Studio leader: Madhu Lakshmanan
Context
Located within the Yarra River catchment, Merri Creek serves to demarcate the boundaries of Darebin and Moreland Councils in the north of Melbourne. The creek serves as an important urban flood way that drains into the Yarra River further south. The creek is almost entirely surrounded by urban areas and serves as an important green corridor to these communities. The creek corridor supports important areas of remnant indigenous vegetation, parks and community facilities and sites. Community organisations such as the Friends of the Merri Creek have taken active interest in maintaining, improving, and enhancing the creek corridor and have taken a position to recognise the Northcote Golf Course area with the potential to provide refuge for both people and wildlife.
Site
uses. This area covers approximately 4 Ha area. The community now aspires to convert part of the golf course (approxiately 10 Ha) into a public park.
Scope
The site presents a unique master planning and landscape design opportunity to reimagine part of the golf course into a bustling inner-city park. Students will develop creative solutions to shape and link the mixed-use precinct and part of the golf course to better respond to community aspirations. Students will demonstrate sustainabilty outcomes for their proposals by exploring the themes of energy, water, waste, materials, community, and biodiversity to minimise environmental impact.The subject site which is approximately 15 Ha in area, is located within the Northcote Golf Course and the Beavers Road Industrial Area. The site is adjacent to the Merri Creek within Darebin City Council. The CERES community park and gardens is located opposite the site. The Council in 2014 rezoned the industrial area, south of the golf course for commercial and mixed
Madhu Lakshmanan is a registered landscape architect with AILA and LEED-AP Neighborhood Development with over two decades experience. He has planned, designed, and documented a range of projects in Australia and overseas. He has taught at both Melbourne and Deakin universities.
