New Clayton landscaping project boasts ‘biobasin’
Artists impression of Innovation Walk.
An area on the western side of the Clayton campus, which currently consists of a small car park, storage areas, and a service road, is to be transformed into a beautiful landscaped environment.
With recent landscape projects around the New Horizons and Green Chemical Futures buildings completed, the University is turning its attention to the section outside the STRIP1 building at 15 Innovation Walk.
A primary feature of the landscape is a ‘biobasin’ which will provide a teaching resource for the School of Biological Sciences. The biobasin will have zones of native aquatic plants that will process stormwater and rainwater runoff for re-use. The landscape design will also include decking, lawns, seating and a paved plaza outside 15 Innovation Walk which will provide a gathering point and an al fresco dining area lined with canopy shade trees.
Professor Scott O’Neill, Dean of the Faculty of Science, said the ambitious project maximises the use of space on campus.
“This is a particularly exciting project that, when complete, will be of benefit to a large cross section of our community including the opportunity to be used as a biology teaching space,” Professor O’Neill said.
“It represents the continued emphasis the University and the Faculty of Science is placing on the improvement of our built environment.”
As part of the landscaping there will be around 400 new trees and large shrubs planted, connecting the new landscape into the campus’ network of pedestrian streets, significantly improving the amenity of this area for the campus community.
In undertaking this transformational project a number of existing trees and shrubs will have to be removed. Every effort has been made to retain existing healthy trees – one of the Walks has been designed to encompass an existing large tree.
Works are scheduled to commence in earnest next week and continue through to the end of year.
Alternative pedestrian paths will be established around the work site and noise and dust from the works will be kept to a minimum. Inevitably there will be some disruption and Facilities and Services will work closely with stakeholders to keep disruptions to a minimum and apologises in advance for any inconvenience caused.
Please visit the western precinct landscape website to learn more about the project.