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Monash Art, Design and Architecture Graduate Exhibition 2024

In this project, in order to build an educational wetland area for kids, the ground floor of a preschool will be demolished. The design captures and retains surface water runoff while respecting the site's natural contours. This promotes plant growth both within and outside the space by allowing water to be organically absorbed into the soil. Excess water is progressively absorbed by the earth during periods of intense rainfall. Because it is beneath the building and the adjacent road, the lowest area of the site stays wet in dry weather, adding to the site's distinctive hydrological features.

The Wood Marsh Architecture Prize

The Wood Marsh Award supports a student to thrive in their Master's Degree, and is awarded to one student annually based on a holistic assessment of their performance.

The Ripple Grove

Scuola dell'Infanzia Il Campino's renovated ground level blends bright and shaded spaces for practicality and comfort. While half of the area is exposed to sunlight, which creates a lively environment, the other half is covered, which offers shade for activities in hot weather. Rainwater is channelled to the amphitheater's centre by the sloping ground, which also slows its passage over the rocks to stop erosion. After that, the water flows through flora, which naturally filters it. While sunlight spots have vibrant flowering plants that increase biodiversity, shaded areas are home to plants like ferns and Chinese evergreens.

The Way Wetland Ecosystems Change

For increased comfort and usefulness, the renovated ground floor of Scuola dell'Infanzia Il Campino combines areas that are shaded and sunny. While the other half of the room is exposed to sunlight, producing a lively environment, the other half is shaded, providing a cool place for hot-weather activities. The amphitheater's centre receives rainfall from the sloped land, and pebbles there impede its flow to stop erosion. After that, the water passes through plants that have been carefully chosen. While the sunlit sections include vibrant flowering plants that contribute to biodiversity, the shady areas are home to Chinese evergreens, ferns, and moss.

The Way Wetland Ecosystems Change

The Wetland Amphitheater

In order to construct the amphitheatre, we first dug up the earth to form the landscape and took down a brick wall that supported the old structure. The surrounding parking lot was removed to improve sight and let in more natural light. Because of the site's natural slope, water flows towards the amphitheatre, creating a tiny wetland that can be used for filtering and storage. This wetland functions as an interactive educational area, providing kids with a special outdoor setting to connect with the natural world and investigate environmental subjects. Students can connect with the local ecology and enjoy recreational and educational benefits in the area.

The Wetland Amphitheater

The site’s circulation flow and its relationship to the neighbouring river are highlighted by this new orientation. Repositioning the cut has improved the drawing’s depiction of how open spaces and walkways direct traffic, illustrating how people engage with various locations and the natural flow towards the river. This viewpoint highlights the connection between the site and the water, showing how design decisions like vegetation placement and depaving blend in with the natural surroundings and create a more unified, ecologically integrated layout.

Growing Minds

To turn the site into a useful, instructive area, we are implementing significant adjustments. To improve drainage and reduce the risk of floods, the space will be made more open by removing the present ground floor. An outdoor amphitheatre will be built using the land's natural contours, giving students a special place to learn. The amphitheatre will be connected with an educational wetland that serves as a water-absorbing system and an interactive space for kids to learn about ecological processes. These modifications provide beneficial recreational and educational possibilities while addressing water management

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