The Humanities and Science Campus
The new Humanities and Science Campus Square between the National Library of Australia and Questacon will be completed by the end of June 2009.
The campus provides greater pedestrian safety in a setting befitting these two
important national institutions which host more than one million visitors each year.
Improvements
The work begins in September 2008, and will include:
- The restoration of the National Library forecourt and fountain and the construction of a single broad ramp to the central section introduced to allow improved access for all visitors.
- A new park will be created to the east of Parkes Place West through the removal of Enid Lyons Street.
- The south of Reconciliation Place will have a more formal recreation area with a grid of the transplanted plane trees to form a shady canopy over paved surfaces. Seating and street furniture will form an integral part of the space.
- The northern side of Reconciliation Place will feature informal spaces for school groups and other visitors to gather, and will include two barbeque facilities and a picnic shelter.
- Mall Road West will be converted to coach parking with eighteen spaces provided. A turning loop will also be created for buses.
- New traffic lights on the intersection of King Edward Terrace and Parkes Place will better manage traffic flow.
Timeline (subject to change)
- Work Begins
September 2008 - National Library forecourt demolition
September to October 2008 - Questacon car park entry and signalisation of King Edward Terrace/Parkes Place
October to November 2008 - National Library forecourt new works
November 2008 to January 2009 - Mall Road West loop road extension
November to February 2009 - Questacon podium and amphitheatre works
February 2009 to May 2009 - Reconciliation Place and Square works
February to June 2009 - Work completed End June 2009
The $7 million project addresses a number of serious occupational health and safety issues at the site. The works will deliver enhanced levels of access, better lighting and greatly improved pedestrian safety for visitors to the two institutions.
The innovative design is the result of extensive community consultation and has been in the planning stage for over two years. The design has been approved by the Joint Standing Committee on National Capital and External Territories and then by both Houses of Parliament. Thanks to input from the National Library, Questacon, their users, the Department of Environment and Water Resources and the wider community is a great design solution for a seriously degraded public space.
The site currently contains crumbling granite retaining walls shored up with steel bands and has serious traffic safety issues caused by school coaches being forced to park on the access road. The works will also control the notorious intersection of King Edward Terrace and Parkes Place with the installation of traffic lights.
A new design
This is the second design plan for the area. The main changes from the first plan are the retention of the poplars and fountain in front of the National Library forecourt and the elliptical shape has gone. The second design incorporated feedback received during the consultation process.
No net loss of trees
In all there will be 24 mixed exotic trees and two native trees removed. Thirty five plane trees will be replanted and 31 new native and seven exotic species will be planted.
Traffic disruptions
The work will be staged to ensure that traffic continues to flow well during the construction period. The staging of the works will be refined in close consultation with stakeholders, the public and expert traffic consultants.
Download the Printable fact-sheet here.
Further information is available from the Project Team by phone (02) 6271 2888.