Traversing the rail line

Now abandoned, the Island Rail Corridor, formally the E&N, exists as a landscape in transition. While attention has been focused on the transformation of the corridor itself, this project looks beyond the linear infrastructure to the surrounding landscapes shaped by its construction. By traversing the railway and engaging with adjacent spaces, the design responds to the transformation that has taken place, and the ongoing processes of change. Positioned within small, rural communities, this graduate project explores how design can be informed by the informal paths carved by rural residents. It considers how these remnant, transitional spaces can and have been adapted for everyday use. Through a series of site based investigations, the project acknowledges different ways of reading the land and understanding the changes it has undergone. It aims to improve accessibility, supporting existing patterns of use while enabling gradual change that will support future adaptation of these sites. This project takes a slow and subtle approach in the observation and care of these landscapes.