On Alkimos beach the waves crash, and the breezes dance across the land and sea. The south westerly breeze is called the yorga mar, and the easterly is the maaman mar. It’s said that the female yorga mar and male maaman mar flirt and chase each other throughout Alkimos – over land and past the shore, out to sea, where the Alkimos wreck now lies.
The intersecting yorga mar and maamam mar, and the Alkimos wreck, influence the angular forms of the signage suite that is now populated throughout this young community. Celebrating Alkimos’s local history, traditional Noongar heritage and culture, sustainability and unique ecology, the suite helps Alkimos residents to form a sense of place and belonging within their community.
You can read descriptions of what life was like for the traditional Noongar people, collecting food according to the six seasons, while you walk to the local shopping centre. Alkimos’s many parks and beaches can be enjoyed and cared for with helpful information on staying active, and the importance of conservation of our natural areas. The community’s sustainability measures are proudly shared with Alkimos residents and visitors.
Listen to the stories of Alkimos Beach through the customised Listening Post sign, such as a traditional Welcome to Country, the story of the yorga mar and maaman mar, and hear from some of the local residents, the birds of Alkimos – all the while complimented by sounds of the natural landscape like the winds and waves.
The project was designed to connect Alkimos residents to place and encourage a stronger relationship and understanding of where they live. The designers brought together different elements unique to Alkimos that would accentuate its identity. As the first of its kind in Western Australia, the project signifies a new model for land sub-division. Interpretative and place/making signage solutions had never been seen as a requirement of estate development prior to its inception.
Central to the overarching design concept is a distinctive angular form derived from the indigenous notion “welcome to country”. Indigenous peoples have clear boundaries separating their country from other groups. The triangles represent two people on either side of a boundary. This is intersected with the compass axis that creates the signature geometric pattern. The pattern can grow and retract where required and is able to adapt to different environments and applications, providing a structured principle for future proofing upcoming add-ons.
The fated Alkimos wreck formed the inspiration for the colour palette and material choice of the signage suite. Sable Bass powder coating is reminiscent of the ship’s hull, while the untreated rusted steel posts and second use timber reflect the language of salvage and re-use.
The coast location where Alkimos is situated is famed for its extreme weather conditions and all year-round sea breezes. The selection of materials was required to reflect this climate and the harsh conditions they would be exposed to.
Alkimos is one of the biggest coastal developments in Perth and is continuously growing. The signage suite has the ability to expand with the estate itself. Forward thinking and rigorous planning ensure that the suite could be expanded for up and coming stages of development and new installations.
