Public Art Structures, South Australia
Structural engineering does not always present as conventional infrastructure.
Magryn has supported the delivery of a series of Kaurna sculptures installed along the Shared Use Path as part of the Main South Road Duplication project in South Australia.
Working with ACA Studio and Fleurieu Connections Alliance, these sculptural elements form part of a network of rest nodes along the path. They provide places for people to pause, reflect and connect with Kaurna culture within the landscape.
Project Overview
The works consist of a series of bespoke sculptural installations integrated into public realm infrastructure. Each piece is unique in form and expression, requiring a tailored structural response.
Our Involvement included:
Structural design of sculptural elements
Consideration of stability, durability and public interaction
Collaboration with the artist and project team to maintain design intent
Input into constructability and installation
Engineering Sculptural Forms
Unlike conventional structures, these artworks do not follow standard geometry or repetitive systems.
The irregular, organic forms required careful resolution of:
Load paths through non-linear shapes
Stability under wind and public interaction
Durable connections suitable for long-term outdoor exposure
Integration with surrounding landscape and infrastructure
A key part of the process was balancing structural requirements with the artistic vision, ensuring the integrity of the form was maintained without compromise to safety or performance.
Magryn also supported ACA Studio on a series of Kaurna artworks delivered as part of the Stage 3 redevelopment of Breakout Creek, in collaboration with Green Adelaide.
This included large-scale sculptural elements such as:
A prominent hand installation
Reeds integrated into the landscape
An eel form responding to the local environment
These pieces form part of a broader environmental and cultural rehabilitation project, reinforcing the connection between place, ecology and Kaurna heritage.
These projects demonstrate the role of structural engineering in supporting public art and culturally significant works.
The completed installations:
Provide durable, safe structures within public environments
Maintain the integrity of the artistic vision
Contribute to meaningful and engaging public spaces
They represent a collaborative approach between engineering, art and landscape design.
Project Links
Main South Road – Rest Nodes and Sculptures
Photo credit: Green Adelaide
Breakout Creek Stage 3 – Kaurna Artworks
Photo credit: Green Adelaide
Working With Us
Magryn works with artists, landscape architects and project teams to deliver structurally sound, buildable solutions for bespoke and non-standard forms.
Early involvement allows complex geometry and structural behaviour to be resolved efficiently, supporting both design intent and long-term performance.
