Amber Hille
I am passionate about climate change mitigation in urban spaces. I am driven by innovative solutions to water management and urban greening, and frequently draw upon my previous work in environmental science and conservation biology (BSc). The MUPD has shown me the importance of connections between people and place, how spaces are seen through the lens of culture, gender, and age, and the impact that good design can have. These learnings have culminated in this final studio, with community engagement and inclusive design being at the forefront of the project.

Plan cover

This is the Inclusive Industrial Future Plan which myself and the rest of Preston Group A worked on for Semester 2. It is focused on industrial lands and how to implement innovative strategies to increase inclusivity within them, including diverse social groups, businesses and practices.

Our four pillars

The pillars of environmental, cultural, social, and economic guided our thinking during the project. Each pillar has its own goals and specialisations, but there are also many commonalities between the four. The central goal is an inclusive, climate resilient, industrial precinct that is able to be worked, visited, and played in by future generations.

Stakeholder mapping

We mapped the various stakeholders for our site under the four pillars. Mapping our understanding of their interests allows us to reflect on what interventions they may be more invested in. Although we were unable to partake in community engagement (due to a pandemic), our next steps would be to speak to the key groups and bodies which we have identified here.

Current conditions of site

Our industrial site is defined by large, sealed roads and concrete drains, with short grass and random trees being the only form of vegetation. The Darebin Creek along the east provides an opportunity to connect the industrial site to some of the environmental systems in a positive way. Our policies and interventions are focused on stormwater movement, pollution, and erosion caused by runoff from the industrial site. Investigating how water moves throughout our site reveals key sites where interventions will be most suited and impactful.

Darebin Creek intervention

An intervention along the Darebin Creek banks is improved vegetation quantity and diversity. Planting native and long root grasses and shrubs can increase the banks' stability, and reduce erosion of the banks. It can also limit the effects of large rainfall events which flush from the industrial site into the creek.

Raglan Street intervention

An intervention along Raglan Street is the introduction of rain gardens and swales. This greening will result in improved stormwater filtration and less runoff of pollution into the Darebin Creek.
Back to top