The changing of seasons

An Orchard is a community where mankind and

mother nature coexist, each cultivating one another.
Farmers seek sustenance and income. The trees seek
farmers to harness their full potential. Both welcome
the pitter-patter of rain, a dancing pleasure on the
skin in the warm sunshine and crisp morning air.
The orchard tree is a child’s playground, the flaking
bark etched with tiny shoe prints. The orchards’ fruit
provides nourishment and growth, a burst of sticky
juices in cheeky mouths. The orchard tree’s golden
leaves signal the end of a season, returning to the
soil that feeds the flowers and animals.
The urban orchard
The Orchard, Ryde Square adapts the symbiotic
relationship to the scale of a city, with commuters,
residents and workers, coexisting and cultivating one
another. The Orchard sustains the community with
its abundant fruit trees and civic initiatives. From
cooking schools to the library, community gardens to
wood workshops, everyone is invited to participate
and grow with the precinct. The community sustains
The Orchard through consumption and creation.
Locally grown produce blossoms into markets and
restaurants, craft from artist studios and workshops
feed the boutiques and galleries, stories from our
lives fill the theatres and plazas.
A site that breath es
The cosmos, community and culture are forged into
a single cyclical identity – The Orchard. Built upon
four pillars of sustainability, The Orchard nurtures
the community through human, economic, social
and environmental solutions. Sustaining humanity
through childcare and education; sustaining economy
through the cultivation and sale of local food and
craft; sustaining society through safety and a dynamic
ground plane advocating interaction; and sustaining
environment through both architecture and urban
design. The sleek towers incorporate double skin
ventilated facades with integrated photovoltaics while
public buildings advocate cross-laminated timber,
stormwater and blackwater recycling, trigeneration,
green roofs and walls to filter and enhance air quality.
An expanded bicycle network promotes alternative
modes of sustainable transport and enhances
accessibility to the site.
U nearthing R yde
The Orchard is unearthed from Ryde’s past and
reimagined as a foundation for the future. The
Orchard remembers and reimagines Maria Ann
Smith’s trees of yesteryear, whilst moving beyond the
Granny Smith apple to create a habitat that feeds all
year round. It offers an inviting backdrop for pause
Upper Plaza and contemplation amidst the existing high speed
infrastructure. In bridging over Devlin Street, The
Orchard is knitted together with Top Ryde to create
a site that advocates public ownership of the ground
plane and is activated throughout the day and into
the night.
A beating heart
Through its varied programme, The Orchard brings
people of different backgrounds together, offering
a place for celebration, education, creativity and
innovation. A place to call home. The Orchard is
a sustainable ecosystem that seeks to remind
UNEARTH ELEVATE & UNIFY SETTLING ROOTS FRUITION (HEIGHT) FOLIAGE (PERMABILITY) THE URBAN ECOSYSTEM generations that it’s the earth that feeds us, and we
in turn feed the world through culture and creation.

T h e O r c h a r d Ryde Square 1 | RYDE016

 BEHIND THE SCENES

water recycling & storage

trigeneration plant
theatre back of house
carparking

CIVIC
including administration,
council chambers,
meeting spaces etc

14

19
10 1
COMMERCIAL
16
hospitality & specialty shops
start-up commercial
3
7

17
20
2

CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES
4 11 12
6
including library, art gallery
15 and theatre
18 5 18
9
18 8 20
13

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
18 bicycle hub, timber and
metal workshop
cooking school
childcare

1:1000 SITE PLAN 18

1. Upper Plaza 10. BBQ zone 19. Commercial tower
2. Garden Plaza 11. Art gallery & bar (Southern Arcade) 20. Civic Centre
3. Lower Plaza 12. Artist studios Council chamber
4. Rooftop Plaza 13. Timber & metal workshop Library RESIDENTIAL
5. Eat street 14. Primary orchard Mayoral suite total= 237 units
6. Cooking school and restaurant 15. Community gardens Meeting rooms resident’s gym
7. Playground 16. Bicycle hub Administration 50 Studio
8. Temporary cinema screen 17. Theatre below Supper room 102 1 bedrooms
9. Childcare 18. Residential 70 2 bedrooms
12 3 bedrooms
3 4 bedrooms

The Orchard R yd e Sq u a r e 2 | RYDE016

 Chart Title

SECTION 1:500 ROOFTOP ACCESSIBILITY

10000 weekday
V. HIGH
9000 weekend accessible rooftops and terraces
8000 workers non-accessible planted
7000
HIGH residents rooftops for air filtration and
6000 children insulation
5000 commuters
4000
MED theatre-goers
3000 shoppers
2000 diners
1000
LOW
0
6:00am
6:00 AM 7:00am
7:00 AM 8:00am
8:00 AM 9:00am
9:00 10:00am
AM 10:00 11:00am
AM 11:00 12:00pm
AM 12:00 AM 1:00pm
1:00 PM 2:00pm
2:00 PM 3:00pm
3:00 PM 4:00pm
4:00 PM 5:00pm
5:00 PM 6:00pm
6:00 PM 7:00pm
7:00 PM 8:00pm
8:00 PM 9:00pm
9:00 PM 10:00pm
10:00 11:00pm
PM 11:00 12:00am
PM 12:00 PM
Weekday Weekend Workers Residents Children Commuters Theatre-goers Shoppers Diners Whilst some accessible rooftops and terraces
will be open to public access from the ground
ACTIVATING RYDE’S The Orchard seeks to enable around the clock activation to create an environment that is both fun and safe to occupy, for residents, workers and visitors alike. plane, others will be limited to workers and
TOWN CENTRE The expanded site programme will actively engage with Ryde’s greater community and attract visitors from across Sydney. residents. However some green rooftops will be
AROUND THE CLOCK used primarily for insulation and air filtration, and
these will not be accessible, with the exception of
services personnel.

The Orchard R yd e Sq u a r e 3 | RYDE016

 THE FOUR PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY
The Orchard seeks to establish the City of Ryde and community of Sydney as world leaders in architectural and urban
design excellence, iconic place-making and holistic sustainable initiatives. The proposal will target 6 Star Green Star
through consideration of the four pillars of sustainability; environment, economics, humanity and society.

Acknowledging that sustainability is often applied only within the environmental realm, The Orchard educates community
on the importance of childcare and education to sustain human life, the importance of local produce and craft to sustain
economics, and the importance of dynamic, safe interaction to ensure a peaceful society.

Sustainability is a shared responsibility and shared benefit. The Orchard seeks to inspire the community to claim
ownership of the site, to care for it, to grow with it and bring new generations into the cycle.

ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL
• Double skin ventilated • Culture & Arts
façades • Safety
9AM - 21 JUNE • Photovoltaics 9AM - 21 DECEMBER
• Creation & collaboration
• Cross-laminated timber • Community engagement
• Green roof and walls library
• Storm water and black water workshops
recycling community gardens
• Trigeneration
• Bicycle network
• Chilled beams
• Community gardens

12 NOON - 21 JUNE 12 NOON - 21 DECEMBER

3PM - 21 JUNE HUMAN ECONOMIC 3PM - 21 DECEMBER

WINTER SHADOW DIAGRAMS • Childcare • Local produce & craft SUMMER SHADOW DIAGRAMS
In winter, overshadowing of neighbouring residential buildings is • Education • Artist studios In summer, overshadowing of neighbouring residences is
limited to the early morning and late evening maintaining sunny cooking school • Craft workshops minimal.
outdoor spaces to be enjoyed by everyone. library • Boutique retail
bicycle hub • Art gallery
• Health & fitness • Theatre
• Cafes & restaurants

The Orchard R yd e Sq u a r e 4 | RYDE016

 Banksia serrata Corymbia maculata

Dietes bicolor Doryanthes excelsa

Eucalyptus citriodora Lomandra longifolia

LOWER PLAZA

Melaleuca quinquenervia Pennisetum alopecuroides

THEATRE ROOFTOP PLAZA

Prunus blireana Westringia fruticosa

Malus domestica
(Granny Smith) Citrus x limon

PLANTING
The planting strategy across the site will use a combination of native
species, turf and food producing plants. The orchard trees will be
a variety of species from citrus and stone fruit varieties through to
the locally created Granny Smith variety to ensure year-round fruit
production. Whilst the majority of fruit-bearing trees will be primarily
located on the upper plaza, they will also be used elsewhere in the
site. Similarly community garden beds will also be distributed across
the site to better engage with the community.

The Orchard R yd e Sq u a r e 5 | RYDE016

 EAT STREET

GARDEN PLAZA

SOUTHERN ARCADE

The Orchard R yd e Sq u a r e 6 | RYDE016