Fremantle Prison Heritage Landscapes Strategy
The Fremantle Prison Heritage Landscapes Strategy (HLS) is a series of landscape-led design documents that plan for the sensitive revitalisation of the former prison, a UNESCO World Heritage site and celebrated Australian heritage icon. Designed to be implemented in multiple stages, the LMP balances ongoing conservation requirements with renewed interpretation and improved amenity across the 8ha site.
The project began with an extensive heritage background review that included site analysis and context, cultural and heritage factors, as well as stakeholder engagement. This initial research helped to determine the primary principles that informed the design of the HLS. The ongoing adoption of these underlying principles will ensure that the integrity and consistency of the site are maintained.
A series of key moves were developed to address the future aspirations of the prison and its context within the City of Fremantle. These moves include the visual reconnection to the former Warder’s cottages, the relocation of parking to recalibrate the relationship between vehicle and pedestrian zones, the consolidation of vegetated zones, the revitalisation of surrounding embankments and verges, and the reinterpretation of the former production gardens.
Early site visit photos showing the site’s previous conditions such as poor irrigation, complicated and hazardous edging, dangerous soil health, and unsightly entrances cluttered with parking. Images: Peter Woodward/UDLA
The key moves relate to the project’s requirement for the staged implementation of works. The first stage to be implemented was the reinvigoration of the Parade Grounds, which was completed early 2023. Current projects include the production gardens reinterpretation and landscape input for the restoration of ‘4 & 6 The Terrace’.
The Fremantle Prison HLS highlights the importance of balancing landscape development with heritage preservation. The project will have a significant impact on the site, and its successful implementation will ensure that the Fremantle Prison remains a UNESCO World Heritage site for future generations.
As a cultural heritage icon of state, national and international importance, the Fremantle Prison remains a functional asset to the community whilst under staged periods of upgrade. The HLS is a comprehensive series of guiding documents that respect the past while providing a vision for the future of this significant site.
Awards:
2024 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) WA Landscape Architecture Award for Landscape Planning
Details:
Client: Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
Aboriginal Country: Whadjuk Noongar Country
Location: Fremantle, Western Australia
Dates: 2020 (Fremantle Prison LMS) 2023, (Vegetable Gardens), Ongoing (Future Stages)
Landscape Architect: UDLA
Collaborators: Woodward Design (Pete Woodward is now a Project Director at UDLA), Griffiths Architects (Parade Grounds)
