Author – Sri Swawidyo Arumbono (Principal Landscape Architect – TOWNLAND)

Since 2019, the Covid-19 Pandemic has affected almost all elements of human life around the globe and has witnessed the emergence of a new Paradigm: the New Normal. This new Paradigm places health, sanitation and isolation at the forefront of human activity with the aim of reducing the virus transmission rate as much as practicable.

The architecture and landscape world has needed to respond to this New Normal by making adjustments in the design of spaces, especially in relation to public spaces in order to minimize virus transmission risks. Such adjustments in design strategies have not only been guided by recommendations from various health institutions such as World Health Organisation, but have also been influenced by many other factors such access to technology and systems, cultural norms, the availability of space and the nature of the virus, which is still mutating and is becoming endemic.

Taking into consideration the need to design for the New Normal, FKS Land appointed TOWNLAND as the Master Planning and Landscape Architecture Consultant to prepare the design for a Marketing Gallery as well as a Commercial Node and Lifestyle Hub centered around food and beverages and various outdoor-oriented recreational activities to serve the residents and visitors to Tallasa City in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.  The Project Site occupies approximately 5 ha of land which is conveniently located in proximity to the Makassar City Center, the Airport and the Hasanuddin University Complex.  We discuss our approach to the design of the various Zones throughout the Project below.

Park Carnival Zone

The Park Carnival Zone serves as the main entrance to the Project.  After visitors who arrive by vehicle have entered the drop-off area, they walk into a Receiving Plaza which is established across different heights. These level differences create a dynamic space which seeks to avoiding the accumulation of visitors in only one place. From there, visitors are directed towards the Marketing Gallery or a cluster of Kiosks, whilst enjoying views towards the Outdoor Amphitheater in the core of this Zone.

People arriving on foot pass through a dedicated gate with a separate entrance and are directed through the Park Carnival zone along lines of attractive Kiosks. Flexibility and control over a safe distance between visitors is made within a 6-meter-wide pedestrian pathway. This dimension makes it easier for the Park Manager to separate circulation paths without reducing the comfort factor for visitors.

The main activity area is also designed to facilitate the placement of barricades, if the capacity of visitors needs to be limited. However, the visual relationship between the Receiving Plaza and the Kiosk Cluster is well-maintained.

In this Zone, a Stage Platform is surrounded by a multi-function grass lawn with amphitheater seating, as well as an outdoor swing garden, and several areas for outdoor dining.

Adventure Park Zone

A Ticketing Point is set out to control visitors’ access into the Adventure Park Zone from the Park Carnival Zone. An Open Plaza serves as a space to accommodate the queues of visitors as well as to incorporate the various mandatory New Normal facilities, such as hand washing stations, temperature checking booths, and check in facilities using a digital Care Protect (Peduli Lindungi) Application. Ticket payment also prioritises the use of digital payment methods in order to minimize physical contact and the risk of virus transmission using cash.

The Adventure Park Zone is divided into 3 Sub-zones which are bounded by a large pedestrian pathway which becomes the backbone for visitor movement.  With a width of 8 meters, this path has a median comprising of a rain-garden absorption area, which in addition to serving an ecological function, also separates the pedestrian flow into 2 opposite directions. The turn of each Sub-zone is a threshold under the pedestrian bridge, and functions as a control point.

The playing areas in this Zone take the form of Activity Pockets, with limited access points. At each access point, Hand-Sanitizer / or a Washing Point is provided, with an Information Board that shows the capacity of visitors permitted at any one time. The outdoor playing areas consist of Thematic Playgrounds, Sand-based Play Areas, Wall Climbing, a Skate Park and a Canopy Trail connecting various points across the Zone.

Farmville and Botanica Zone

The activity area in the Farmville and Botanica Zone is designed using the same approach as in the Adventure Park Zone, with more of a focus on nature-based and educational facilities. The outdoor activity areas in this Zone consist of a Mini Golf Garden, a Rabbit Town, a Pony Ride Area, Urban Farming, Paddy and Flower Fields, an Outdoor Lounge with a Feature Pavilion and a Canopy Trail connecting various points across the Zone.

Food Garden Zone

The Food Garden Zone comprises of commercial buildings arranged in a linear manner in order to maximise air circulation and natural lighting. Various clusters are connected by a linear open terrace which has views towards the Adventure Park Zone and the Zone is characterized by a body of water, which in addition to depicting the flow of the Tallo River (a natural river bordering the Tallasa City Development), also serves to create a convenient microclimate for visitors within the area. An open terrace is used for outdoor dining and has proved to be popular during the pandemic.

The Tallasa City Lifestyle Hub is an exciting outdoor activity space which has been designed using the New Normal approach as guided by WHO directives, combined with local wisdom and experience. The design interventions for the Project are realistic and sustainable and take into consideration the fact that over time, the pandemic will gradually become endemic and conditions will recover.  We are proud to see the very first phase of this Development being constructed and launched, under the brand name of Tamana – The First Eco Lifestyle Park in Makassar.