Brahn Smillie

Continued densification of Melbourne’s urban fabric not only has stressed the tragedy of biotic diversity loss domestically but isolates members of the community from the historical significance of their locality. Melbourne Green Spines represents a spatial and systemic approach to developing a range of ecological and water sensitive networks throughout the Greater Melbourne region to combat the increasingly ubiquitous urban conditions of biotic deterioration and increased climatic volatility. The system is anchored through the utilisation of Melbourne’s iconic water catchments and proposes an expansion to their utility by redirecting and surfacing them into lines ecological public spaces.

The streetscape’s atmospheric microcosm and atmosphere is rooted in the system ecology and existing infrastructural conditions. The streetscape interface aims to energise and activate the area primarily through local occupants that activate this space on a daily basis.

The relationship to water is crucial, this map lays out water catchments and their respective supply lines through Greater Melbourne, with each line representing a unique opportunity to engage with, and explore. The Melbourne Green spine system redirects obsolete supply lines and redirects them to a surface retarding basin, designed to mitigate increasing heat island effects of the urban environment and provide an urbanised ecological space for biotic rejuvenation.

Through the creation of a green spine, the project forms new community spaces. To encourage community engagement, circulation and activation. We have proposed micro-interventions that safely activate green spaces throughout the proposition at all points of the day and night.

The wetlands is an ephemeral space aimed to provide a naturalised wedge between the dense industrial surroundings. By reinvigorating a portion of the existing water retarding network, the project redirects water from a nearby obsolete catchment supply pipe into the basin to allow for water supply and to begin a natural water treatment. The Wetlands area provides open park spaces, small pavilion stages with an ease of transition through multiple access points.