Arabella Ingham

The landscape of the West Coast has historically been shaped by the trade of fishing, however the socio-spatial frameworks of these towns have become fractured, and many of the infrastructure from the former industry lays derelict. The Saltwater Precinct is an architectural research and design study exploring the junction of industry, conservation, and community revitalization through adaptive reuse of a decaying crayfish factory in Elands Bay. Through the design development of an aquatic seaweed farm, a conservation hub, and a research post the project explores how architecture can facilitate economic self-sufficiency while promoting ecological awareness. The primary themes examine the concepts of ruination and decay, thresholds and boundaries within architecture and site, and the study of extraction versus cultivation.