ELEVATED WALKWAY SHOWCASES MT ARCHER VISTAS
31 Jan 2019
The latest feature in the ongoing Fraser Park masterplan from Rockhampton Regional Council is a new elevated boardwalk at the top of Mount Archer – and you can’t beat the view!
The project developed by local firm design+architecture, was a collaborative effort between local consultants, contractors, indigenous elders and national parks specialists to meet Council’s brief. Council’s vision was to create an elevated boardwalk off the face of the mountain – a new experience for the community to take in the outstanding views. The snake-like curvature of the boardwalk weaves itself through the trees, in a nod to the lifeblood of Rockhampton, the mighty Mundagara rainbow serpent (Fitzroy River) that lies at Mount Archer’s foothills.
The intention behind the design was to create a wheelchair-friendly, non-obtrusive structure that allows visitors to immerse themselves in nature and the surrounding views. The structure itself only acts as a means to experience the breathtaking views and the natural setting. The boardwalk is intended to feel organic and draws on basic construction methods, ensuring minimal environmental impact during installation, as well as being cost effective and low maintenance.
The extreme slope of the mountain contributed to the final shape of the design and structure. Rather than levelling out the slopes, the existing terrain was respected, and the boardwalk only gently touches the slope when needed.
With remote access to the site and a steep drive up the mountain, the design team had to find an alternative construction methodology, with a major emphasis on safety. Inspiration was found in the building principles of Meccano and Lego – constructing the boardwalk in transportable smaller sections off-site and then installing them gradually. This created minimal works onsite and almost no requirement for scaffolding, reducing both safety risks and cost to the client.
The materials were carefully selected to minimise the risk of fire damage and to create sustainability and longevity. Concrete was used for the footings, galvanised steel for the balustrades and structure (some beams were erected on an angle to reflect the local trees) and native ironbark timber for the boardwalk and handrails. To honour the traditional custodians of the land, local indigenous Darumbal art is gently woven into parts of the balustrading, edged on aluminium and stainless steel.
via Designboom