First Project: Oculus

When Oculus began in Australia, we were only a few people, but the office took over my house in Leichhardt entirely. We were consumed with establishing the practice, building a culture, learning how to collaborate and simply surviving financially.

The first project that we completed here, won by way of a tender process in 1996, was a small public space on Darling Street, Balmain named Loyalty Square. While we were going back and forth with the council about the project, we won further work, allowing us to leave my house and find a bigger space.

We set up shop in an old warehouse above an appliance store on Darling Street, Rozelle, down the road. It was a big move but, finally, we had ample space. Our team was an amazing collection of talented people, including Roger Jasprizza, Birgit Seidlich, Adrian Lahoud, Mark Jacques, Andrew Urio, Sam Mule, Keith Stead and Libby Gallagher.

Darling Street was still fairly raw at that time, with bitumen footpaths and miscellaneous low-rent shops. We wanted the Loyalty Square design to speak to this rawness and the materials of sandstone, bitumen and the untamed landscape. Our scheme, which worked to a tight budget, was highly pared-back and included a sandstone trellis covered in vines, a single fig tree, a sculptural seat created by artist Richard Goodwin from recycled materials and the resiting of the Anzac Memorial.

To our surprise, we learnt of a faction of the local community who didn’t want the square to pay homage to old Balmain, but to be something more glitzy – Balmain’s version of an Italian piazza. A series of articles were published in the local paper, disparaging our proposal. After much debate, we decided to perform our own community consultation. We spent a Saturday morning (early, to avoid council officers) speaking to people passing through the site and hearing their thoughts. Eventually, we gained community support for the proposal.

Loyalty Square was a foundational project for Oculus, catalyzing our focus on creating public space that people inhabit, shape and make their own. Now in place for 25 years, Loyalty Square remains a much-loved and well-used container for public life in Balmain, acting as a valuable crossroads for the community. And there is no glitz in sight.

Project credits: Loyalty Square, Balmain (1996–1998)

Landscape architect Oculus Client Leichhardt Municipal Council (now Inner West Council) Artist and architect Richard Goodwin Landscape contractor Design Landscapes Structural engineer George Clarke