Vania Djunaidi

The Southside Integration project aims to transform Dandenong South into an Inclusive Industrial Area. For an inclusive Dandenong South, a multi-functional community building is proposed as a new typology that combines light industrial use with educational and community use. The aim of this strategy is to improve workforce development by providing training and social activity facilities to upskill for workers of Dandenong South.

An Inclusivity Framework that revolves around economic, social and spatial inclusivity has been used to frame identified issues and proposed objectives of the project. Skills mismatch disadvantages workers with lower income and financial barriers to access everyday needs. In addition, due to high impervious surface, lack of tree cover and poor transport services and frequencies, workers are vulnerable to urban heat and financial pressures of car ownership. These identified issues formed place-based objectives and strategies to respond to the vulnerability of workers. Place- objectives objectives are to improve workforce development and to address vulnerabilities in access and environment.

Site analysis and observation shows that Dandenong South has a variety of building types and age. This presents opportunities for Aged building types to potentially be repurposed into affordable work spaces, attracting new industries and businesses that are non-industrial. Also, Variety of building types have the potential to diversify land use other than industrial, such as community infrastructure in Dandenong South.

There are four proposed strategies tested predominantly around Swift Way, at the south of Dandenong South. The strategies are: to activate old building stock as affordable maker-space, Introduce multi-function community hub, Create a walkable network and well-serviced public transport system and to reuse excess or vacant lands such as parking for amenities.

Introducing a new multi-function community building is the second key action to improve workforce development in Dandenong South. The community building will co-locate on-site training, general education including numeracy and literacy, community and light industrial use. The multi-function community building aims to open opportunities for early school leavers and for workers who have either low-educational attainment or are underemployed due to skills mismatch between qualifications and job. The multifunction community building will introduce a new built-form typology that encourages a medium density development that encourages mix uses to allow firms and workers to agglomerate.

Billy is a factory worker in Dandenong South who is culturally and linguistically diverse. He arrives by bus on Hammond Rd and goes to a maker-space to test out a new machine at his workplace. At lunch, he goes for a walk under the trees on Swift Way to his favourite diner and has lunch outdoors. After work he continues walking down Swift Way to attend an after-work English class at Nicholas Drive. Afterwards, he takes a walk to Eumemmerring Creek for some exercise and relaxation.

From this little story, there is the opportunity for Dandenong South to be a place that is beyond an industrial workplace, a third place between work and home for workers to connect and enjoy.