GASP BY ROOM 11

A colorful Tasmanian walkway that works in harmony with its surroundings

Public architecture can’t please everyone at once. Too many people want to have their say: users, the local community, politicians and, in this case, nature. Building a three-kilometer-long walkway in Tasmania while preserving, or even improving, the natural beauty of the place is not an easy thing to do. But in the end, it was the key to pleasing everyone.

Australian architects Room 11 managed to link a school, a playground, a major training center and a rowing club by following the natural curve of the river. They even had the nerve to add color to the walkway and the various pavilions, thus allowing a re-evaluation and re-appreciation of the place.