JCB, Site Office Landscape Architects and AW Maritime are delivering the new St Kilda Pier. Developed through extensive collaboration with Parks Victoria, numerous stakeholders and specialist consultants, the proposed redevelopment will include a new pier and boat landing, communal seating terrace and pavilion, Little Penguin viewing boardwalk and retention of the much-loved heritage kiosk.
Across a 600-metre length of crafted engineering, the proposal places emphasis on enhancing the visitor experience via expanded recreational opportunities and playful public spaces, environmental and ecological protection and careful heritage integration.
The design respectfully considers the heritage aspects of the existing pier, including the St Kilda Pier Kiosk. The new community pavilion offers an arrival point and gateway to the Little Penguin platform, with its subtle curves referencing the Kiosk architecture.
Materials have been carefully considered for purpose and longevity, while integrating with the heritage elements. Timber offers warmth and comfort for sitting and reclining, mesh is used at the platform so visitors can almost feel the action underfoot as waves crash against rocks, while concrete enables a more tactile experience for climbing.
The new pier will help reduce the impacts of climate change over the next 50 years. It imperceptibly rises in height as you travel its length, making it more resilient to rising sea levels, while the wave wall is designed to respond to wave and climate change modelling and seeks to protect visitors.
