Strategy, Placemaking, Architecture

Village Green is the rebranding of Waterford Plaza in Karawara, a food and retail centre servicing the local neighbourhood including students and staff of the nearby Curtin University. Our client engaged us to provide architecture and placemaking design to transform a tired and outdated high-street retail strip into a vibrant, community-focused precinct with numerous cafés, restaurants and outdoor dining options.

Redesigning the precinct required careful consideration of purpose and place, including shopfronts, entry statements, roofs, alfresco areas, public seating, shade structures, walkways and thoroughfares. The design facilitates ease of movement and encourages people to sit, rest and stay, while enhancing safety, occupancy and the overall look and feel of the precinct.

Curved forms, timber cladding, steel window treatments and fluted glass were introduced to create a layered built form, softened by natural greenery and floor art, alongside a grassed area with a play space for children. The precinct’s façades, festive lighting, colourful murals and vibrant public art (curated by Art Theory) inject a sense of fun and play into the local community.