Project Statement
Traditionally, waterfront redevelopments have tended to clear the history of their sites or work with post-industrial areas – Fremantle is unique in that it continues to be a working port. The area’s bustling atmosphere, replete with cranes, trucks and the movement of cargo, is a distinctive element of the site’s character.
Fremantle Waterfront sees an opportunity to maintain working port operations while allowing visitors and the community to become a part of the site’s narrative. The project opens up much-needed public space and envisions a place where the active and dynamic port setting is embraced and engaged, rather than erased. The design reveals the city’s many narratives and layers, celebrating it as a place of significant industrial, maritime, natural and Nyoongar history.
By working with past and present conditions, the proposal aims to create a meaningful future for the waterfront and city. The retention of the port’s authentic character celebrates Fremantle’s multi-layered history and present, setting the project apart from just another in the chain of redevelopments.
