also be given the opportunity to develop a language, partially responding to its heritage context that is unique to the precinct as a special heart of the Kingston Foreshore. Development in the Kingston Foreshore area (the ‘area’) is to retain a working boat harbour and lake maintenance facility and conform to the following Aesthetic Principles. Commentary is given that specifically responds to the Kingston Arts Precinct.

1. Foreshore Precinct Landscape The landscape of the precinct adjacent to the Lake Burley Griffin foreshore Designated Area should be of an open space parkland character consistent with that in Bowen Park. The landscape should permit views into the development through informal tree planting and should include landscape treatment of a high quality allowing for pedestrian and cycleway movement through the area. The edge of Jerrabomberra Creek should be landscaped as open space allowing for pedestrian movement and have a character not inconsistent with the role of the Creek as the edge to the Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

2. Built form and materials Massing of building development addressing the lake edge: The massing of building development directly addressing the lake edge is to be articulated and modulated to present a varied appearance and avoid an apparent unbroken wall of development when viewed from the Lake. Colour: The colour scheme of development is to be generally light in tone. Some highlighting with darker colours may be acceptable where these do not present the dominant colour scheme when viewed from or across the Lake. Roofs: A variety of roof forms, materials and colours should be introduced into the area. The project team considers this requirement as being of particular importance considering the dominant form of the Kingston Powerhouse and the Fitters’ Workshop roof. Any development within the Kingston Arts Precinct should consider the design of roofs with relationship to the roof of the Kingston Powerhouse. Building Height: The overall height of buildings in the area is to be generally consistent with that of the tree canopy of mature trees in the area. This can be achieved through buildings being a maximum of four (4) storeys except for some taller buildings or focal elements where these do not significantly impact on the landscape of the area or detract from the massing of the Kingston Powerhouse building. Materials and Finishes: Materials on building fronting the Lake edge should generally avoid the use of highly reflective materials. The proposed organisations that are to be accommodated within the Kingston Arts Precinct will result in the precinct as being a ‘working arts precinct’ and it is proposed that materials and finishes are to be suitable to that of a working arts precinct. In addition to this, the idea of a working arts precinct drives a particularly industrial aesthetic that would be complementary to the heritage buildings that already exist on the site. Non reflective materials should continue through to the precinct to ensure a consistency of built form with the rest of the Kingston Foreshore, but the industrial approach will ensure that the Kingston Arts Precinct will present as a ‘jewel’ within the large Kingston Foreshore. Lighting: Outdoor lighting in the area should generally use full cut-off fittings and up-lighting of buildings and structures should be carefully designed to keep night time overspill lighting to a minimum. The overall lighting impact should not compete in prominence with the lighting of the National Triangle. The area should be lit predominantly with high pressure sodium light sources for streets and mercury vapour for pedestrian routes. Lake frontage external lighting should use metal halide sources.


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The project team proposes that the Kingston Arts Precinct should be subject to significant night time activity in certain areas, particularly around the heritage buildings where it is proposed that new active frontage provides uses such as bars, breweries eateries and music venues. Lighting will need to be suitable for such uses. There is also a proposed public plaza which could be accessible 24 hours a day and will therefore require suitable seating, public amenities and lighting.

Wentworth Avenue

The landscape of Wentworth Avenue is to create a strong balanced planting regime of trees along the Avenue in terms of the species used and spacing. Planting used on both sides should generally be consistent in terms of type and spacing. The design of street furniture (including lighting) used in the Avenue should generally be consistent with the design of such facilities used on other major Avenues leading to the centre of the national capital. Signage in the Avenue should be limited to traffic control signs and to direct the public to commercial centres in Kingston and the foreshore area. Developments along the Avenue should address the Avenue but should generally have vehicular access from a road other than directly from the Avenue. Development having direct vehicular access to the Avenue should include a predominantly landscape frontage treatment exclusive of parking but may include canopies covering set down areas. The landscape of the frontage should respond to the pattern of movement systems created from the Kingston shops, across Wentworth Avenue and to the foreshore area including the newly completed Kingston Boat Harbour. There are a number of vistas that extend through the site from Wentworth Avenue to the foreshore and these could be expressed through the landscape frontage. Currently, the Wentworth Avenue Frontage from Eastlake Parade to the existing drive entry in front of the Former Transport Depot is lined with poplar trees. These trees, in combination with the curvature of Wentworth Avenue, form a ‘domino’ effect, almost completely restricting any view of the pedestrian level activity on the site. In order to help create a vibrant landscape frontage to Wentworth Avenue as the main ‘face’ of the precinct, these problematic trees should be removed and replaced with an alternate planting strategy designed to complement the desired character of the street and enhance views from the street into the site. It should be noted that these trees are not heritage listed, and there would be no intention to remove the two groups of heritage listed trees that sit behind the poplar trees. The Territory Plan

The site is subject to the provisions of the Territory Plan and is within a – Commercial CZ5 Mixed Use Zone (refer Figure 2 below). The Territory Plan provides the detailed planning requirements and objectives for development within the Zone. The site is also located within a “Future Urban Area” – providing some flexibility where minor adjustment to zone boundaries is required in the event of subdivision.

Figure 14: Territory Plan zoning context


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Commercial CZ5 Mixed Use Zone

The Commercial CZ5 Zone objectives are as follows:

a) Encourage higher density residential development in locations with convenient access to transport corridors, and commercial and employment centres.

b) Create an efficient and sustainable urban environment and provide for a diversity of living, working and

recreation opportunities.

c) Maintain and enhance environmental amenity and undertake development using best practice environmentally sustainable development principles.

d) Encourage a standard of urban design that is consistent with selected major avenues, approach routes and

other strategically located areas.

e) Encourage activities particularly at street frontage level that contribute to an active public realm. Any Development Application for a permissible land use proposal within a Commercial CZ5 Mixed Use zone will be assessed in the Merit track, and in consideration of the related provisions of the Commercial Zones Development Code, or other applicable General Codes, as shown in the table below which is an extract of the Commercial CZ5 Mixed Use Zone. MINIMUM ASSESSMENT TRACK

MINIMUM ASSESSMENT TRACK

MERIT

Development listed below requires a developmen application and is assessed in the merit track, unless specified in schedule 4 of the Planning and Development Act 2007 (as impact track) or specified as prohibited development in a precint map.

Development

ancillary use multi-unit housing

boarding house NON RETAIL COMMERICAL USE

carpark outdoor recreation facility

communications facility parkland COMMUNITY USE pedestrian plaza

consolidation place of assembly

demolition public transport facility

development in a location and or a type identified in a precint map as additional merit track development

RESIDENTAL USE

emergency services facility restaurant

guest house serviced apartment

home business SHOP

hotel sign indoor recreation facility subdivsion

minor road temporary use

minor use

motel Figure 15: CZ5 Mixed Use Zone Merit Track

Kingston Precinct Map and Code In addition to the general Commercial Zones Development Code, the Kingston Arts Precinct also falls under the Kingston Precinct Code, and additional set of requirements to apply to specific areas. The Code applies to the Division of Kingston and provides additional planning, design and environmental controls for specific areas or blocks and may also contain references to provisions in other codes. Where there is any inconsistency, the provisions of the Kingston Precinct Code take precedence over those of the Commercial Zones Development Code.


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The Kingston area is divided into specific areas for the purpose of applying additional rules and criteria. For some areas, additional merit track developments and/or prohibited developments are specified, and this is the case for the Kingston Arts Precinct. The study area is located in the area defined by the Precinct Map as “RC4” with specific additional merit track or prohibited developments shown in Tables 3 and 4.

Figure 16: Kingston Precinct Map with the Kingston Arts Precinct shown as being part of RC4.

The Kingston Precinct Code sets out a range of additional merit track develop – developments that may be approved subject to assessment as well as prohibited development that would apply to the Kingston Arts Precinct. Additional merit track development that may be approved subject to assessment

Suburb precinct map label Zone Development

MT8 CZ5 Craft workshop Drink establishment

Indoor entertainment facility Light industry

MAJOR UTILITY INSTALLATION Place of assembly

Scientific research establishment Tourist facility excluding service

station Figure 17: Kingston Precinct Code and Map additional merit track development

Additional prohibited development

Suburb precinct map label Zone Development

PD7 CZ5 Boarding house Child care centre

Hotel Motel

Place of worship Religious or associated use

Figure 18: Kingston Precinct Code and Map additional prohibited development


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Both Hotel use and Child Care Centre, which could generally be seen as complementary uses to an Arts Precinct to help enhance streetscape activity and increased patronage, are prohibited and therefore would place restrictions as to flexibility of use. Negotiation, and possibly amendment to the Precinct Code would be required to ensure that these uses would be permissible. In addition to these restrictions, the Kingston Precinct Code and Map places a range of other restrictions that would need to be negotiated with such as:

• The maximum gross floor area of office is 500sqm per tenancy and 2,000sqm per lease. • Ground floor levels to be no greater than a relative level (RL) of RL560.000.

• The footprints of higher elements (above 3 storeys) are no greater than 15 x 20m and that the maximum height of buildings does not exceed the lesser RL578.000 or 20m.

5.3 Recommendations and Findings of the Statutory Planning Context

Based on the Statutory Planning Context work, the following recommendations can be made:

5a.

Statutory Context:

The current CZ5 Commercial Zones Development Code and Kingston Precinct Code indicate that a mixed use arts precinct would be suitable for the site and that the majority of proposed uses would be permissible. It is the opinion of the project team that the precinct should be considered a ‘special place,’ unique to other parts of the Kingston Foreshore. There should be a variation to the Territory Plan to increase the flexibility of permissible uses, floor area restrictions and height restrictions to ensure that the intention of an arts precinct as described in this report be realised.

6 DESIGN STUDY

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6.1 Aims and Objectives of the Design Study

The Design Study reviews the existing Indicative Master Plan as presented in the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan report, identifying the potential break up of sites, traffic network, and landscape and public realm areas into a resolved urban framework and proposes a range of options for the siting of arts organisations within the precinct. Using a key set of site analysis diagrams, a preferred structure is set, as a defining guide for each option. This approach was also used in the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan and this report seeks to fine tune this structure which proposes the most efficient block layout, vehicular and pedestrian network, the ideal parking arrangement as well as clearly defined landscape and public areas. Three options are proposed for possible locations for the arts organisations within the Arts Precinct: Option 1 proposes arts use buildings located around a central quadrangle and colonnade in order to prioritise arts organisations as the central focus to the precinct. In addition to reconfiguration across the entire site including new formalised public spaces, this options proposes the following:

• A new stand-alone dedicated arts building. • An addition to the Kingston Powerhouse. • An addition to the Former Transport Depot.

• An addition to the Fitters’ Workshop. Option 2 proposes the majority of arts use buildings located around a central quadrangle and colonnade, again with the intention of prioritising arts organisations as the central focus to the precinct. Arts uses are more spread out in this option when compared to option 1. In addition to reconfiguration across the entire site including new formalised public spaces, this options proposes the following:

• Two new stand-alone dedicated arts buildings.

• An addition to the Kingston Powerhouse. • A small addition to the Fitters’ Workshop.

Option 3 proposes a more ‘salt and peppered’ approach to locating arts uses on the precinct. Arts uses are more spread out again, even when compared to option 2. In addition to reconfiguration across the entire site including new formalised public spaces, this options proposes the following:

• A new stand-alone dedicated arts building

• An addition to the Kingston Powerhouse. • A small addition to the Fitters’ Workshop. • Arts uses that are located in a mixed use stand-alone building.

6.2 Urban Design Principles

Priorities: Five key design objectives and principles

1. Maximise mixed use development on the site in order to create a busy, vibrant and exciting destination with a

strong arts / cultural focus that is unique to Canberra.

2. Provide a high level of public parking on site in surface, basement or undercroft with key pedestrian entrances from all major parking to the central public quadrangle. This is to ensure that all pedestrian movement patterns intersect with the public quadrangle to maximise exposure of arts uses (galleries, art retail etc.).

3. Create an all-weather pedestrian circulation system linking together all the major arts precinct activities and

combine this with an array of indoor and outdoor public spaces, laneways, arcades, squares, atriums including hard and soft landscape areas for all occasions.

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4. Clearly define a central square (the quadrangle) as the focal point and central public space at the heart of the Arts Precinct; protected from prevailing winds and enclosed by perimeter activities on all sides. All major Arts Precinct activities and organisations should be directly connected to the new public quadrangle.

5. Provide a dramatic new entrance and setdown on Wentworth Avenue, ensuring that an exciting sense of

arrival and an important destination is achieved.

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Existing Analysis As identified in the May 2014 Kingston Section 49 Masterplan, the site has a number of existing conditions that inform the breakup, development opportunities, road layout and siting of any new development. It is vital that these conditions are adhered to especially considering that a number of these conditions are heritage / heritage related conditions. The existing heritage related elements have a high social value and any new development should sympathetically respond to these elements to ensure that the strong social value and connection is maintained and indeed enhanced. The following diagrams elaborate on the work completed in the May 2014 Section 49 Masterplan.

Figure 19: Heritage Analysis

Heritage Analysis The Main heritage elements, the Kingston Powerhouse and Fitters’ Workshop are located generally in the centre of the site. Both buildings are bounded on the north-east and south-west facades by the original railway lines, which have been either removed or covered over. These lines form a natural set back zone to the Powerhouse and Fitters’ Workshop. A number of trees facing Wentworth Avenue have also been listed as heritage elements. The Former Transport Depot is also heritage listed, with the existing welded portal frames in the upper-hall being heritage listed and the ‘industrial space’ of the building also being heritage listed. There are a number of significant vistas that, although not heritage listed, have been considered as important as the heritage elements and have therefore been included in this diagram.

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Figure 20: Public Domain Analysis

Public Domain Analysis The vistas and set-backs identified through the Heritage Analysis form the basis for the location and structure of the Public Domain areas on the site. A 20m set-back zone from the north-east face of the Fitters’ Workshop and Powerhouse over the heritage rail lines and existing 132kv electrical cables is set, defining a public domain area. This area continues to the south to cover the frontage to Wentworth Avenue, including the heritage listed trees. A 20m zone follows the line of the 132kv cables to enable an extension of Printers Way onto the site. An extension of the 20m Trevillian Quay reserve extends south through the site to ensure vistas of the Fitters’ Workshop and is used to form a large northern oriented public domain zone between the Former Transport Depot and the Fitters’ Workshop. A vista from the Kingston Powerhouse to the lake, as identified in the Heritage Analysis is given a 20m public domain zone ensuring access and views from within the site to the lake.

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Figure 21: Connectivity

Connectivity Wentworth Avenue is the major vehicular access past the site, with public parking on Wentworth Avenue providing a major pedestrian access directly onto the site. This existing pedestrian access should be considered the ‘front door’ access to the site. The main vehicular access onto the site, and onto on-site parking, is accessed from the northern most edge of Eastlake Parade and there is another vehicular access from Printers Way leading into more on-site parking. These roads are considered major vehicular access but are secondary to Wentworth Avenue. It is this hierarchy that is important because it illustrates an existing condition where the pedestrian access to the site is considered of higher importance than vehicular access. From Eastlake Parade, there are a number of pedestrian links through to the site, further reinforcing the importance of the precinct as being a pedestrian friendly and accessible precinct. In addition to this, there is bicycle parking between Wentworth Avenue and the Kingston Powerhouse. This is accessed either from the Eastlake Parade vehicular entry or from the Wentworth Avenue short stay entry. It is important to note that the location of bicycle parking should be considered carefully, positioned where it is safe for cyclists to ride directly to the parking and central enough so that bicycle parking isn’t seen as being positioned on the periphery, away from the activity. There is also the opportunity to reinforce a future pedestrian connection from the site leading directly to the Kingston Board Harbour and boardwalk. As indicated previously, this link was reiterated to the project team and the LDA as vital by a number of stakeholders at a Kingston Foreshore Stakeholder Meeting in July 2014. The project team recognises the importance of connectivity between the Kingston Arts Precinct and the Kingston Boat Harbour.

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Figure 22: Development Opportunities

Development Opportunities An overlay of the first three diagrams results in a variety of different ‘parcels’ that could be considered future sites or development opportunities. Design Approach

The design approach to the Kingston Arts Precinct has strong parallels with the design of a mixed use retail / entertainment centre; priority, therefore, must be given to centrally located and well designed covered parking, preferably on one or two levels with entrances emerging directly into a central public place, proposed as a public quadrangle in this report, to provide comfort, convenience and maximum amenity for visitors, patrons and customers. Detailed Design Requirements There are a number of detailed design requirements that should be implemented into the design of the precinct:

• The design should identify expansion opportunities for all existing and future arts organisations and destinations e.g. The Canberra Glassworks, Fitters’ Workshop, The Old Bus Depot Markets and Megalo.

• Make provision for use of all outdoor spaces, as identified in the proposed options, for a diverse range of occasional activities (both arts or other public related), with opportunities for covered, enclosed and market style shelters etc.

• The orientation of existing buildings on Section 49, running parallel with the existing rail line differs from that of the remaining development on the Kingston Foreshore, which generally runs parallel to Wentworth Avenue and the new street grid. There is the opportunity to use this orientation to create a development that is unique to the Foreshore not only in function and character, but also in its built structure. All new buildings and spaces should reinforce the ‘off grid’ alignment of the existing rail lines as a mechanism to signify and arts / cultural theme. In addition to this, a unique and easily identifiable design and materials palette should be employed.

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• The Kingston Arts Precinct should not be confined to ground floor space within identified sites. This could result in a lack of amenity and possibilities for a diverse active frontage environment and could also complicate a management strategy and flexibility of use over time.

Heritage Strategy In regards to responding to heritage requirements the project team recognises the two possible approaches to heritage. Firstly, there is the “restoration” approach which absolutely restores a building to its original form and detail in every possible respect. Secondly, there is the “adaptive reuse” approach which may involve a minor or major intervention in order to enable an old structure to be rehabilitated with a new life and new activity while giving emphasis and a clear point of difference between old and new. The current heritage buildings and sites need to be modified, altered and extended to meet the ever changing needs of new activities within, as follows:

• The Kingston Powerhouse requires further extensions to accommodate for new retail, display and meeting space. The ‘Brodburger’ Café provides new space (indoors and outdoors) without detracting from the heritage significance.

• The Fitters’ Workshop requires extensions to accommodate general support facilities and amenities including toilets, stores, kitchen/serving areas, covered entries and other public servicing needs and possible other arts related activities and functions.

• Megalo requires more studio, meeting and retail space.

• The Old Bus Depot Markets require an improved sense of front entrance and address – including set down and entry space. With the Old Bus Depot Markets being seen as a major community asset, there is the need for the northern half of the building (not the portal building) to continue to “grow” and meet the needs of the new arts hub and the broader community.

• The spaces between the three existing buildings (the Kingston Power House, Fitters’ Workshop and Former Transport Depot) is a leftover space that needs to be restructured and redesigned to create a compelling new public square or quadrangle that is sheltered, flexible and useable with perimeter airlock providing convenient and safe access, entrance and address to all new arts activities and facilities planned for this arts hub.

• The general layout and structure of the entire precinct (in Section 49 Kingston) has been carefully nurtured

and modified over the last seventeen years since the announcement of the Kingston Foreshore Development.

• It’s now time to take the precinct forward in order to further refine the design of the precinct the form of all new buildings and spaces (both internal and external) in order to achieve a world class arts precinct that is expected to become one of the new leading arts/entertainment destination for not only the ACT community, but the region and nation.

• We should be confident that the precinct has the ability to continue to grow expand and adopt to changing needs as it has successfully evolved over the past century.

Planning

As recommended in the May 2014 Kingston Section 49 Masterplan, amendments to the Territory Plan would be required to open up the flexibility of the land use and remove restrictions on office space. An Estate Development Plan is also recommended for the Section 49, including landscape areas, vehicular circulations, parking and building zones.

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6.3 Option 1 – The preferred arrangement

The preferred option is a refinement of the May 2014 Section 49 Kingston Master Plan, further detailing road layouts, block layouts, nominating hard and soft landscaped / public realm areas and showing indicative building forms.

8

7 2

3

5 8 6

1

4

5

5

Figure 23: The Preferred option

Key 1. The central quadrangle and surrounding colonnade. 2. Printers Way extension with short stay parking. 3. Annex building to the Fitters’ Workshop accommodating a range of different activities. 4. The Kingston Powerhouse ‘glass box’ addition. 5. New internal roads / shared zones with surface parking. 6. New north active frontage and access points to the Former Transport Depot space. 7. Dedicated Arts Use Building 8. Raised public gardens / lawn areas providing space for people to sit, ‘hang-out’ and relax without being separated from

the main activity spaces of the precinct.

Legend Yellow buildings on the above plan represent new buildings and additions dedicated to arts uses in the precinct. Blue buildings represent development opportunities for new mixed use buildings. Red represents the colonnade around the quadrangle and street awnings throughout the precinct. White buildings represent the existing buildings.

The general arrangement is consistent in each of the design options. The design options propose different locations for the accommodation of arts uses, resulting in very minor changes to the layout and arrangement. However, it is important to note that this report proposes one ideal arrangement that could cater for various accommodation layouts of arts organisations and other uses. The report defines a series of ‘places’ that provide a wide range of amenity which enable the precinct to work as a small city providing special and distinct experiences for patrons.

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1. The Quadrangle The central feature of the preferred option is a formalised central square, known as the ‘Public Quadrangle’ that links all existing heritage buildings and new arts buildings together view a colonnade which provides convenient all weather access to the major focus point of the precinct. The quadrangle formalises a new heart to the precinct and is a point from which all public services (retail, art, entertainment, dining, heritage elements) should be accessed from. The quadrangle also creates a legible and formal pedestrian entry off Wentworth Avenue, reinforcing the existing entry point to the site. It is proposed that the colonnade could be semi enclosed during colder months of the year via glass operable walls which would provide secure and protected entry into the Fitters’ workshop, the Former Transport Depot and the Kingston Powerhouse. The colonnade is proposed to be a minimum 6m wide at its narrowest point, allowing for not only secure and protected pedestrian movement, but to also allow for a level of activity. Old Bus Depot Markets activities could spill out into the colonnade, and the quadrangle beyond, providing the Old Bus Depot Markets an opportunity for future expansion should the need arise. The colonnade could act as reception and foyer spaces to the Fitters’ Workshop, and work as a covered drop off and reception space to a possible addition to the Former Transport Depot. The colonnade essentially interprets the traditional street, bustling with activity both night and day, spilling out onto the central quadrangle which provides identity and ‘civic activity’ in much same way as the plaza does in a traditional European city. The height of the colonnade should be designed in consideration with the height of existing windows on the Fitters’ Workshop, and should most likely be set at the height of the spandrels between the main windows and the high light windows. This would ensure that colonnade is set high enough to also allow occasional vehicular access into the public quadrangle. In addition to this, paving of the quadrangle should also be selected to enable heavy vehicles to operate in the area. The quadrangle should have special ‘feature’ lighting, or lighting that can help mark it as being a special focal space during the evenings. To facilitate a range of outdoor uses, external power should also be provided.

2. Printers Way – the street The extension of Printers Way, as set out in the siting diagrams, connecting with Trevillian Quay, does two key things to help unlock the precinct:

• Creates a level of vehicle permeability, connecting the precinct with the rest of the Kingston Foreshore. • Creates a defined development parcel to the eastern most part of the site that would be available to the LDA

to sell off for private development, independent of the development of the arts precinct. This site would be extremely valuable as it fronts a busy and active Printers Way to two sides, and faces the already busy Eastlake Parade to the third side with almost direct access to the Kingston Boat Harbour.

The extension of Printers Ways is proposed to be a slow speed street with short stay parking on both sides (both 90 degree parking and parallel parking). This is to ensure that the street remains active and is not prone to the long stay parking demand affecting parliamentary triangle workers. The extension of Printers Way provides multiple access points to Site A, and multiple access points in the Arts Precinct. The new Printers Way provides vehicular access and address to the northern face of the Former Transport Depot, creating an opportunity to open up this façade for new uses such as a relocated eatery and providing an opportunity for activity beyond the current 1 day per week (refer item 6 below).

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The Printers Way reserve is indicated as 20m wide, and is proposed, as stated, to have 90 degree parking on one side and parallel parking on the other. The project team believes it is vital to ensure that this road is as narrow as possible to ensure the road is perceived as accessible, allowing pedestrians to cross at ease to access activities on both sides. This means that it is imperative to delete the additional turn out space required to 90 degree parking, to comply with the relevant Australian Standard. In order to achieve this arrangement, it could be proposed that the Printers Way Street remains as a ‘private road,’ or in other words, a road that is not handed back to the Territory. It could essentially be considered a car park which therefore doesn’t need to comply with the public road standards. If this road were to remain an asset of the Kingston Arts Precinct Management Board, and if this road is to be paid parking, and private, it could provide an additional revenue stream for the precinct.

3. The Fitters’ Workshop A new annex building is proposed to the south façade of the Fitters’ Workshop, with a frontage and address to the new Printers Way extension. This building provides ancillary uses to the Fitters’ Workshop including general public toilets, reception, possible kitchen / servery / bar. It could also provide accommodation for some arts organisations including Art Sound FM, residential accommodation for artists’ and even an underground music venue. The uses vary between the different design options, but in all cases, this addition adds another level of amenity and activity to Printers Way and to the new northern façade to the Former Transport Depot.

4. The Kingston Power House The Kingston Power House, accommodating the Canberra Glassworks, is proposed to include a new glass gallery type addition, integrated with the colonnade to the quadrangle. This new glass box provides additional space to the Canberra Glassworks activities including new gallery and exhibition space, amenities for visitors and administrative spaces. It is visible on approach to the precinct from Wentworth Avenue in both directions and is proposed as a symbolic marker to the precinct and helps ‘mark’ the colonnade. In addition to this, the glass box can be interpreted as symbolic of the activities of the ‘Canberra Glassworks.’ This new beautiful glass box helps separate the Canberra Glassworks activities from the Brodburger activities. While there are benefits in both organisations sharing the one building (extended trade etc.) there are issues in combining food and beer services and glass art work exhibition in such a small ground floor space. Separating these two uses on different levels allows Brodburger to accommodate all of the current entry/ foyer, administration and toilets space currently offered to the Canberra Glassworks, while also ensuring the Brodburger has its own ground floor entry and outdoor eatery. This configuration then allows the Canberra Glassworks to operate on a separate level, with access from either Wentworth Avenue or from the existing lift in the new enlarged Brodburger space. The Canberra Glassworks will still maintain connectivity to the workshop spaces and by ensuring the existing lift remains in operation, vital connectivity between Brodburger and the Canberra Glassworks can remain unaffected. However, most importantly, this configuration allows both organisations to remain in their current location and ensure that their important connection to the Kingston Powerhouse building remains unchanged.

5. Internal Roads and Surface Parking and the Substation The existing entry, off Eastlake Parade, near Wentworth Avenue is proposed to remain as a major vehicular entry to the site. With an increased patronage to the precinct, pressure being put on this entry point is reduced by providing additional entry points off the Printers Way extension. To further reduce the anticipated pressure on this entry point, the preferred option proposes to push this entry road back towards the existing substation and away from the exiting signalised intersection, allowing for more traffic to

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queue up at the intersection without blocking access to the precinct. The substation could have a new ‘façade’ or wall applied to the façade facing the new entry road to hide the existing utilitarian brick face to ensure an attractive entry to the precinct. This relocated entry point aligns with the existing gap between the Fitters’ Workshop and the Former Transport Depot, of about 8m, providing a direct access into an enlarged and formalised surface car park which is also designed to accommodate coach drop off facilities and other irregular vehicles that may need access such as delivery trucks, trailers and other non-standard length vehicles. This road way extends through to the public quadrangle and through the colonnade as an occasional access way. This roadway provides access into the large multi-level below ground public car park which is underneath Sites B1 South and B2 South, and provides address points convenient vehicular access and address points to all the new internal sites of the precinct and is proposed as a low speed tree lined internal street. The arrangement of this new street, flanking the Fitters’ Workshop and the Kingston Powerhouse and new mixed use development on Site C is deliberately arranged to mimic the historic railway lines as a gesture of responding to the previous vehicular movement (in the form of steam driven trains) structure of the precinct. It should be noted at this point that there are remnants of the original rail platform in the zone between the Former Transport Depot and the Fitters’ Workshop. The heritage analysis indicates that this should stay, however, this report proposes to remove the platform to make way for the access road and shared zone through the precinct. It is the opinion of the project team that it is important to create workable spaces in as many parts of the precinct as possible, especially in the voids between heritage elements. The platform (being about 700mm high) is currently a trip hazard, creating a space which serves very little practical function as it creates a lowered ‘dead end’ type space. The insertion of the new roadway is proposed based on a strong heritage consideration of the ‘existing rail line,’ mimicking its original alignment, and thus responding to rail line elements including the platform. A possible specific response to the platform, and its proposed removal, could be to indicate the existence of the platform through materiality. The zone between the two heritage buildings, where the original platform once stood could be paved in a local red brick, laid exposed to appear as a cobble type arrangement. The platform may be demolished, or may remain and simply be covered over should the levels suit this proposal. If the platform is to be demolished, there could be the opportunity to reuse the existing bricks to form part of the new paving response. The location of the internal road to the north of the Kingston Powerhouse and the Fitters’ Workshop is also located over the existing 132kv power lines with form a ‘no build zone’ through the middle of the precinct and is therefore perfectly suited for a new internal shared use street.

6. North face to the Former Transport Depot

As discussed in the Consultation and Reuse of Existing Facilities Study of this report, there is the opportunity for permanent uses to the building, complementary to the activities of the Old Bus Depot Markets in the form of small eateries, cafes and bars to the northern face of the Former Transport Depot. This opportunity is further realised by the recent demolition of the Northern Annex. This proposal allows for the more permanent use of the Former Transport Depot without having to use or find a use for the industrial sized space. It also allows for the current eateries in the Old Bus Depot Markets to relocate to this new position and possibly increase their hours of operation to a more full time arrangement. This façade, now being used as a frontage to eateries, facing into a northern outdoor area, could also be opened to have a more permeable presence allowing patrons to park on Printers Way and wander into the Old Bus Depot Markets through the eateries, or to conveniently move from the Old Bus Depot Markets straight through Site A and onto the Kingston boardwalk and boat harbour and thus creating an important and tangible link between these two precincts. The northern outdoor area is proposed as being a combination of hard and soft landscaped areas, catering for outdoor dining and gathering, a place for the Old Bus Depot Markets to expand onto if the need arises, and to provide a

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connection to the Fitters’ Workshop annex that houses public amenities that could be used by patrons to the Old Bus Depot Markets.

7. Built Form The architectural language of new built form, in particular, new arts buildings, on the precinct, should be distinct from other development within the precinct, and indeed the rest of the Foreshore. The project team envisages the use of glass at ground level to promote active frontage and industrial type materials used for the workshop spaces to the upper levels, such as metal façade elements and exposed concrete structural elements. Materiality should reflect the industrial ‘place of making’ character of the precinct that is intrinsically linked to its past. This approach should even be carried through to the fit-out of the arts buildings. Materials that are robust and long lasting and will tolerate wear and tear over time should be preferred over other ‘high end’ materials. It is assumed that this approach to built form and materiality would also provide an economic advantage.

Figure 24: Site Section through the Quadrangle and Arts Building

8. Landscape Elements

There are a number of different landscape elements throughout the precinct, designed to provide and enhance a range of different user experiences. A general hard-scape treatment can be used throughout and is generally shown beside roads and in front of shop fronts to encourage shopper activities, outdoor dining and indicate main pedestrian movements. Other treatments are used to emphasize other parts of the precinct. For example; the preferred arrangement shows a grey treatment to paving through the middle of Site A. This has been used to visually indicate an important connection between the Former Transport Depot and the Kingston boat harbour. A special tiled or cobbled treatment in shown in the main quadrangle, to emphasize the quadrangle as a special place. There are also a number of soft-scape elements employed throughout the precinct, such as street trees, raised grass beds, planter-beds and general grassed areas. Street trees are located between on-street car parks. This approach has been used throughout the precinct and although this can result in minor loss of parking, it helps breakdown long rows of parked cars. The foliage of street trees can help hide cars that parked in the spaces and provide shade to pedestrians. This approach helps emphasize the precinct as a ‘pedestrian’ precinct as opposed to a vehicular precinct. The raised grass beds provides opportunities for people to sit or even lie down and relax in public spaces. It also provides a place for families and young children to enjoy without having to move away from the focal areas of the precinct and is similar to the popular Manuka Lawns. Raising the grass beds allows for street trees to be planted over basements. The raised beds also makes these area comfortable to use – people can sit on the edges of the beds, or people can lie on the grass without feeling like they are lying on the ground in a public space. Raised beds are also used around buildings with planting to help soften the large amount of new building work. There is also the opportunity introduce planting, or raised grass beds inside the quadrangle.

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6.4 Other Uses to the Precinct

Apart from identifying a range of different arts organisations that may be accommodated on the site, there are a range of other uses that could be accommodated on the site that respond to the changing character of the Kingston Foreshore as a busy place to live and work. These uses will not only provide greater amenity to the growing residential population, but would also further increase patronage and visitors to the precinct. Such uses include:

• Child Care Centre / Day Care Centre – The generally low rise (4 – 6 storeys max.) nature of the precinct would even open up the opportunity for a roof top child care centre.

• Small convenience shop – To provide essential supplies (milk and bread etc.) that would be designed not to compete with services provided from at the nearby Kingston Shops.

• Bicycle sales or repair / service store.

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6.5 Analysis of Sites Precinct Code and Planning Summary Section 49 Kingston is zone CZ5 commercial mixed use. Refer Section 5 of this report for more details. In summary, the planning requirements on Section 49 set the following parameters:

• Ground floor RL of all new buildings to be no greater than RL560.000.

• Maximum RL of all new buildings to be no greater than RL578.000 or 20m. • Generally no more than 4 floors with ‘roof top elements’ or floors above 4 storeys to have foot prints no

greater than a 15 x 20m rectangle.

• The maximum gross floor area of office use is either 500sqm per tenancy or 2,000sqm per lease.

Figure 25: Major Development Sites

Site Areas

The work prepared in this report results in one possible site precinct breakup. This breakup of the precinct is primarily in response to the positioning of arts use buildings, the new quadrangle and suggested circulation through the site. There are a range of other possibilities available which would result in different site areas and obtainable yields. In this scenario, 10 major development sites (A-G) can be defined with a public external ‘quadrangle’ that could be semi enclosed: Site A with a site area of 8,570sqm Site B1 North with a site area of 1,320sqm Site B2 North with a site area of 3,530sqm Site B1 South with a site area of 3,080sqm Site B2 South with a site area of 2,595sqm Site C with a site area of 2,190sqm Site D with a site area of 3,835sqm Site E with a site area of 2,000sqm

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Site F with a site area of 2,325sqm Site G with a site area of 3,850sqm Sites in red indicate arts use sites and areas. Site A Site A consists of ground floor commercial uses with active frontage and mixed use (potentially including contemporary residential) above and could achieve: TOTAL: 25,000sqm This site includes basement parking (100 spaces) as dedicated public parking and a range of other basements designed to accommodate generated parking on Site A. Site B1 North Site B1 North is proposed as a small mixed use development and could achieve: TOTAL: 2,382sqm This site includes basement parking designed to accommodate the uses of Site B1 North and a portion of generated parking from Site B1 South Site B2 North Site B consists is proposed as a mixed use development and could achieve: TOTAL: 9,600sqm This site includes basement parking designed to accommodate the uses of Site B2 North. Site B1 South Site B1 South consists of ground floor commercial / retail with active frontages and parking and mixed-use above and could achieve: TOTAL: 7,425sqm (not including ground floor generated parking)

This site includes basement parking (220 spaces), integrated with the Site B2 South basement as dedicated public parking. Site B2 South Site B2 South consists of arts organisation uses (in a dedicated arts building) with galleries / exhibition space and art retail on ground level. Offices and ground level and above with workshop and training space on the upper levels. Arts Uses: 5,600sqm TOTAL: 5,600sqm

This site includes basement parking (185 spaces) integrated with the Site B1 South basements as dedicated public parking. Site C Site C could consist of commercial and retail ground floor with upper levels consisting of non-retail commercial uses and could achieve: Commercial / retail: 6,000sqm TOTAL: 6,000sqm This site includes basement parking (156 spaces) in which 36 spaces are reserved for arts employees operating in the arts buildings throughout the precinct. Site D Site D could provide a future additional building to the Former Transport Depot with industrial ground floor space providing extra space for the Old Bus Depot Markets and commercial and conference space above: Industrial space: 1,495sqm Commercial / conference space: 2,256sqm (150sqm arts use conference space) TOTAL: 3,751sqm

Site E Site E consists of an additional to the Fitters’ Workshop providing ground floor public amenities and ancillary / service uses to the Fitters’ Workshop space, possible arts organisations uses and below ground music venue. Upper levels

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could consist of the 10 artists’ apartments and an additional 20 small units that could be used as a boutique ‘art’ hotel or serviced apartments and could achieve: Arts, services and units: 2,000sqm TOTAL: 2,000sqm

Site F Site F consists of an addition to the Kingston Powerhouse providing additional space for the Canberra Glassworks: Arts uses: 775sqm TOTAL: 775sqm

Site G Site G consists of the public quadrangle and colonnade linking all arts uses on the precinct although not strictly GFA, this is a ‘built and defined element’ and is included in the total area calculations: TOTAL: 3,850sqm

Summary

This analysis details the break-up of the Design Option 1 proposal, which is the preferred option. For an analysis of the preference for Option 1, refer to 6.7, Design Option 1 section in this part of the report. Site

Arts Uses GFA Other GFA Totals (sqm)

Site A

25,000sqm 25,000

Site B1 North

2,382sqm 2,382

Site B2 North

9,600sqm 9,600

Site B1 South

7,425sqm 7,425

Site B2 South

5,600sqm 5,600

Site C

6,000sqm 6,000

Site D

1,645sqm 2,106sqm 3,751

Site E

1,100sqm 900sqm 2,000

Site F

775sqm 775

Site G

3,850sqm 3,850

TOTALS

9,120sqm (excludes Site G)

53,413sqm 62,533

(excludes Site G) With the arrangement of uses as indicated above, which would be the preferred outcome, a total GFA of 66,383sqm is achievable (including quadrangle and colonnade). Stewart Architecture estimates that Design Option 1 could potentially accommodate more than 400 apartments across the precinct. Up to 9,120sqm (including industrial space for the OBDM which is not specifically required in this study) could be provided for arts uses, which comfortably accommodates the needs identified in the Functional Brief.

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6.6 Consistency with the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan

As mentioned in several instances throughout this report, the project team stresses that this Study is not to be seen as superseding or redesigning the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan, but is merely extension and refinement of the work previously completed to date. This work should be seen primarily as a detailed analysis of how specific arts organisations could be accommodated within the overall plan for the precinct. This study has focussed on the arts organisations, including detailed consultation work, and explores how the Master Plan could be refined, applying the next level of detail, to include elements such as road layouts, block layouts, nominating hard and soft landscaped / public realm areas and showing indicative building forms.

Figure 26: May 2014 Indicative Master Plan. Source: May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan

Figure 27: The preferred option All major elements, including development sites, major permeable connections through the site, overall response to heritage elements and active frontage largely remain unchanged. It should be noted that without the work prepared and issues examined in the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan, much of this work would not be possible.

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Departures from the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan Having said this, there are a number of improvements / opportunities that have been identified that should be examined further:

1. The opportunity to create a formalised public plaza / quadrangle adds a large amount of amenity to the precinct and can guarantee general usage of the precinct on a constant basis. Combined with the colonnade linking all heritage elements and arts uses on the site help identify the precinct as an ‘arts precinct.’

2. The project team believes that Wentworth Avenue should remain as the major address to the precinct but

should be a drop of and pedestrian entry only. This is consistent with the current arrangement and seeks to emphasise the importance / priority of the precinct as a ‘walkable’ place.

3. The addition of large amounts of surface car parking, particularly to the vehicular entrance way of Eastlake

Parade near the Wentworth Avenue intersection seeks to formalise an existing arrangement and make use of the ‘no build zone’ space between Wentworth Avenue and the Kingston Powerhouse. There is the opportunity on this site for up to 100 car spaces.

4. Based on the concerns raised at the Kingston Foreshore LDA Developer and Stakeholder meeting, the

preferred option does not propose to build a major public multi-storey car park on Site C. There are a number of reasons that have driven this strategic decision:

• The project team recognises this site as a potentially landmark site, being one of the first buildings one sees when approaching the site from Wentworth Avenue, and next to an iconic heritage building, the Kingston Powerhouse. This site, given the sensitive context, is not suited to a car park and would be much more valuable as a mixed use commercial site with basement parking. In addition to this, the precinct should be emphasised as a ‘walkable’ precinct and the insertion of a major public multi-storey car park as one of the main address buildings is not sympathetic to this intention.

• The multi-storey car park locates patrons away from the middle of the site, and indeed the arts uses

as proposed in this Report. It also distances patrons away from the Kingston Boardwalk and Boat harbour. This Report proposes to locate all public car parking in basement levels in the middle of the site, directly under the arts uses. This ensures that patrons exit the car park in the middle of the site to ensure maximum usage of the precinct and maximum exposure to arts uses.

• The current proposed parking strategy will not confuse patrons, with the concerns that ‘people won’t know where to go or how to get to the parking spaces’ because the new public parking basement is in the same location as the existing surface parking, and is accessed off the same Wentworth Avenue / Eastlake Parade entry point. In other words, the method of accessing parking remains the same as the current arrangement.

5. An additional 100 space basement car park is located on Site A, close to Eastlake Parade. This car park,

combined with the 405 space basement car park located under arts uses places nearly all public spaces in secure and accessible basements close to the Kingston boat harbour and close to amenities and services provides at the Kingston Arts Precinct.

6. This report proposes significantly more floor area than the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan. Of course,

should the market demand dictate the amount of development on the precinct, a lower floor area as nominated on the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan could be achieved. However, it is the opinion of the project team that in order to maximise the value of potential sites, a higher yield should be targeted. This Report presents an ideal maximum yield.

7. The May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan proposed that a more mixed use approach or ‘salt and peppered’

approach is taken to locating arts uses throughout the precinct. The concern was that central locations on the site would be considered ‘high value sites.’ Further analysis of sites in this Report concludes that the internal

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sites could actually be considered low value sites because they do not have street frontage and external exposure or front major roads.

The consultation with arts organisations uncovered that organisations should ideally be located close together, to maximise the opportunity to form working synergies. In addition to this, the Kingston Arts Precinct is proposed to be a ‘working precinct,’ with workshop spaces facilitating the making of art. This making of art is expected to generate a level of noise and thus locating these spaces together, to contain the noise rather that spread it throughout the precinct, would be the most appropriate approach. Therefore, the proposal of one of more dedicated arts use buildings in the middle of the site (integrated to a small degree with retail opportunities) would appear to be the most ideal solution.

It should be noted however, that the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan was prepared with a wide range of public general public consultation, dating back to 2011, but most likely didn’t engage in specific detailed consultation with arts organisations and therefore did not have this information at hand when it drew its conclusions.

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17 4 6 16 7 4 15 3 8 11 14 5 10 9 2 12 13 1 Figure 28: Design Option 1

6.7 Design Option 1 Key

1. Vehicular entry, surface parking and coach parking. 2. Possible commercial site with below ground generated parking and arts employees parking. 3. Possible mixed use site including ground floor commercial and retail. Below ground public parking. 4. Pedestrian links to Eastlake Parade and Lake Burley Griffin. 5. Internal shared-zone street with short stay parking. 6. Possible mixed-use site with below ground generated parking. 7. Dedicated arts use building with galleries, office, workshops and art retail. Below ground public parking. 8. Public covered colonnade. 9. Glassworks additional space and boutique commercial ‘glass box.’ 10. Public quadrangle. 11. Fitters’ Workshop ancillary development with artists’ accommodation, arts uses, public toilets, bicycle parking and

below ground music venue. 12. Addition to the Former Transport Depot with industrial ground floor space, commercial and conference facilities. 13. Vehicular drop off, main pedestrian entry and address. 14. New northern frontage to the Former Transport Depot. 15. Printers Way extension with short stay on street parking. 16. Possible mixed use commercial and residential quarters with active retail / commercial frontage to Printers Way

extension. 17. Pedestrian Link to the Kingston Boat Harbour.


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Summary

This proposal locates arts organisations in a total of 4 dedicated arts buildings that are either new stand-alone buildings or additions to existing buildings. Each new arts building is directly connected to the colonnade and quadrangle, providing covered all weather access to each building and its uses. Design Issues

The major benefits of this option include:

• All buildings surrounding the colonnade and public quadrangle are arts use buildings which reinforces the precinct as a ‘arts’ mixed use precinct.

• In addition to arts buildings surrounding the public quadrangle, they are also located close to Printers Way

with two buildings having frontage to Printers Way. This places arts buildings in the centre of the two main gathering and activity zones on the precinct. The specific arrangement and relationship between the Fitters’ Workshop addition and the dedicated arts building to Printers Way does not compromise the opportunity for Printers Way to host a range of other active uses. In fact, having arts uses fronting Printers Way only adds to the variety of uses that could be provided for on this street.

• The addition to the Former Transport Depot to include new industrial space, office and conference spaces, combined with the Glassworks ‘glass box’ additional posits two landmark developments around the quadrangle with a highly visible frontage to Wentworth Avenue. These buildings allow for a very clear and legible main address to the precinct.

• Takes maximum advantage of the site to the south of the Fitters’ Workshop as a building which provides ancillary uses to the Fitters’ Workshop but also provides artists’ accommodation in a potentially iconic building located in the centre of the site, again, marking the precinct as an ‘arts’ mixed use precinct.

Other issues / considerations include:

• The addition to the Former Transport Depot would be a costly development. In terms of fulfilling the project brief, this addition provides shared conference / meeting space of 170sqm that could be located elsewhere on the site without needing to build this addition. The addition provides other revenue producing uses in the form of commercial floor area and industrial space, but these may be seen as added extras and the construction of this building may cause and disruption to the operation of the Old Bus Depot Markets.

• This option proposes a substantial addition to the Fitters’ Workshop – a highly detailed glass addition to ensure an appropriately considered connection with the existing heritage building. Although the project team considers this building to be an appropriate heritage response, its proposed size may not be supported by various community groups.

Heritage Response In regards to heritage appropriateness of this Design Option, David Flannery has provided the following response to the proposal:

• This option retains the buildings of conservation and heritage significance.

• Wentworth Avenue, being a major arterial entry corridor into Canberra, benefits from the development in terms of the visual completion of this component of the Foreshore redevelopment, without compromise to vistas from the Avenue to the old Powerhouse and the former Transport Depot buildings.

• The significance of these buildings is enhanced by the linkage to each other through the use of an open public quadrangle and colonnade; and in this option, the collocating and clustering of the four new arts buildings around this central core where large crowds will periodically gather.

• Ease of public access to and between the existing heritage buildings and other future arts buildings will

enhance the recognition and understanding of the historic narrative of this precinct and the important part it plays in the Canberra story.

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• Vistas to the heritage buildings, particularly the Fitters’ workshop have been retained.

• Underground car parking averts the possibility of a large and inappropriate car parking structure located adjacent to the old Powerhouse and thus creating an aesthetically deleterious visual relationship.

• New northern frontage to the Former Transport Depot is appropriate to resolve and provide access and to open the building to an outdoor space.

• Detailed design of the proposed extension to the Fitters’ Workshop, although appropriate in principle because of the evidence of earlier extensions in a similar location, will require careful and considered connection and design resolution.

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16 4 6 15 7 4 14 3 8 13 5 10 11 9 2 12 1 Figure 29: Design Option 2


1. Vehicular entry, surface parking and coach parking. 2. Possible commercial use site with below ground generated parking and arts employees parking. 3. Dedicated arts use building with arts uses, retail and artists’ accommodation. Below ground public parking

integrated with the below ground public parking on Site B2 South. 4. Pedestrian links to Eastlake Parade and Lake Burley Griffin. 5. Internal shared-zone street with short stay parking. 6. Possible mixed-use site with below ground generated parking. 7. Dedicated arts use building with galleries, office, workshops and art retail. Below ground public parking. 8. Public covered colonnade. 9. Glassworks additional space and boutique commercial ‘glass box.’ 10. Public quadrangle. 11. Government owned small commercial development including ancillary Fitters’ Workshop uses and underground

music venue and small retail / commercial opportunity, public toilets and bicycle parking. 12. Vehicular drop off, main pedestrian entry and address. 13. New northern frontage to the Former Transport Depot. 14. Printers Way extension with short stay on street parking. 15. Possible mixed use commercial and residential quarters with active retail / commercial frontage to Printers Way


Legend Yellow buildings on the above plan represent new buildings and additions dedicated to arts uses in the precinct. Blue buildings represent development opportunities for new mixed use buildings. Red represents the colonnade around the quadrangle and street awnings throughout the precinct. White buildings represent the existing buildings. Orange indicates new government owned commercial buildings.

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Summary

This proposal locates arts organisations in a total of 3 dedicated arts buildings that are either new stand-alone buildings or additions to existing buildings. A 4th smaller builder, which is the addition to the Fitters’ Workshop, provides the required ancillary uses to the Fitters’ Workshop with other limited opportunities but doesn’t provide accommodation for any of the identified arts organisations. The Glassworks ‘glass box’ addition and the dedicated arts use building on Site B2 South are directly connected to the public quadrangle and colonnade. Design Issues


• This arrangement of arts uses takes better advantage of lower value sites throughout the precinct, locating arts uses in a stand-alone building on Site B1 South as well as Site B2 South, whilst still maintaining an important relationship with the public quadrangle and colonnade.

• The location of arts use buildings on Site B1 and B2 South locates more arts use buildings over the below

ground parking enabling the arts management to have more autonomous control of the public parking, with more basement circulation leading directly into arts use buildings.


• This arrangement starts to separate arts uses away from the colonnade and public quadrangle which is a departure from what was seen as one of the primary intentions of the report. The colonnade and public quadrangle will be one of the main activity and gathering spaces in the precinct, alongside the Printers Way Street.

• Frontage to the new internal road facing Site B1 South is secondary to the colonnade and it could be argued that arts uses located on Site B1 South will have less exposure than arts uses located on Site B2 South, thus creating a hierarchy between the different arts buildings which could cause tension between the various arts groups.

• This arrangement does not include the new addition to the Former Transport Depot for additional industrial space, conference rooms and commercial space. This means that the conference rooms required by arts organisations will need to be located elsewhere. However, more importantly, the opportunity to provide a striking new façade to the Former Transport Depot and provide the entry to the Old Bus Depot Markets with a new face lift will not be achieved and could be seen as compromising the new entry off Wentworth Avenue.




• The significance of these buildings is enhanced by the linkage to each other through the use of an open

public quadrangle and colonnade.

• Ease of public access to and between the existing heritage buildings and other future arts buildings will enhance the recognition and understanding of the historic narrative of this precinct and the important part it plays in the Canberra story.


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16 4 6 15 7 4 14 3 8 13 5 10 11 9 2 12 1 Figure 30: Design Option 3


1. Vehicular entry, surface parking and coach parking. 2. Possible mixed use commercial site with arts uses and below ground generated parking and arts employees

parking. 3. Possible mixed use site including ground floor commercial and retail. Below ground public parking. 4. Pedestrian links to Eastlake Parade and Lake Burley Griffin. 5. Internal shared-zone street with short stay parking. 6. Possible mixed-use site with below ground generated parking. 7. Dedicated arts use building with galleries, office, workshops and art retail. Below ground public parking. 8. Public covered colonnade. 9. Glassworks additional space and boutique commercial ‘glass box.’ 10. Public quadrangle. 11. Small ancillary building to Fitters’ Workshop uses with potential arts uses, bicycle amenities and public toilets. 12. Vehicular drop off, main pedestrian entry and address. 13. New northern frontage to the Former Transport Depot. 14. Printers Way extension with short stay on street parking. 15. Possible mixed use commercial and residential quarters with active retail / commercial frontage to Printers Way



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Summary

This proposal locates arts organisations in 2 dedicated arts buildings that are either new stand-alone buildings or additions to existing buildings a 3rd building where arts organisations are tenants in a mixed use commercial development and a 4th smaller builder, which is the addition to the Fitters’ Workshop, provides the required ancillary uses to the Fitters’ Workshop and room for a small arts organisation, such as ArtSound FM The Glassworks ‘glass box’ addition and the dedicated arts use building on Site B2 South are directly connected to the public quadrangle and colonnade, however, this proposal presents the most ‘salt and peppered’ approach with arts uses spread throughout the precinct and with minimal connection to the public quadrangle and colonnade. The Glassworks ‘glass box’ could also be proposed as a single level option to help reduce cost, providing floor space for the Glassworks but omitting the opportunity for boutique commercial floor space. Design Issues


• This arrangement locates arts uses, as a tenant, in the Site C mixed use commercial building. Depending on the particular arts uses to be accommodated in this building, there is the opportunity to treat the façade of this building to express the arts tenants within. This ensures that arts uses can get exposure on what could potentially be an iconic façade, being the first façade in the precinct visible to patrons as they approach the precinct from Wentworth Avenue.


• This arrangement, and any other arrangement that uses a ‘salt and peppered’ approach to accommodating arts uses is seriously compromised as the opportunity to working synergies to occur is greatly reduced. Salt and peppering arts uses throughout the precinct inevitably locates in sites that may have different ‘values’ (i.e. better access, better exposure, better orientation) and therefore sets up an hierarchy between the different arts buildings which could cause tension between the various arts groups.

• This arrangement does not include the new addition to the Former Transport Depot for additional industrial

space, conference rooms and commercial space. This means that the conference rooms required by arts organisations will need to be located elsewhere. However, more importantly, the opportunity to provide a striking new façade to the Former Transport Depot and provide the entry to the Old Bus Depot Markets with a new face lift will not be achieved and could be seen as compromising the new entry off Wentworth Avenue.




• The significance of these buildings is enhanced by the linkage to each other through the use of an open

public quadrangle and colonnade.



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6.10 Urban Design Guidelines The preferred option proposed in this report not only provides a finalised scheme for the entire precinct, indicating the position and design of roads, landscaped areas, blocks, buildings and parking which could then be used as the basis for Detailed Design and Estate Development Plans to be prepared. It also sets up a series of fundamental Urban Design Guidelines for the precinct as a whole, which should be implemented. These section provides guidance on a range of siting issues such as the location of active frontages and landscape areas, building entries and conceptual servicing points and development staging throughout the precinct and are a further development of the guidelines proposed in the May 2014 Section 49 Kingston Master Plan. Based on the possible areas, an approximate number of car parks that could be accommodated on each site can be given.

Figure 31: Public Parking Legend Vertical access from basement to ground floor shown on the plan. Parking The location and general strategy of public parking is a key consideration to ensure efficient and useable operation of the precinct. The proposal for public parking takes into consideration public consultation comments provided during the May 2014 Section 49 Master Plan development and comments provided by various stakeholders at the Kingston Foreshore Stakeholder Meeting where it was suggested that public parking be located in the centre of the site. Locating parking in the centre of the site, under Site B1 and B2 South, in a single 33.5m wide (efficient double aisle arrangement) basement car park over two levels provides 405 spaces. The basement directs patrons to ground level in the middle of the precinct ensuring maximum exposure for arts organisations. In addition to this, another 100 spaces could be provide on Site A to accommodate a further 100 spaces. The location of these car parks provide almost direct access to the Kingston Boat Harbour and can ensure that the precinct secures maximum exposure by patrons. It is also important to provide generous amounts of on-street short stay parking to ensure that streets remain busy and active during the day and night.

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This arrangement can provide for 760 public parks whilst leaving the majority of non-arts related sites unencumbered to provide their own generated parking.

Figure 32: Primary and Secondary Active Frontages Legend

1. Solid shade indicates Primary Active Frontage, generally to the internal parts of the precinct 2. Hatched shade indicates Secondary Active Frontage, generally to the outer parts of the precinct that lead

into the internal parts of the precinct to help establish a hierarchy of spaces. Primary and Secondary Active Frontages The considered position of Primary and Secondary Active Frontages will help determine the success of the precinct in regards to streetscape activity and will help promote the focus of certain parts of the precinct. Primary Active Frontages should be ideally be reserved to the Printers Way extension street and towards, in and around the quadrangle. Primary Active Frontages to the Printers Way extension are vital to ensure that this road is experienced as a busy and lively urban street. This requirement should result in shops / retail / dining uses facing out to the street at ground level and include a degree of outdoor activity (outdoor bars, eateries) to ensure a consistent level of activity. Green spaces are including in this Primary Active Frontage zone to ensure that not only ‘shoppers’ enjoy this space, but green spaces allow for other patrons, workers and passer-by’s to enjoy the precinct by providing spaces for these people to sit, ‘hang out’ and become part of the atmosphere. The Primary Active Frontages extend to the Former Transport Depot northern frontage which are adorned with the relocated Old Bus Depot Markets eateries, operating on a more full time basis, and to the colonnade and arts use building that should provide art retail, and cafes to provide respite for people visiting the galleries. Other opportunities for more ‘grunge type’ uses, not dissimilar to the popular burger store, Brodburger, should inhabit this part of the precinct and could include uses such as craft beer breweries and coffee shops.

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Secondary Active Frontages identify areas that should have active frontage, but this activity should not outstrip Primary Active Frontages within the precinct. These areas identify potential building entries and other commercial, retail opportunities.

Figure 33: Definition of Cultural Buildings / Public Spaces Definition of Cultural Buildings / Public Spaces As suggested throughout the report, this option seeks to posit arts and heritage buildings as the central focus / feature of the precinct. As a collective, these could be referred to as cultural buildings and should be given as much exposure as possible. These buildings should generally be surrounded, as much as possible, by public spaces. Arts buildings should never be located in dead end areas but should be arranged to not only get direct exposure by patrons visiting them, but also passer-by exposure. This helps people identify the precinct as an ‘arts precinct’ which in turn creates emphasis and importance on arts, even by those who don’t visit the galleries or retail. In this proposal, all buildings both have a frontage or exposure to the Printers Way Street or the public quadrangle, and are connected via the public colonnade. In this proposal, the arts use building on Site B2 South has exposure / frontage to both these places. The arts use building on Site E also faces the Printers Way Street, and has access to the colonnade through the Fitters’ Workshop. It is vital to ensure there is a strong relationship between public spaces and cultural buildings. Main public spaces should be seen, in fact, as being extensions of the cultural buildings.

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Figure 34: Main Pedestrian Areas

Legend 1. Red lines indicate pedestrian patterns through the precinct that pass through major gathering points. 2. Blue lines indicate proposed bicycle networks through the precinct. 3. Orange areas indicate major gathering points.

Main Pedestrian Areas The Main Public Spaces identified in the previous diagram are based on the existing site connections and public domain areas, and addresses the existing pedestrian patterns through the site. These existing pedestrian patterns generally move pedestrians from the east to the western sides of the site as pedestrians move from parking on Wentworth Avenue, through the precinct past the various services that already existing on the site, then through the to the Kingston Boat Harbour or vice versa. Major meeting / gathering points should be located on the pedestrian pathways to create special places that already seem familiar or a well-travelled rather than new unfamiliar places that may be less receptive to the patrons. There is the opportunity to ensure that the major meeting / gathering points on these pedestrian pathways have a close relationship or are in close proximity to the various arts uses that are proposed in this report, and therefore again maximising opportunities for exposure to arts uses and generally usability of the precinct. The current cycle network passes the intersection on Wentworth Avenue. There is the opportunity to divert the cycle network, or create a turn off into the precinct that could then extend through the precinct towards to the Boat Harbour and the Kingston Island. Specific identified cycle paths through the precinct, coupled with a public bicycle parking would help cater for a large number of Canberrans who cycle. This will provide cyclists with an opportunity to stop, securely park their bicycles, rest or utilise some of the many services that would be on offer at the precinct before continuing on with their journey. Identified cycle paths through the precinct could be incorporated onto the TaMS Canberra and Queanbeyan Cycling and Walking Maps and into the various documents available on the Pedal PowerACT website.

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In addition to incorporating the precinct onto the TaMS and Pedal PowerACT documents, it should be noted that the Canberra Centennial Trail crosses Kings Avenue Bridge which would mean that a the Kingston Arts Precinct would be seen as a short detour and this presents another opportunity to visit the precinct (refer section 6.4).

Figure 35: Green Spaces

Green Spaces Public spaces should have a strong connection to the green spaces throughout the precinct. This will improve the quality and useability of public spaces and improves overall streetscape quality. This scheme presents deliberate arrangements of green spaces, generally to the gathering and activity spaces along the pedestrian network ensuring that those gathering and activity spaces are attractive and enjoyable spaces to inhabit, providing shade and comfort. Green spaces could be seen as ideal mechanisms for ‘infilling’ underused areas, but their strategic location will help add amenity to the overall precinct. Green spaces that extend out beyond the main public spaces should act as extensions to the public spaces, or elements that can lead people into the main public spaces. In addition to this, it is recommended that planting be used to create privacy between adjoining sites. This report proposes planting between the Kingston Arts Precinct site and the substation site to minimise overlooking into the substation site. Likewise, a green space, possibly a raised green space to facilitate basement parking beneath with perimeter planting on Site A provides privacy between Site A and the residential development on Block 1 Section 52. This is to ensure that the residents on this development have an attractive northerly outlook and are provided with a screening device between the development on Site A.

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Figure 36: Permeability

Permeability As indicated on the Main Pedestrian Areas, the site is subject to pedestrian patterns that move from the east to west and vice versa. The site should therefore ensure a high level of permeability not only through public areas, but also through development sites that include ground floor commercial or retail uses, reflecting the natural pedestrian patterns through the site where possible. Permeable lines through the site should take advantage of both existing and new vista opportunities, as indicated on the Public Domain Analysis. Permeable lines through the site should intersect with a range of different opportunities, and where there a temporary dead ends (such as the vista and 20m wide reserve from Lake Burley Griffin), these areas should present patrons with enhanced experiences. In this case, the Lake Burley Griffin vista terminates at the entry to the colonnade and the Glassworks glass box – leading patrons either into the quadrangle and towards Wentworth Avenue, or into the improved Glassworks space which acts as a symbolic beacon on the site providing patrons with ‘special’ places to pass by. Other permeable lines should reflect historic patterns of the precinct, such as mimicking the historic rail lines that flank both sides of the Kingston Powerhouse and Fitters’ Workshop. Permeability creates heightened sense of personal security and allows for effective passive surveillance ensuring that the precinct appears safe and accessibly during the day and the night.

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Figure 37: Points of Interest on the Pedestrian Track Points of Interest on the Pedestrian Track As indicated on the Main Pedestrian Areas diagram, along the main pedestrian patterns, there are open spaces to encourage social gathering, noted as main gathering spaces. These spaces should provide a range of different activities to create points of interest. The activities should consist of general retail, tourist and entertainment activities such as dining, shopping, socialising / meeting and music – uses that are accommodated in a mixed use precinct. Incorporated among these activities should be arts uses. The diagram indicates that where there are a large number of these different activities, arts uses are included. This is to ensure that the points of interest, where there are expected, or catered for, large numbers of patrons, arts uses are included to maximise exposure, interest and activity. The main points of interest and gathering spaces are intensified around the arts and cultural points of the precinct.

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Figure 38: Building Access and Servicing Legend

1. Blue Arrows show indicative building entry points. 2. Red Arrows shown indicative building servicing points. 3. Lift / vertical access points from the public below ground parking shown.

Building Access and Servicing This Report proposes buildings that are served or addressed by roads (either Eastlake Parade, Printers Way or the internal roads) and buildings that do not have typical street address. Consideration should be given to the location of building entries and service points to ensure efficient operation of the building and to ensure that appropriate address and exposure can be provided for. Buildings with frontage to roads should have entry points facing the road to allow for easy identification of entries. A number of buildings, such as the arts use building and even the Fitters’ Workshop addition which although has frontage to Printers Way, has main address points that do not face roads. In these instances, building entries should face onto main public areas, such as the quadrangle. In most cases, due to the footprint of buildings, and the overall floor area of buildings, it may be necessary to provide more than one building entry. Again, this is the case for the art building which could provide a building entry off Printers Way, but could also provide multiple entries off the public quadrangle. It is important that arts use buildings have a close relationship with the quadrangle, as described in detail throughout this report, and therefore should have at least one entry point off the public quadrangle. Service points (waste, deliveries, plant access) should be located generally away from building entry points where possible and ideally at the ‘end’ of the building. Where possible, service points should be located inconspicuously and away from main public spaces.

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Figure 39: Conceptual Staging Diagram Conceptual Staging Staged development will be required to allow the precinct and its occupants to remain in operation during the development phase. In addition to the occupants remaining in operation, maintaining a suitable number of public parking during the development phase is also a requirement. The above diagram indicates how the development of arts uses and public parking to the Kingston Arts Precinct could be staged to allow for maximum accessibility of the site during the development phase. It is assumed that the construction of all roads, including the new internal roads could be completed as part of the EDP package of works and will be completed before any building work commences on site. However, it should be noted that there are also opportunities for specific sites to assume the responsibility of the building of shared roads throughout the precinct. The Stages are set as follows: Stage 1 Stage 1 could be constructed first, developing the existing open spaces into a formalised surface

car park with additional spaces will help reduce the demand on parking during the additional stages, in particular Stage 2. There are no constraints on developing Stage 1 which could start almost immediately without any major impact to any other part of the precinct.

Stage 2 Stage 2 includes the construction of the public car park of 185 spaces and the arts use building.

Again, it is important to supply as many public car spaces up front which Stage 2 can deliver. In addition to this, the development of Stage 2, an ‘arts building,’ helps mark the precinct as an arts precinct. This allows the arts organisations to commence moving onto the precinct as early as possible if required, ensuring maximum flexibility of existing leases and moving arrangements.

Stage 3 Stage 3 includes the construction primarily of the public car park of 202 spaces, integrated with the

Stage 2 car park in addition to the construction of the mixed use buildings above. At the completion of this Stage, the precinct will already provide more public spaces that it had pre-development and

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will also provide for the first commercial / retail tenants and other possible development on the precinct.

Stage 4A Construction of the colonnade and quadrangle would most likely have the largest impact to

patronage as this stage will reduce accessibility to Brodburger and the Glassworks however it is necessary to complete the main public spaces before all development on the site is completed. This Stage will complete the main address to arts building and connection with Wentworth Avenue. Stage 4A also includes the Glassworks addition however it should be noted that the Glassworks addition could be added at a later date if need be.

Stage 4B Stage 4A will complete the new interface to the north side of the Fitters’ Workshop, resulting in an

increased amenity, whilst Stage 4B will complete the annex facilities including foyer, bar and public toilets. In addition to this, the below ground music venue, remaining arts organisations and artists’ accommodation will also be provided for to replace the Chapel Building (which this report assumes will be demolished). Although identified as a separate stage, Stage 4B could almost occur concurrently with Stage 4A.

Stage 5 Stage 5 includes the relocation of the Old Bus Depot Markets eateries, insertion of new eateries into

the Former Transport Depot, formalisation of a service and drop of area and completion of public spaces fronting Printers Way. This stage will complete all the arts interface elements to the new Printers Way extension.

Stage 6 Stage 6 could be seen as a long term stage which is to include an addition to the Former Transport

Depot (that would require minor demolition of some of the lower hall areas) that will accommodate new industrial space, administration space for the Old Bus Depot Board and possibly other boards that operate on the precinct, commercial floor space and conference facilities.

6.11 Recommendations and Findings of the Design Study

Based on the development of each Design Option Study, the following recommendations can be given:

6a.

Proposed Sites: The precinct should be divided into a range of sites, with arts uses located on the lower value sites that are located in the middle of the precinct, around a public quadrangle.

6b.

New Road works:

The new Printers Way extensions should contain short stay on street parking. The road should be as narrow as possible to ensure that it remains accessible, easy to cross and remains as a lively and busy street. In order to achieve this, without having to include the extra ‘turn out’ space for parked vehicles (which would result in a wider road), the Printers Way road could remain as a private road, or a car park road that is not handed back to the Territory. This could even provide the opportunity for the revenue raised by parking on this road to be returned to the Kingston Arts Precinct.

6c.

Public Spaces:

A new public quadrangle and colonnade should be the feature of any proposed design. The colonnade will act as a linking mechanism between all heritage buildings on the site, improving accessibility and legibility of the Fitters’ Workshop. The quadrangle should be level and should facilitate 24 hours a day activity.

6d.

Parking:

Public parking should be ideally be located below ground to ensure that there are no large above ground visible parking structures on the precinct. Public parking should be located, or accessed through arts use buildings to ensure maximum exposure to arts uses on the precinct. The public parking should be generally located in the middle of the precinct, again to ensure maximum exposure to arts uses and to enable maximum usage of the precinct. The parking should also enable convenient access between the precinct and the Kingston Boat Harbour to create a strong connection between these two major public spaces on the Kingston Foreshore.

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6e.

Preferred

development

option:

The preferred option is the arrangement proposed in Design Option One.

This option locates all arts uses in both new stand-alone buildings and additions to existing buildings around the public quadrangle, linked via the colonnade. This keeps arts uses clustered close together allowing the working synergies that currently exist between Megalo and the Canberra Glassworks to expand to all arts organisations accommodated on the site. This option also makes optimum use of the site that exists to the south eastern side of the Fitters’ Workshop as a new building connected to the Fitters’ Workshop providing ancillary uses, public amenities, artists’ accommodation and other residential accommodation, arts uses and even a below ground music venue.

It is the opinion of the Project Team that this option provides the maximum benefit to the proposed arts organisations, the maximum yield and the best urban design outcome.

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7.1 Aims and Objectives of the Management Model Study

Positive Solutions is part of the consultant team and is working on the governance and management model to ensure appropriate operating arrangements for the Precinct. The governance arrangements drive the following aspects of precinct operations:

• Leadership and coordination

• Business-to-business marketing (e.g. to potential tenants, developers) • Destination branding and marketing (to the general public, potential visitors)

• Site activation and place making. • Asset management and maintenance. • Common administrative and technical services. • Resident and tenant relationships. • Revenue generation and commercial sustainability.

In light of cultural precinct experience elsewhere in Australia and overseas five options have been considered for operation of KAP. These are:

1. Direct operation by artsACT. 2. Operation by a consortium of major tenants and stakeholders on-site. 3. Operation by a new arms-length but controlled entity – a Government-owned corporation or possibly a

statutory authority - with responsibility for all functions and activities on-site, but effecting delivery through tenant and sub-contractor arrangements.

4. Operation by a new, independent entity - with responsibility for all functions and activities on-site, but effecting delivery through tenant and sub-contractor arrangements.

5. Operation by an existing agency, extending its scope of activities to include KAP. This could be by invitation or through a tendering process.

7.2 Issues surrounding different management models

The potential benefit of artsACT operating the site is that the agency has a strong understanding of the arts and cultural sector, ownership of the Vision for the Precinct and, amongst its staff, experience of cultural facility management. However, there are some significant disadvantages including:

• Facility or precinct operation is not core business for artsACT and could divert focus from its more strategic roles.

• artsACT may be conflicted by operating KAP while being responsible for monitoring and ensuring best public value.

• Third-party resourcing, including philanthropy, would be more challenging within a government operating environment.

• Day to day decision making will become constrained by Government bureaucratic processes. The operation of the site by a consortium of tenants and stakeholders has the benefit of ensuring a strong voice by those most affected by effective operation of the Precinct, and harnessing their commitment, but it presents several disadvantages:

• Conflicts of interest, with tenants being their own ‘landlords’ • Diversion of arts and other organisations from their core business, and potentially overstretching them

• The probable lack of destination marketing, event management, and necessary asset management experience required.

Neither direct artsACT operation nor the tenant-consortium approach has been considered further in this study.


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7.3 The Recommended Model

Each of the remaining options has merits. However, the project team recommends that a new, independent entity be established to realise the Precinct Vision. The focus, energy and expertise required – and the complex range of onsite and stakeholder relationships to be managed – suggests that allocating responsibility to an existing entity could pose risks to that entity’s current operations and may compromise the Precinct’s development. Further, it is recommended that the entity be placed at arms-length from Government at as early a stage as practical after the process of establishment. The selection of initial board members should be recommended by artsACT, and approved by the Minister for the Arts, bearing in mind the range of cultural, marketing, property management and other skills which will be appropriate to the operating entity. The Management and Governance work also recommends that:

a. The board should be capped at a maximum of eight members. The initial board appointed by the Minister should be a minimum of three and a maximum of five.

b. Membership of the company and membership of the board should be synchronised. The project team sees no compelling reason to expand the membership to a wider base.

c. The board be obliged to report to Government and to consult with tenants on a regular basis, as indicated below.

Initial board members will be appointed by Government (process to be determined), but it is recommended that subsequent to initial establishment the board have power of co-option to control its own membership and skills mix in the longer term, with appointment of the Chair continuing to be subject to Government approval. If the recommendation to establish an independent entity is adopted it will be at the discretion of the board of that entity to determine whether fees should be paid to the directors. If a controlled entity is established the project team would recommend that reasonable fees should be paid to the directors. While it is not standard practice for arts boards to be paid, the entity operating the Precinct has a much wider remit than arts boards – including significant property responsibilities. The risks and responsibilities, as well as the level of commitment required during early years of operation, merit financial recognition. A CEO will have overall day-to-day responsibility for Precinct operations and programs. The role will need to be strategic, outwardly-focused and change-oriented. A high proportion of the CEO’s time is likely to be devoted to partnership-building, public communications, tenant negotiations – at the same time as maintaining effective day-to-day operations. It will be in the interests of the Precinct Vision and the Operator’s overall effectiveness for tenants, the arts community of Canberra, and other community and business stakeholders to be closely consulted and engaged in the Precinct’s development and operations. The consultant team have recommended mechanisms for this. The sources of revenue for a Precinct operating entity could include:

• Rental income. • Hiring income from short-term use of specific facilities. • Car parking income.

• Business partnerships or sponsorships. • Event-related income.

The main areas of expenditure will be:

• Asset management and maintenance. • Energy and other establishment overheads. • Branding, marketing and communications activity.

• Site activation and programming (events). • Administration related to tenant liaison, event management and stakeholder liaison.


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• Governance costs. The Precinct Operator can be held accountable for delivering the Vision for the Precinct through several mechanisms. First, a head lease or (if the land were transferred to the operating entity) a covenant which obliges to fulfil stated objectives for the Precinct; secondly, an approved strategic plan for the Precinct, which would be reviewed and refreshed periodically, and supported by annual business plans; thirdly, a Charter which articulates the principles and expected outcomes for the Precinct. There are a number of existing models which might inform these documents, including arrangements at Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart, Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne, and Federation Square Pty Ltd, also in Melbourne. The project team recommends the development of a similar framing document for KAP. It is proposed that the planning and reporting framework between the Precinct Operator and Government comprise the following:

• Preparation and approval of a three to five year strategic plan for the Operator – this will form part of a service agreement. For transparency and accountability the approved plan should be available from the Precinct website.

• Preparation and approval of an annual business plan and budget.

• Provision of a quarterly or six-monthly report by the Operator to Government, describing program activities, financial results, a risk assessment update, operational issues and progress against the strategic plan. The form of the report would be agreed by the two parties and might include summary charts or ‘dashboard’ techniques for communicating results easily

• Regular meetings between the CEO of the Precinct and a principal contact within Government • An annual presentation to and discussion with artsACT, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development

Directorate (CMTEDD). 7.4 Findings and Recommendations of the Management Model

Based on the Management Model work, the following recommendations can be given: 7a.

Recommended

Model:

The project team recommends that a new, independent entity be established to realise the Precinct Vision. The focus, energy and expertise required – and the complex range of onsite and stakeholder relationships to be managed – suggests that allocating responsibility to an existing entity could pose risks to that entity’s current operations and may compromise the Precinct’s development. It is recommended that the entity be placed at arms-length from Government at as early a stage as practical after the process of establishment. The selection of initial board members should be recommended by artsACT, and approved by the Minister for the Arts, bearing in mind the range of cultural, marketing, property management and other skills which will be appropriate to the operating entity.

7b.

Structure of the

Board:

The recommended structure for the board is: a. The board should be capped at a maximum of eight members. The initial board

appointed by the Minister should be a minimum of three and a maximum of five. b. Membership of the company and membership of the board should be synchronised. c. The board be obliged to report to Government and to consult with tenants on a

regular basis.

7c.

Fees:

If a controlled entity is established the project team would recommend that reasonable fees should be paid to the directors. While it is not standard practice for arts boards to be paid, the entity operating the Precinct has a much wider remit than arts boards – including significant property responsibilities. The risks and responsibilities, as well as the level of commitment required during early years of operation, merit financial recognition.

7d. A range of measures should be put in place to ensure accountability and transparency, these


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Accountability: include:

• Preparation and approval of a three to five year strategic plan for the Operator – this will form part of a service agreement.

• Preparation and approval of an annual business plan and budget.

• Provision of a quarterly or six-monthly report by the Operator to Government, describing program activities, financial results, a risk assessment update, operational issues and progress against the strategic plan.

• Regular meetings between the CEO of the Precinct and a principal contact within Government

• An annual presentation to and discussion with artsACT, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD).

8.1 Final Recommendations of the Study

This report provides the following recommendations and it is the opinion of the project team that these recommendations be implemented to allow for the successful realisation of an arts precinct at the Kingston Foreshore:

8a.

Functional Brief:

The Functional Brief has been prepared based on the information derived through the consultation process. It proposes a range of different types of space and also proposes a level of co-location which is consistent with the arts hub policy objectives. The Functional Brief recommends that the identified arts organisations will require about 7,571sqm of floor area in office, exhibition, retail, workshop, training, meeting circulation and servicing type spaces. These spaces could be located in one or more buildings, arranged close together to ensure strong working synergies between the different arts organisations can develop.

8b.

Parking:

The precinct should replace the 480 public parks that current exist, plus provide the parking generated by new development and parking generated by the arts organisations. The parking generation for the arts organisations has been based on the Parking and Vehicular Access Guidelines Code and it is estimated that 7,571sqm of arts use will generate about 152 employee parking spaces.

8c.

Consultation:

In contrast to the view expressed in 2011 Kingston Arts Precinct Strategy, prepared by Susan Conroy, there now appears to be strong support for the development of an arts precinct at the Kingston Foreshore by a range of different arts organisations in the ACT. In addition to this, there are a range of other organisations (both government and private) that have expressed an interest in being located on an arts precinct and thus indicating that a mixed use ‘arts focussed’ precinct at the Kingston Foreshore would have considerable support.

8d.

Statutory

Planning:

The current CZ5 Commercial Zones Development Code and Kingston Precinct Code indicate that a mixed use arts precinct would be suitable for the site and that the majority of proposed uses would be permissible. It is the opinion of the project team that the precinct should be considered a ‘special place,’ unique to other parts of the Kingston Foreshore. There should be a variation to the Territory Plan to increase the flexibility of permissible uses, floor area restrictions and possibly height restrictions to ensure that the intention of an arts precinct as described in this report be realised.

8e.

Design Option:

The arrangement presented in Design Option One which not only provides the optimum outcome for the arts organisations, but presents the preferred urban design outcome which would provide the best outcome for the community.

8f.

Management Model:

The project team recommends that a new, independent entity be established to realise the Precinct Vision. It is recommended that the entity be placed at arms-length from Government at as early a stage as practical after the process of establishment. The selection of initial board members should be recommended by artsACT, and approved by the Minister for the Arts, with consideration of the range of cultural, marketing, property management and other skills which will be appropriate to the operating entity.

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