Rebecca Mallaby

The Melbourne suburb of Richmond has historically involved a complex urban fabric of both wealthy and modest residential areas intersecting with industry, commerce and community facilities. While the dynamics have evolved over time there continues to be a disconnect, for example between luxury apartments and housing commission flats. This project aims to address this divide, proposing a civic hub emphasising inclusivity and accessibility for all. Composed as a reimagined continuation of the city, the project is multifaceted, integrating both public and private functions with interconnecting floor plates programmed with activity, flexible civic spaces, and public housing throughout.

The project is situated within a civic precinct that runs along Gleadell Street. The rear of the site, Griffiths Street, fronts residential developments and neighbours a high school and church.

A thoroughfare cuts through the site connecting Gleadell and Griffiths Street. From this, it connects to adjoining activity hubs; the neighbouring public sportsfield to the north with areas of rest to look on, and to the south, a 50 metre swimming pool with spectactor seating above.

Beyond the ground plane, the project extends vertically to a mix of public and private programs exhibiting the reimagined continuation of the city. Residential public housing apartments ensure direct integration of struggling members of the community with further flexible spaces ensuring multifaced uses from the wider community. From the level two hosptitality spaces and flexible civic rooms up to the rooftop community gardens.

Internally, the project has a large atrium extruding through the site creating an open-air experience for the swimming pool, reflecting the days of the original Richmond Baths operating between 1890-1930 as a civic staple within the community.The arched laneway that extrudes through the site furthermore aims to pay homage to the spatial experience of the current Richmond Recreation Centre site that is being proposed to be redeveloped to the Richmond Arbour.

The proposed redevelopment of the Richmond Recreation Centre into the Richmond Arbour aims to target the historical fabric of the inner-city suburb of Richmond and its complex identity. Through the ongoing social divide as the area struggles with growing gentrification, there fails to be a civic response targeting this divide. This proposal aims to explore the notion of civic place-making, creating a landmark within the urban fabric of Richmond, serving as a hub of activity for all members of the community.