A new waterplay area at The Waterfront, Shell Cove is intended to engage residents of all ages.
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Residents, workers and project partners gathered on Thursday to celebrate the opening of the plaza and waterplay area in the Shellharbour City Council and Frasers Property Australia master-planned community.
The new open plaza is overlooked by Cabbage Tree Palms ranging from four to eight metres in height, and features plenty of seating for the community, as well as a new three-piece waterplay area.
According to the developers, the three interactive waterplay sculptures have been designed to reinforce the connection between the plaza and the waterfront, with the sculptures inspired by the natural coastal rockpool formations found in nearby Bass Point, Bombo Headland and other local settings.
Landscape architect Steven Hammond, principal of GroupGSA said while it's for the kids, the architectural elements of the water sculptures will intrigue adults too.
"The three waterplay features are a site-specific outcome which not only draws inspiration from the natural surrounds of The Waterfront precinct, but actively encourages people to explore those natural surrounds for themselves," Mr Hammond said.
"The sculptures draw their inspiration from rockpools and provide an additional sense of connection between the urban environment and the natural environment at Shell Cove."
Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba said the waterplay feature's design follows the aquatic theme of The Waterfront, "creating a lovely place to play and cool off".
Elements commonly found in local rockpools such as shells and urchins are inserted in the sculptures for kids to discover and engage.
There are also push-buttons on the side to change the flow of water, providing an interactive experience for children.
The waterplay area is also considered a key complement to the other public amenity in this precinct, including the Vera Moller artworks, known as the Dragonette project.
Measuring up to five metres high, nine vertical cast aluminium sculptures have been be installed in the plaza area.
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