BOULDERING BEAUTY

Rope-free rock climbing, aka bouldering, has been growing in popularity in public spaces over the past ten years. Recently getting in on the scene is UNSW.

When searching for a statement piece for its Village Green redevelopment, University of NSW (UNSW) turned to bouldering specialists Industrial by Nature (IBN). The University was looking for a piece that would accommodate a wide range of users, from novices to advanced climbers, and commissioned Industrial by Nature to come up with a solution.

Working with stakeholder engagement from UNSW Student Life (UNSWARC), Student Life Outdoor Sport Club and active student climbers, IBN created a visually striking climbing solution that now stands as the focal point of the new Village Green.

Located on the University’s Kensington campus, the Village Green is a world-class sport and leisure environment that boasts facilities for engaging in multiple sports, including bouldering, exercising, socialising and relaxing. Now a vibrant and connected communal space accessible to all students and staff, Village Green enhances the university experience and enables UNSW to deliver on its promise for multipurpose facilities that ensure inclusivity and diversity, with a focus on wellbeing and sustainability.

The outdoor bouldering playground structure was specifically designed to cater for a young adult demographic, with the product providing an inclusive climbing environment for users from a broad experience range. The structure was fully designed, engineered and manufactured in Melbourne, built using IBN’s protected and proprietary frame structure system and fasteners.

The frames are made from galvanised or stainless steel, depending on the application or location. The wall material is a hard-wearing architectural cladding, CNC machined in-house at IBN in a vibrant array of colours and finishes that complement the surrounding environment. The hand moulds are custom manufactured by IBN using their own highly UV-resistant formula. The unit has been designed with longevity in mind, able to withstand the extreme elements of long-term outdoor exposure and regular use.

Composed of two units joined by a bridge, the Village Green bouldering structure is part of the IBN Legend+ range. An upper-mid-sized structure, it has approximately 650 climbing holds over 70 square metres of climbing surface. Spanning eight metres in length, close to four metres in width and three metres in height, the structure’s geometry can accommodate up to 23 climbers at any given time, with approximately 20 routes of varying climbing difficulties over the climbing surfaces.

To make the Village Green unit truly unique, IBN extended the bridge between the main structures and installed a training wall (Campus Wall) at one end. The training wall aids climbers in increasing their strength and enhancing their skills. These additions, combined with a custom colour break-up makes it a one-of-a-kind structure that is sure to serve the campus well for years to come.

PROJECT PARICULARS

Client University of NSW

Location Kensington, New South Wales

Builder AW Edwards

Project Lead The Highgate Group

Project Facilitator Blade Recreation

Design, Engineering & Construction Industrial by Nature

Photography Jaydon Cabe