FLOAT Float is a simple step towards reconnecting with the Yarra River which runs from Victoria’s Yarra Ranges to Port Phillip Bay. Along its ramble, it passes adjacent to the Hoddle Grid (Melbourne’s CBD) where our relationship with it has been disconnected since colonisation.
is being slowly restored and its value increasingly realised as activities like recreation and dining take place on the riverbanks. Though rehabilitation is under way, there are still health concerns regarding swimming in the river.
For over 40,000 years, people of the Kulin nations (Australia’s first nations) have actively cared for Country. The Yarra River is a sacred lifeblood for them and our chosen site is the Birrarung Marr, an historical meeting place.
COVID-19 recovery brings with it an urge for people to reconnect: with each other, with our city, and with Country. As an historic meeting place, the Yarra River offers us this opportunity, particularly in the context of a city where precious outdoor space is currently contested for commercial use or increasing traffic flows.
With European colonisation, the Yarra was abused and used as a drain for industrial and household wastes, which became increasingly relied upon as Melbourne rapidly industrialised. As Melbourne de-industrialises, we begin to reimagine a future where the Yarra is once more a lifeblood, for which we care for and engage with. The water’s health
Amidst the grand reimagination of engagement with the Yarra, Float presents a first step. Beginning with a simple raft composed of tyre inner tubes and marine grade ply planks, the design enables a multiplicity of adaptations and activities to facilitate reconnection at Birrarung Marr.
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Adaptive uses
Raft construction
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Simple gazebo fittings for free community use
Outdoor river cinema on rafts and BYO kayaks
Activities are contained within a floating boundary for safe recreation and use
Third space with home furniture brought by locals
Venue for Melbourne’s local music scene