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Factsheet
GATEWAY WA PERTH AIRPORT AND FREIGHT ACCESS PROJECT
URBAN DESIGN / PUBLIC ART
March 2015
City Link Noise Walls
OVERVIEW
The Gateway WA Perth Airport and Freight Access Project is WA’s largest ever
road project, designed to improve the safety and efficiency of one of the state’s
most important transport hubs.
The iconic nature of the Gateway WA
project demands a visionary approach
in order to create a lasting impression
for road users, residents and visitors to
Western Australia. Using innovative urban
design and public art, Gateway WA has
commissioned a number of projects within
its scope to realise its vision.
There are a number of public art pieces
of varying themes that have been
commissioned for installation across the
project. The artwork will be completed in
line with the overall project’s completion
date of mid-2016.
DESCRIPTION
As part of the Gateway WA Perth Airport
and Freight Access Project approximately
six kilometres of new noise / screen walls
have been installed at locations across the
project’s zones to mitigate traffic noise
and provide privacy screening to protect
local residents.
City Link
Noise Walls
Leach Highway is one of the locations
which required noise / screen walls to be
installed. As a main route from the airport
to the city, the noise / screen walls are in
an ideal position to provide visitors with an
introduction to Noongar art and culture as
they arrive into Western Australia.
The artwork will be installed along the
noise / screen walls and will be enjoyed
by road users from afar. Cyclists and
pedestrians will enjoy the intrinsic details
of the artwork up close.
The design is in five sections with the first
and the last sections an acknowledgement
of Noongar land and culture written in
both English and Noongar languages.
In between are richly coloured
representations of the Noongar six
seasons, local flora and a representation of
the Swan River.
Design sketch for the water wall
The river will be composed from coloured,
handmade tiles integrated into a simple
geometric design of wood coloured
rectangles that suggest the earth of the
land. Delicate drawings of local birds and
animals will be etched into the panels at
either end of the river.
ARTIST
Noongar artist Sandra Hill, together with
her long-term collaborator, ceramicist
Jenny Dawson, illustrated the Noongar
stories for the City Link Noise Walls along
Leach Highway. Their objective was to
create the design in a bold, contemporary
way that would be easily seen by fast
moving cars yet have more intimate
detail for cyclists and pedestrians on the
parallel pathway.
INSPIRATION
Sandra’s first task was to consult with
Noongar elders to collect local stories from
which to develop the designs. Although
Sandra had devised a brief questionnaire
to gather information from the Noongar
Elders, the inspiration for the artwork
was derived mostly from sitting down
and yarning with the Elders about their
memories of the region and stories of
their own and their families’ personal
experience, past and present.
Wildflower paintings to inform the designs
‘It was quite exceptional to hear the Elders
speak of their country in such a personal
and culturally perceptive way. The sense
of familiarity they had with the Gateway
WA area is remarkable, their knowledge
of the plants, the animals, the terrain, the
song lines that lead in and out of country,
the principles and protocols of caring for
country and the incredibly long historical
link with the area made me understand
the importance of the artwork that will
celebrate and acknowledge their intense
love for Whudjuk land, people and culture’.
– Sandra Hill
While the personal stories the Elders
shared were unique and often poignant,
there was a commonality with the
information regarding the land, river,
seasons, flora, fauna and other food
sources. This has formed the basis of
the artwork.
The Gateway WA urban design team
designated a strong colour palette for the
noise / screen walls with large areas of plain
charcoal coloured sections interspersed
with deep yellow. The design has taken the
colour theme on board and is framed by
the dark charcoal while ensuring that
each section has incorporated some of
the deep yellow.
Measuring the noise / screen walls where the public art
will be installed along Leach Highway
Design sketch for the water wall
FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT US
If you would like to know more about the key features
of the project please visit the Gateway WA website at
www.gatewaywa.com.au
If you have a question about the project you are welcome
to contact the Gateway WA team on:
Project Information Line: 1800 420 421 or
email: admin@gatewaywa.com.au
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