Rather than resist this landscape of flood and drought our approach is to extend the wetland ecology to SAM and build resilient buildings and landscapes that can handle a dynamic river system.

Sheltering Canopy Our approach consolidates the bulk of SAM’s program to the first floor to spread the building over a greater area to create a substantial protective canopy; a shaded, high quality open space for all weather use.

Democratic Ground Plane Central to our design is the creation of a democratic ground plane, which functions not only to provide a variety of spaces for multiple and flexible use (BBQs, workshops, café and public events) but also to render the new SAM welcoming and accessible.

Environmentally sustainable design features / principles: - New biodiverse roofscape will be raised up to provide complementary habitat to the Victoria Park site - Water run-off from surfaces will be filtered and treated on site for non-potable purposes. Water from car parking areas will utilise permeable surfaces to attenuate and collect run-off that will be filtered and polished through use of native wetland plants - Adaptive, seasonal approach to comfort using passive ventilation and daylight to achieve desired conditions, whilst minimising energy use - The roof is conceived as a biodiverse landscape utilising a relatively low-thickness (lightweight) topping created from recycled brick or other low environmental impact material to create a perfect habitat for invertebrates, reptiles and nesting birds adding to the indigenous biodiversity of the site