Blaxland Riverside Park adjoins Newington Armory and the former Sydney 2000 Olympic site. Prior to this recent history the precinct was a military site for many years and retains storage facilities, bunkers and disused military equipment from this period.

The parkland was used as a dumping ground for asbestos waste but is now given over to parkland for recreational use. Various buildings within the parkland are being transformed.

Building 13, a former munitions store, sits on the river edge at the wharf and has been transformed into a cafe. A new shade structure extends the cafe seating area outdoors, were the riverside location is fully enjoyed.

The materials used in the construction of the shade structure play on the site’s military history, with weathered steel and recycled timber for columns and camouflage netting as the shade cloth.

The camouflage material is held taut between the columns on stainless steel cables that criss-cross the space in a random pattern. Dappled light filters through the camouflage material, creating the effect of light filtering through leaves on a tree. These artificial leaves provide shade from the sun while allowing the riverside breezes to cool patrons.

Location: Blaxland Riverside Park, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush NSW, Australia -33.825113, 151.063497
Date: 2007
Design Team: Thierry Lacoste, David Stevenson, Chloe Lanser, Amelia Holiday, Kristina Mikas, Jane Bober
Landscape architect: Hargreaves
Engineer: Simpson Design Associates
Photography / images: Lacoste+Stevenson Architects, Eric Sierins