DRAFT PRECINCT STRUCTURE PLAN FOR
THE SYBIL CRAIG QUARTER [Re-development of the Maribyrnong Defence Site]
AUTHORS: LIPI BHAVESH, SUSHMITHA JAYARAM, EVI JANSE DE JONGE, STEWART SAUNDERS & EMILY VONGSARAPHANH
TABLE OF CONTENT 01 // FORWARD
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02 // INTRODUCING THE MARIBYRNONG DEFENCE SITE
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03 // KEY CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH
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04 // TRANSFORMING THE MARIBYRNONG DEFENCE SITE
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05 // PRINCIPLE 1: HOUSING TYPE AND DESIGN
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06 // PRINCIPLE 2: 20-MINUTE NEIGHBOURHOODS
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07 // PRINCIPLE 3: INCLUSIVITY
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08 // PRINCIPLE 4: COVID-19
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09 // HOUSING FORMS
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10 // DELIVERY
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11 // SUMMARY
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12 // BIBLIOGRAPHY
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01 //
FORWARD
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01 // FORWARD Who are we // On The House is a private consultancy run by urban planners and designers based in Melbourne and Geelong. Our team is diverse and driven, with planners and designers from Australia, Asia and Europe. The team is multi-disciplinary with expertise ranging from architecture, urban design, and human geography.
Who is the client // The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) has appointed our team to develop a preliminary structure plan for the Maribyrnong Defence Site. The Victorian State Government has instructed the VPA to lead the planning for this site, which will be guided by the recommendations of this report.
Statement of Intent // The aim of this report is to provide high level planning and design advice for the future development of the Maribyrnong Defence Site (now, The Sybil Craig Quarter). The report is guided by the principles of 20-minute neighbourhoods, inclusive cities, and the recent events of the COVID-19 pandemic. This draft precinct structure plan will outline the proposed land uses for the site, with a particular focus on housing forms.
Project Vision // Create a high density, human scale community, where people can live, work and play within 20 minutes by sustainable travel. Our proposal will provide new housing typologies which are adaptable, affordable, and diverse, with a focus on sustainable infrastructure and the conditions caused by COVID-19.
Figure 1.0 Photography of the Maribyrnong Defence Site
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All in a name // A name can have a lot of meaning. Site names acknowledge the past and influence the future. We believe the name the ‘Maribyrnong Defence Site’ focuses too directly on the sites military history at a loss to other stories and the sites potential. We believe the Sybil Craig Quarter is a superior name as it acknowledges the sites military history but also its human history, creative history and potential histories.
Why Sybil Craig? // World War II was an important period, for both the defence site and society as it saw many social norms disrupted. Sybil Craig is important in that she both represents and documented those disruptions. This is because Craig was the third female WWII war artist appointed by the Australian War Memorial (Australian War memorial, n.d.). She is also Australia’s third ever official female war artist. As a female artist in a male industry she was a disruption, as a female on a military base she was a disruption, the subjects of however work were also a disruption. During WWII women became the principle work force in the Maribyrnong Defence factories and were the main subject of Craig's work. For these reasons she is an icon of her time and her work remembers the perception shattering commitment women gave in WWII in the Maribyrnong Defence factories.
02 //
INTRODUCING THE MARIBYRNONG DEFENCE SITE
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SITE LOCATION // The Maribyrnong Defence Site is a 128 hectare parcel of Commonwealth land, located in the City of Maribyrnong. The site is partially encircled by the Maribyrnong river and sits approximately 10 km northwest of Melbourne’s CBD. The site borders State Route 32 on the south side. Highpoint is the closest activity centre for the site, located adjacent to the southeast border of the site. With 128 hectares, the site is one of the most significant urban infill redevelopment opportunities in Metropolitan Melbourne.
Figure 2.0 Metropolitan Plan
Figure 2.1 Current view on the site 7
SITE HISTORY // The site belongs to the people of the Wurrung Country. After European settlement, the site was used as farmland. Around 1900, the Australian government purchased the site for the use and construction of an explosives factory. During World War II, many explosives were manufactured and tested on the site. A total of 8,000 men and women were working on the site. After World War II, the factory was used for explosives recovery and destruction. The manufacturing output changed in 1960, with a shift towards rocket propellants, assembly of rocket motors and missile components; alongside laboratory activities. The remainder of the site is still being used by Defence and CSIRO also undertakes research on the site.
In 1994, the explosives factory closes and material research was the only activity that continued. Large parts of the site were left unused. In 2006, Defence Australia stopped using the site entirely. In 2004, an assessment of the site’s contamination commenced and the Australian Government announced in 2009 that the land would be sold to the Victorian Government for mixed-use development. Since, the development of the site is contentious and there is still no definitive consensus on the future development of the Maribyrnong Defence Site (Australian Government, n.d.).
Figure 2.2 Historic timeline of the Maribyrnong Defence Site 8
Contamination //
OVER 130 DANGEROUS CHEMICALS PRESENT
As a result of its previous land use as an explosives factory, the land upon the Maribyrnong Defence Site is heavily contaminated with over 130 dangerous chemicals currently present (Knaus, 2020). Any future development on this land is entirely dependant upon the remediation of the chemicals and explosive which litter the site. As seen in Figure 2.3, only a small portion on the southern boundary has been decontaminated by the Department of Defence. In most remediation cases, the Department of Defence typically ‘cleans up’ the site for the benefit of future development. However in the case of the Maribyrnong Defence Site, the scale of remediation far exceeds the capabilities and financial means of the Department. On The House has liaised with a private development firm interested in acquiring the site, and it was estimated that the cost of remediation would be approximately $400 million. Although the Commonwealth Government was initially going to remediate the site and sell it to a private developer, this is no longer the case and the responsibility of the clean up is currently undecided and highly controversial. Figure 2.4 outlines the various scenarios for the remediation of the subject site. DECONTAMINATED AREA
Figure 2.3 Decontaminated Area Plan
Scenario B suggests that the government bares the cost of the clean up, and is also responsible for developing the site. In this scenario Development Victoria is likely to become a key stakeholder and play a major role in the site’s development. However, although this option is likely to yield the most community benefits, the cost of remediation is almost double most departments yearly budget and would be a very costly endeavor for the Commonwealth Government to undertake
Project Viability: Development Value > $400 million
Scenario A: Commonwealth sells land to developer as is
Scenario B: Government(s) bares the costs and develop the site themselves
Scenario C: Public-private partnership between government, private developers and affordable housing provides
Developer bares clean up cost potentially resulting in no community benefits
Greatest chance of maximising community benefits
Given project scale, sharing the risk makes sense to deliver community benefits
Table 2.4 Remediation Scenarios
Scenario A entails that the Commonwealth Government sells the land to a developer as is, meaning that the developer would bare the cost of the remediation and would have the sole responsibility of developing the site. Given the enormous cost of remediation, this scenario is highly unlikely and may even result in a lack of community and public benefits.
PREFERRED
Scenario C is the preferred option, where there is shared partnership and responsibility between government, private developers, and affordable housing providers. Given the scale of the project, sharing the risk and financial obligation makes the most sense to deliver community benefits. However, this scenario will be the most difficult to coordinate and it may be difficult to balance the competing interests of all those involved. In light of the current health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19, it is predicted that the significant cost of remediation paired with the current economic downturn may hinder project viability in the coming years. Many government agencies will not have adequate funds to back this project, and developers and currently facing a downturn in the market with slowed overseas investors. 9
Existing Site Conditions // The subject site is 127.8 ha and bounded by the Maribyrnong River on the west, north, and north east interface. Raleigh Road runs along the southern border of the site, and the east interface consists of older low dwellings. There are currently six existing road connections into the site, and a bus and tram route on the southern boundary along Raleigh Road. Almost two thirds of the site is bounded by the natural interface of the Maribyrnong River, with an approximate 50m wide embankment abutting the water course. The highest point of the site is just south east of the centre of the site. There are multiple existing buildings on site, all of which are subject to further heritage investigation. In addition, as per the Maribyrnong River Valley Design Guidelines (Maribyrnong City Council, 2010) parts of the site are prone to flooding however, the site has not had any formal assessment yet due to it being owned by the Federal Government.
Figure 2.5 Existing Site Conditions
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Existing Barriers // The Maribyrnong Defence site is encircled by the Maribyrnong river. This river is a significant feature of the region and forms a major natural barrier for easy movement. There are currently few crossings over the river (see yellow arrows figure 2.6). There are only three pedestrian bridges and two road-pedestrian bridges. Development of the Defence site is an important opportunity to improve transport connections in the area. Maximising the connectivity is desirable to ensure development of the Defence site is not isolated from the existent surrounding urban structure. However, the types of connection proposed need to be considered carefully as they will have a significant impact, some positive and others negative, on the liveability of the future development. The existing road crossings direct traffic east-west and are already at capacity. It is therefore likely that any north-south road, which would connect the areas of Essendon and Keilor East directly to Maidstone, crossing would experience large traffic volumes significantly reducing liveability of the development. This would be a poor outcome.
Figure 2.6 Existing Site Barriers
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Demographics & Target Market // Dwelling Structure // People and Age //
Cultural and Language Diversity //
The following demographic analysis of Maribyrnong will give an indication of the housing needs for the area. Factors such as the household structure, ethnicity, dwelling types and the economic profile give insight of what is required for the growth of the area and how to make in inclusive, diverse and affordable. In the 2016 Census, there were 12,216 people in Maribyrnong (State Suburb level). Of these, 49.6% were male and 50.4% female. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.4% of the population. The median age of people in Maribyrnong is 33 years (ABS, 2016). Children aged 0 - 14 years made up 14.7% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 8.3% of the population. The most common ancestries in Maribyrnong were Chinese 13.3%, English 12.8%, Australian 11.8%, Vietnamese 10.7% and Italian 6.5%. Out of these ancestries 50.0% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were Vietnam 10.1%, China (excludes SARs and Taiwan) 5.8%, India 3.4%, Malaysia 1.6% and New Zealand 1.5% (ABS, 2016).
Of occupied private dwellings in Maribyrnong (State Suburbs), 34.0% were separate houses, 37.3% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc, 28.5% were flat or apartments and 0.0% were other dwellings.
Household Composition //
Of the families in Maribyrnong (State Suburbs), 45.9% were couple families with children, 38.6% were couple families without children and 12.2% were one parent families.
Income, Occupation, and Industry // The median weekly personal income for people aged 15 years and over in Maribyrnong was $779. Of the employed people, 4.3% worked in Cafes and Restaurants. Other major industries of employment are Hospitals (except Psychiatric Hospitals) 4.0%, Banking 2.9%, Computer System Design and Related Services 2.8% and Higher Education 2.0%. The most common occupations includes Professionals 26.5%, Managers 14.7%, Clerical and Administrative Workers 14.2%, Sales Workers 10.8%, and Community and Personal Service Workers 10.8% (ABS, 2016). The dwelling structure is mainly detached houses and few are apartments. Likewise, the family make up is mostly couples with children. The median weekly household income is approximately $2250. This data has enabled us to improve housing and focus on the missing middle, hoping that with an influx of different families or people within the region might increase job opportunities 12 and increase the prospects of a 20-minute affordable neighbourhood.
Site Context // The maps below show the existing community infrastructure and context in which the Maribyrnong Defence site sits. The immediate surrounding employment hubs mainly consist of retail and light industrial industries. The regional employment context will be discussed further in the report. In addition, figure 2.8 shows that although there are transport connections into the site, there are some gaps in the network particularly towards the north.
Figure 2.9 indicates the potential for the site to strengthen the existing green space network, which could connect to the existing trails and linear parks which already existing around the site. Furthermore, the site is fairly well serviced by schools (primary and secondary) however there isn’t an even distribution, with significantly more schools towards the west of the site.
Figure 2.7 Employment hubs
Figure 2.8 Transport network
Figure 2.9 Green space network
Figure 2.10 Primary and secondary schools
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Zones and Overlays // The Maribyrnong Defence Site is currently zoned Commonwealth land and hence the site is not controlled by the planning scheme. The site was first zoned commonwealth land, often referred to as crown land, due to the defence operations used on site. This no longer applies today, and the future development of the site is dependant on future rezoning. The site is regulated by a Subject to Inundation Overlay and a Public Acquisition Overlay (DELWP, 2020).
Existing Planning Documents // A wide range of strategic planning policy is relevant to this project, inclusive of Plan Melbourne 2017-2050, Defence Site Maribyrnong Statement of Policy Intent and Maribyrnong Shared Vision.
Figure 2.11 Zoning Plan
Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 provides guidance on how the growing city should develop affordable and accessible housing, with an emphasis on inclusivity and sustainability. One of Plan Melbourne’s principles is the implementation of 20-minute neighbourhoods. Footscray and Sunshine are targeted as metropolitan activity centres and Highpoint is designated as a major activity centre (DELWP, 2017). Defence Site Maribyrnong Statement of Policy Intent is a short document which outlines the background and expectations of the Victoria State Government for the development of the site. Some critical outcomes for the site are diversity of type, scale and density in regards to housing and public access along the entire Maribyrnong River frontage (VPA. 2018). Finally, the Maribyrnong Shared Vision draws on the first community consultation concerning the development of the site. Some principles that came out of this consultation is public access to the river and surrounding landscape, celebrating Indegenous heritage and recognising munitions history, and bringing new energy to Melbourne’s west (VicUrban, 2010).
Figure 2.12 Overlay Plan
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Community Engagement Outcomes // Between June and September 2018, the VPA has undertaken community engagement together with the City of Maribyrnong and two consultancies for the development of the Maribyrnong Defence site. A wide range of engagement methods have been used and the outcomes inform the decisions made for this project. The outcomes can be summarized into eight points:
Celebrate the Heritage, and Stories of Place and Indigenous Culture
Provide an Integrated Multi-Modal Public Transport System
Create Quality Open Spaces and Places for Recreation
Address current congestion issues
Enable Access to the Maribyrnong River and Natural Assets
Provide a Diversity of Housing Types and Residents
Ensure Transparent Communication around Remediation
Incorporate Authentic places to Meet and Linger
Given the recent completion of this community engagement, we use these outcomes as a basis for our draft precinct structure plan, rather than starting our own engagement process (VPA, 2018).
Figure 2.13 Engagement Summary Planning Document
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Highpoint Planning and Urban Design Framework // Highpoint Activity Centre is located adjacent to the the Maribyrnong Defence Site. Highpoint is one of Melbourne's least developed activity centres historically centred around introverted land uses such as Highpoint Shopping Centre and large box retail providers. Planning and Urban Design Framework Intentions Since 2015 a new vision was outlined, a vision which would see Highpoint become a lifestyle, employment and retail hub for its local 20-minute neighbourhood. This would be easily accessible by foot, bike and public transport. A green walkable activity centre with a diverse mix of residential properties for a variety of lifestyles and local jobs for local people centred around enterprise encapsulate the future of Highpoint Activity Centre.
Figure 2.14 Highpoint Structure Plan
Figure 2.15 Highpoints relationship to the Defence Site
Opportunities for Sybil Craig Quarter The close proximity of the two sites naturally suggests any development of the Defence Site needs to respect and respond to the aims of the Highpoint Activity Centre. Rosamond Road, for instance, is identified in the Framework as the spine of the activity centre and thus it is sensible for this road to form a major access route into the Defence Site. Employment wise, Highpoint is focused on providing CBD style employment hence, the Defence Site could provide space for light industrial and innovation jobs through the use of Commercial Zone 3. Highpoint has also laid the groundwork for reducing car dependence. The framework stipulates car parking should be visible from the street, with infrastructure prioritising walking, cycling and public transport as the main modes of travel. (Maribyrnong City Council, 2015).
Figure 2.16 Highpoint Concept Renders
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03 //
KEY CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH
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03 // KEY CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH 20-Minute Neighbourhoods // The Victorian Government introduced the concept of 20-minute neighbourhoods in Plan Melbourne 2017-2050. It is a long-term planning strategy that aims to let Melbourne’s residents live locally. According to Plan Melbourne, 20-minute neighbourhoods are “accessible, safe and attractive local areas where people can access most of their everyday needs within a 20-minute walk, cycle or local public transport trip” (DELWP, 2017, p. 10). Strengths - Healthier communities, because of reduced car dependence - Choice of transport modes, particularly walking and cycling - More sustainable living, daily travel distances are shorter - Encourage social interaction, because more people are walking - Increased sense of belonging, more interactions with locals Weaknesses - No clear definition, definitions vary across the world - No clear funding streams, the policy requires all sorts of funding - No clear action definition, the policy requires a great number of actions to come together in a well planned outcome - Cannot service all residents wants in every neighbourhood Opportunities - Community building and social engagement through more interaction - Develop jobs and industries locally - The policy provides more services within 5km travel bubbles Threats - Pandemic induced closure of undermine economies and employment - Current development mentality of providing infrastructure after proving demand does not create communities - Living locally could result in hyper localisation of movement patterns and retail patterns undermining current patterns - No clear plan how to generate a wide range of jobs locally
Figure 3.0 Overview of 20-minute neighbourhood concept
20-minute neighbourhood policies have been developed in a variety of location including Portland City, Germany and the United Kingdom. All examples have a variety of themes in common including walkability, mix of house types, mix of uses and place making. Other common themes include provision of affordable housing, urban renewal and infill and green policies. At 1.5km in length the site needs to be built as a complete 20-minute neighbourhood.
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The Inclusive City // As urban development expands worldwide, cities are under immense pressure to cater for its diverse growing population.Societal changes are taking place where the growing population and globalisation trends are integrating cities multi-fold, cities need to respond to these changing circumstances. Populations are growing and catering to the community is of utmost importance as there is a trend showing that old age population is growing more faster than any other age group (Amabile, Hargrave, Clark, & Simunich, 2019). However, societies are becoming sensitive of how different people function and use spaces within a city and an inclusive city will be a place where everyone feels accepted, safe, and happy. The factors that govern well being and the subjective nature of happiness are difficult to define and vary across different age groups, genders, and cultures. The Sybil Craig aims to create an inclusive environment for all individuals, which a particular focus on the following: - Affordable Housing - Culturally Sensitive Design - Safety Facilitating Access - Universal Housing - Sustainability and Adaptability In addition, the development will highlight the 8 to 80 principle for urban design, which states that all build form outcomes should be user friendly for those aged 8 and 80 years old. This ensures the delivery of an environment which is vibrant, healthy, and equitable for people of all ages.
Key Quote // “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody� (Jacobs, 1961)
Figure 3.1 (Top) Inclusive Urban Interactions Figure 3.2 (Bottom) 8-80 Pilot Project in Toronto, Canada
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COVID-19 // This year, the world has faced a new challenge; COVID-19. The pandemic has significantly changed the way we live and it has impacted economies and communities severely. Although we won’t know the exact outcomes of the pandemic, it is expected that it will change the future development of cities. Due to the pandemic. people have been forced to work from home and for a long time, children were not able to go to school or childcare. Finding the right balance between caregiving and work has been hard for people. Other people reported that they were more productive working from home, and it is therefore expected that even after the pandemic people will work from home more than ever (Collins, 2020). People’s homes and neighbourhoods need to adjust to this in order to serve people’s needs. Besides, local green open space has become more important than ever. Giving people the much-needed exercise after day working from home (Plummer, McGrath & Sivarajah, 2020). Research shows that due to the pandemic, public transport patronage has dropped immensely in Australian cities. Besides the lockdown urging people to stay home, many people do not feel comfortable using public transport with a risk of infection. In Australian cities that have come out of lockdown, car use has gone up to such an extent that it exceeds pre-COVID-19 numbers. This puts pressure on the already congested infrastructure. However, the lockdown has also caused an increase in active modes of transport. People tend to walk more in their local area and bike sales have skyrocketed (Buchanan & Abassi, 2020). Some city councils have addressed this by fast-tracking active infrastructure implementation.
Figure 3.3 Changes in driving, walking and public transport use in Australia between January 2020 and July 2020.
Finally, the pandemic has severely impacted the hospitality and retail industry. Although online shopping has exploded, many local retail stores struggle to survive. It is only a matter of time to find out the damage the pandemic has done to local activity centres. Also the hospitality sector is struggling to survive. Now that there is no need for the many workers of the CBD to travel there, many coffee shops and restaurants have closed their doors (Rachwani, 2020). Some neighbourhood cafes reported that they flourish, now that people working from home are dependent on them (Lasker, 2020).
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04 //
TRANSFORMING THE MARIBYRNONG DEFENCE SITE
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04 // TRANSFORMING THE MARIBYRNONG DEFENCE SITE The vision for transforming the site is to create a high density, human scale community, where people can live, work and play within 20 minutes by sustainable travel. Our proposal will provide new housing typologies which are adaptable, affordable, and diverse, with a focus on sustainable infrastructure and the conditions caused by COVID-19. The project mainly focuses on Housing Type and Design and further outcomes include remediation of the site and its surroundings; access to public and active transport; conservation and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings; community, commercial, leisure, educational, and recreational facilities along with opportunities for creating local employment; active and passive surveillance of public spaces to improve amenity and safety.
Figure 4.0 Design Principles for the Sybil Craig Quarters
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Proposed Zoning // The Sybil Craig Quarter will be an inclusive neighbourhood with a focus on 20-minute principles and post-covid recovery. To achieve this we propose that the site needs to accommodate residential, education, commercial, employment and green space.
Residential Growth Zone Enables housing growth and diversity
The site is built around a central north-south spine which follows closely the historical axis of the site. The adjoining land will be the neighbourhood activity centre. This is zoned as mixed use, to allow for a wide variety of housing and uses.
Mixed Use Zone This zone encourages a mix of residential and non-residential development. It allows for medium-rise apartments as well as small businesses, shops and cafes.
The southern portion of the site will be an education and employment hub with a focus on STEM education, training, and lifelong learning. This zone is envisaged to be delivered using Commercial 3 Zone, due to its support for small business and light industry. Types of employment which will not compete with Highpoint Activity Centre. The Residential Growth Zone encroaches the neighbourhood activity centre and allows for medium-rise dwellings such as townhouses and apartments.
Commercial 3 Zone This zone will consist of STEM education, training, and employment. Potential site for VU facilities.
Public Park and Recreation Zone To recognise areas for public recreation and open space.
General Residential Zone This zone respects neighbourhood character while allowing three storey housing.
Along the eastern interface will be the low-rise area, zoned as General Residential Zone. The maximum building height of this zone is 9 meters, which means a maximum of three storeys. This ensures a gradual transition from the existing neighbourhoods of Maribyrnong towards the centre of our site.
Figure 4.1 Proposed Site Zoning Plan
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Proposed Master Plan // As can be seen in the master plan, each land zone will be characterised by different dwelling types. Along the eastern interface will be the (semi-)attached dwellings. The northern areas and western river frontage will accommodate our mid-rise courtyard buildings and dual aspect apartments with an approximate height of 6 floors. The inner west of our site will be the highest area. Buildings here will be predominately 10 floor buildings with large central courts. The Neighbourhood Activity Centre will also accommodate dwellings in the form of shoptops. Due to the close proximity to the Highpoint Activity Centre, the primary focus of the Neighbourhood Activity Centre is to fulfill daily needs of local residents. A large park is located at the centre of the site. This park will accommodate a variety of public uses. In particular an aged care centre and the primary community centre. Education facilities for all ages will be provided and are distributed so that all parts of the suburb are within 400m of a primary school and 800m of a secondary school. 20-minute accessibility will be ensured through the provision of a shared zones where pedestrians have priority of vehicles, numerous protected bike lanes and trails which will stitch the site into the surrounding urban form, and a tram line providing access for people of all abilities throughout the site and linking the site to the surrounding suburbs.
Figure 4.2 Proposed Site Master Plan
In sum, every effort has been made to provide a rounded lifestyle with opportunity to live and work locally. However we have also recognised not everyone will work locally thus have accommodated for these travel patterns too. 24
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PRINCIPLE 1 // HOUSING TYPE AND DESIGN
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PRINCIPLE 1 // HOUSING TYPE AND DESIGN
STRATEGY 1.1 // VARIETY & FLEXIBILITY
STRATEGY 1.2 // HEIGHT & DENSITY
STRATEGY 1.3 // EYES ON THE STREET
STRATEGY 1.4 // PASSIVE DESIGN
STRATEGY 1.5 // RESPECT HERITAGE
A range of dwellings to suit a variety of life stages and family compositions. The dwellings should be easily adaptable to meet changing needs over time
Create low to medium-rise buildings that have high density. The site fills in the ‘missing middle’
Dwellings should embrace the street not hide away from it. Public and private open space is encouraged to face to the street
Buildings should uphold passive design ideals. Orientate living spaces north and a preference for natural ventilation
Building heights should be respectful of surrounding buildings. The architectural language of heritage buildings should be reinvigorated where appropriate
Action 1.1.1 // To ensure a variety of housing styles, a dwelling cannot be repeated more than 5 times every 8 properties for attached and semi-attached dwellings
Action 1.2.1 // Develop max height plan with a minimum of three storeys for the whole site
Action 1.3.1 // Outdoor space must have direct solar access as well as shade
Action 1.4.1 // All dwellings must meet a minimum 7 star rating in accordance to the NatHERS
Action 1.5.1 // All development proposals will require a heritage assessment report to show how the development will integrate and embrace the heritage values of the site
Action 1.1.2 // 20% of dwellings have one bedroom, 40% of dwellings with two bedrooms, 40% of dwellings 3+ bedrooms
Action 1.2.2 // Develop a series of planning controls to govern height, density and setbacks to develop a specific character for the site Action 1.2.3 // Develop a range of housing forms which will fill the ‘missing middle’ in Melbourne property market Action 1.2.4 // Building heights to increase in areas in close proximity to public transport and commercial areas
Action 1.3.2 // Private outdoor space is a minimum of 4m2 per dwelling Action 1.3.3 // Major parks are to be situated near highly pedestrianised areas such as activity centres and main road interfaces to ensure passive surveillance and community place making Action 1.3.4 // Sightlines to major public realms need to be maintained
Action 1.4.2 // Dwellings are encouraged to prioritise passive design over mechanical air conditioning
Action 1.5.2 // Informative signs will educate locals about the heritage of the site and create a sense of place Action 1.5.3 // Where a significant heritage building has been identified, surrounding developments must not over shadow the heritage built form. Design outcomes should be respectful of the architectural language present 26
STRATEGY 1.1 // Variety and Flexibility // Neighbourhoods need to be flexible, as the demographic makeup of them changes over time. A variety of housing types allows people to ‘age in place’ as they can easily move to a different type of dwelling that better suits their needs (Kelly & Breadon, 2012). It is important for many people to stay in the same area, as this is where they have built up strong connections. These connections are especially important for more vulnerable people such as elderly and single parent households. The Sybil Craig Quarter aims to cater for everyone’s housings needs and therefore offers a wide variety of housing types. Townhouses, shop tops and dual occupancies are examples of dwellings that will be constructed on the site plentiful. People at all stages in life and with different household compositions will be able to find a suitable home on the site. While we acknowledge that sometimes housing becomes more affordable when dwellings are repeated, the earlier outlined actions ensure that the dwellings will not be just ‘copy pasted’ all throughout the site. A variety in both housing stock as well as appearance will create a lively living environment.
Figure 5.0 Steigereiland in Amsterdam
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STRATEGY 1.2 // Height & Density // Melbourne is a city characterized by urban sprawl where dwelling density decreases the further away from the CBD one gets. Urban sprawl is “a form of urbanization distinguished by leapfrog patterns of development, commercial strips, low density, separated land uses, automobile dominance, and a minimum of public open space." (Gillham, 2002). Maribyrnong is typical of Melbourne's middle-ring suburbs where dwellings are largely detached homes on big plots which have become increasingly unaffordable. Dwellings are often single storey. The large plot areas and cul-de-sac street networks (see Figure 5.1) result in long travel distances which forces residents to drive. Extensive use of cul-de-sacs also makes public transport very inefficient and difficult to provide. It is inefficient because in such suburbs buses have to double back along roads already served resulting in slow, indirect and low passenger number services. It is difficult because buses cannot perform u-turns and three-point turns and thus are limited to through roads (Rozek & Giles-Corti, 2017). The Sybil Craig Quarter will address Melbourne’s urban sprawl issue by being a model of well connected, liveable, low to medium-rise but high density urban form. The street network is designed for walking, cycling and public transport is attractive over private car. All dwellings and buildings have a minimum of three storeys and height increases towards central areas that are in close proximity to activity centres and public transport. The following pages as well as chapter 9 will elaborate on low to medium-rise but high density urban forms.
Figure 5.1 Large plots and cul-de-sacs in Avondale Heights
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Action 1.2.1 // Height Restrictions // Sybil Craig Quarters aims to create a human scale development which provides high densities, whilst still respecting the surrounding built form character. The development’s lowest buildings will be in areas directly abutting residential interfaces, particularly towards the east of the site. From here, building heights will gradually increase as to create a natural transition from lowest to highest built form outcomes. The tallest buildings in the development will be situated just west of the central neighbourhood activity area, as well as on the southern boundary interfacing the existing 17 storey development in the Highpoint Precinct. Along highly pedestrianised areas such as the neighbourhood activity centre and the Maribyrnong River, building heights are to be a maximum of 5 storeys. This is to ensure a comfortable walking and cycling experience, and to eliminate over shadowing on the street. Buildings within the central green space have a nominal max height of 8 storeys, however due to their prime location, these buildings architectural quality will be rigorously scrutinised. A key heritage precinct has been identified on the southern interface. Buildings in this area will have a max height of 5 storeys however they to be held to a rigorous architectural standard.
Figure 5.2 Building Height Map
To prevent tall buildings looming over streets we have outlined height dependent setbacks on the following page.
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Action 1.2.2 // Street Wall Setbacks //
Existing Setback Requirements for Residential Developments (ResCode) //
3 storeys //
The minimum building height on the site is 3 storeys. These setbacks are designed to prevent new buildings overshadowing the existing dwellings which border the site. Transitional spaces are encouraged between street and dwellings.
8 storeys max //
8 floor buildings also require a 6m setback at the fifth storey. Buildings with a street wall taller than 8m needs to incorporate balconies on the front facade and for all dwellings.
5 storeys max //
A 6m setback at the fifth storey is required. This setback is intended to ensure buildings do not loom over the streetscape. Roof gardens are encouraged over balconies in the Activity Centre.
10 storeys max //
10 storey buildings require a 6m setback at the seventh storey. Buildings with a street wall taller than 8m needs to incorporate balconies on the front facade and for all dwellings.
Standard A13 and B20 is just one example of the setback requirements as per ResCode (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 2015). The below example shows how standard A13 and B20 is designed specifically for buildings with north-facing windows. The purpose of this requirement is to protect the energy efficiency of existing dwellings which use north-facing windows for passive solar heating.
All setback requirements stated in ResCode will be applicable to our subject site, in addition with the street wall setbacks illustrated left. The additional setback requirements will help ensure passive surveillance within the Sybil Craig, as well as provide opportunity for outdoor dining above the street wall. 30
Action 1.2.2 // Density //
A)
B)
Figure 5.3 The issues with density per unit area
C)
Many of Melbourne's urban renewal schemes use the density they will be built to, people per hectare or dwellings per hectare, as an insight into the character of the development. We believe density is an abstract concept and is misleading as a standalone statistic because by itself, it is incapable of showing the arrangement of land use has on the character of an area. Take figure 5.3, A) represents 1 hectare containing four buildings each containing 50 dwellings i.e. 200 dwellings per hectare. In this example residents are spread evenly across the hectare and the land use is purely residential. If more land uses are introduced at the expense of dwellings, B), then the density falls to 50 dwellings per hectare. However if the mixed land use remains but the residential building is increased to 200 dwellings, C), then C) has the same density of dwellings as A), but C) has a vastly different urban form resulting in a vastly different character. C) arguably results in the buildings themselves being too dense. Clearly, density controls cannot distinguish between scenario A) and C). We propose to approach density at a building scale in the Quarter, rather than at a suburb scale. Figure 5.4 depicts a series of tools to measure building density which allow different shaped buildings to be compared. Plot Coverage gives an indication of the footprint and site area relationship. Floor Area ratio indicates how many times the plot area is being replicated, and Height index allows long but low buildings to be compared to tall but skinny ones by comparing gross floor area and building footprint. (a+t research group, 2015).
Figure 5.4 Proposed Building density measurement tools
Further to this two dwelling density tools are proposed, figure 5.5. These show how dense dwellings are in a proposal. Site Intensity indicates how many dwellings are on a plot as a fraction of the plot area. Building Intensity, is the number of dwellings as a fraction of the Gross Residential Floor Area and gives an abstract average dwelling size in the building. We plan that these tools will be used to understand the density of buildings proposed before they are approved for construction. These tools will help planners quantify the true scale, density and characteristics of the buildings being proposed for the Quarter. It will also be possible to compare all buildings proposed to each other and compare them to benchmark examples.
Figure 5.5 Proposed Dwelling density measurement tools 31
STRATEGY 1.3 // Eyes on the Street // ‘Eyes on the Street’ is a concept in urbanism invented by Jane Jacobs. She introduces the concept in 1961 in her book ‘The Death and Life of Great American Cities’. Using examples of her own living environment, Greenwich Village in New York, she explains how residents, shop owners and other locals always keep an eye out on the street and how this contributes to a safe and pleasurable environment. The Donnybrook Quarter in East London pictured left is a good example of a contemporary housing project that follows Jane Jacob’s concept. All windows and balconies of the dwellings face the street and a public square. Every dwelling has its own front door facing the street, giving residents a sense of ownership and the opportunity to personalise some public space (Rose, 2006). In order to create safety and an enjoyable living experience for the future residents of the Sybil Craig Quarter, the ‘eyes on the street’ concept is a key principle. Building will embrace the site and not hide away from it. Public and private open space is encouraged to be designed facing the street, to create passive surveillance. Besides safety, this will also contribute to a lively atmosphere in the neighbourhood. Figure 5.6 Donnybrook Quarter, United Kingdom
Key Quote // "There must be eyes upon the street, eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street." (Jacobs, 1961)
Action 1.3.4. // A View for Everyone // Local residents in Maribyrnong have expressed their desire for public access to the riverfront during community consultation. According to them, the riverfront should not be privatised (VPA, 2018). Therefore, the Sybil Craig Quarter has low-rise dwellings close to the riverfront, staggering building height towards the centre of the site (see page 29). This ensures a view on the river area for all residents, as well as creating a modest built character close to the river. Besides, all residents will have natural daylight into their habitable rooms. Developers and architects are required to follow all design guidelines that have been put into place by the Victorian Government.
Figure 5.7 The Maribyrnong Defence Site along the river 32
STRATEGY 1.4 // Passive Design // All dwellings and apartments in the Sybil Craig Quarter are required to use passive design. This increases the energy efficiency, reduces energy costs and also fossil fuel consumption. Passive houses require at least 80% less energy than conventional buildings. The Fern is Australia’s first fully passive designed apartment building, located in Sydney. The building only uses 10% of the heating and cooling energy of the average house. The orientation and design of dwellings and apartments should utilize the natural resources for heating and cooling, such as the sun and wind. Where possible, living rooms should be oriented north, allowing maximum exposure to the sun and easy shading of walls and windows at summer. Another tactic is to make use of effective shading. Through eaves, window awnings, shutters, pergolas and plantings, 90% of the heat can be blocked. Construction materials such as sealing, insulation, thermal mass and glazing make a massive impact on the ventilation and temperature control of homes.
Figure 5.8 Australia’s first passive design building; The Fern in Sydney
Figure 5.9 Diagram passive design
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STRATEGY 1.5 // Respect Heritage // As described in the introduction, the Sybil Craig Quarter has a very rich military and laboratory history. Despite the site being unused for more than two decades, many buildings are still existent. Footage shows that most buildings are not in optimal condition anymore. However, some buildings might have the opportunity to be redeveloped into dwellings or other land uses. This will help people to reflect on the history of the site and to build a sense of place. Buildings and objects that can not be restored anymore can potentially be kept and function as monuments.The images on the left show how for example a former laboratory could be renovated into a STEM school.
Figure 5.10 Existing building in the Maribyrnong Defence Site (left), and a photo montage depicting heritage treatment (right). 34
06 //
PRINCIPLE 2 // 20-MINUTE NEIGHBOURHOODS
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PRINCIPLE 2 // 20-MINUTE NEIGHBOURHOODS
STRATEGY 2.1 // TRANSPORT
STRATEGY 2.2 // SCHOOLS
STRATEGY 2.3 // HEALTH CARE & SPORTS
STRATEGY 2.4 // LIFELONG LEARNING
Stimulate active transport and reinvigorate public transport ridership resulting in reduced car dependency
Walking and cycling access to local state schools
Access to a diverse range of health facilities which support all stages of life (e.g. dietist, maternity care, age care, optometrist) as well as sports facilities
Community hubs/facilities/library which facilitate a variety of learning activities for all backgrounds, e.g. english learning classes, community gardens, IT lessons for the elderly
Action 2.1.1 // All community destinations are accessible via separated bicycle lanes and footpaths and provide sufficient bike parking
Action 2.2.1 // State Primary and Secondary Schools will be provided according to VPA benchmarks
Action 2.3.1 // The neighbourhood activity centre will accommodate a variety of allied health and wellbeing facilities
Action 2.4.1 // The site will have one tech (STEM) school with potential allied higher education provider
Action 2.2.2 // All schools will accessible via a shared path or dedicated cycling infrastructure
Action 2.3.2 // The neighbourhood park will include an oval and opportunities for local sports clubs or a open space will be provided at a range of scales to facilitate a range of functions and activities including down time, team sport and personal exercise
Action 2.4.2 // The site will have one community library hub, with a variety of spaces to accommodate a variety of community and educational purposes
Action 2.1.2 // Implement car-free streets and shared streets where possible Action 2.1.3 // Parking provision to be split 50/50 between vehicles and bicycles
Action 2.2.3 // Schools to be located near the neighbourhood activity centre or park
Action 2.1.4 // New tram and bus lines will connect the site to important employment hubs in the area
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STRATEGY 2.1 // Transport // Action 2.1.1 // Active Transport Network // As part of making the site a 20-minute neighbourhood, access is considered for a variety of modes more than private motor vehicles. To prevent the site from becoming a thoroughfare of road vehicles, no road links are proposed to cross the Maribyrnong River. However, cross river access is facilitated via the provision of bridges carrying shared trails.
A number of protected bike lanes are provided to facilitate safe east-west and north-south access for cyclists. A variety of shared trails are provided so the community can reclaim the river bank as a public space.
Figure 6.0 Proposed Transport Infrastructure
Figure 6.1 (Top left) Shared trail bridge in Utrecht, The Netherlands Figure 6.2 (Bottom left) Protected bicycle lane on Wellington St., Melbourne 37
Action 2.1.2. // Car-free streets and shared spaces // Streets within the Sybil Craig will prioritise walking and cycling over vehicular movements. As seen in Figure 6.3, shared streets will be used in residential areas where possible. The Austroads Guide to local area traffic management advises a maximum vehicle speed of 20 km/h for shared streets (Vicroads, 2015). The remainder of the site will have a maximum speed of 30km/h, following the Dutch approach. This policy has proven to achieve great road safety. The OECD advises countries to lower the speed limit in all areas where interaction with pedestrians is possible, such as shopping centres and residential areas (Mooren, 2014). The Sybil Craig Quarter would be the first residential area in Melbourne with a maximum speed of 30km/h, after successful trials have been undertaken in parts of Fitzroy and Collingwood as part of the Towards Zero initiative (Lawrence et al., 2020). Figure 6.3 Local Street (Residential Interface)
In addition, the neighbourhood activity centre will be developmented as a vehicle free zone, with widened footpaths and dedicated bike lanes to encourage sustainable transport. The footpaths within this zone will be wide enough to support comfortable pedestrian movements as well as outdoor dining. All streets are to be line with native trees to encourage natural habitats for local fauna, and alleviate the pressures of urban heat island effect.
Action 2.1.3. // Equal Bicycle and Car Parking //
Figure 6.4 Neighbourhood Activity Centre
In order to encourage cycling and to discourage car use, parking provision will be split 50/50 between bicycles and vehicles. Inspired by The Commons project from Breathe Architecture, apartment buildings in close proximity to public and active infrastructure could provide no car parking at all (Sharam, 2015). Less car parking requires the City of Maribyrnong to waive car parking requirements. This will save a significant amount of money as there are large hidden costs to car parking. It should be noted that car parking is a politically sensitive issue and there are no guarantees in the current planning system that requirements will be waived (Taylor, 2018). 38
Action 2.1.4 // Public Transport Network // To ensure the site is accessible for people of all mobility and ability, a new light rail (here after tram) route will be provided through the centre of the site. 6 new stops, all universally accessible, will ensure no dwelling or key destination is more than 800m from a stop. Extending the link south into Highpoint Activity Centre would directly tie the Quarter to the different employment and retail opportunities Highpoint provides.
Upgrade existing PT service with new tram between Avondale Heights and Essendon
Tram service to Airport West
Heavy rail has not been provided given it is typically considerably more expensive to provide then light rail (Department of Civil Engineering, 2020). As part of stitching the Quarter into the surrounding urban form, we propose extending the tram north, across the Maribyrnong river to Buckley street, carefully negotiating the steep topography in this short stretch. This link will be of great benefit to our site and the surrounding regions as it greatly improves travel mobility between the north and south sides of the river. Keeping the link car free will give public transport a competitive advantage over cars, as road vehicles will still be required to travel via the existing east-west river crossings. If cars were allowed to use the link there is a high chance it would become a major through route due to its prime position and limited number of existing road crossings, which are congested. That being said, the north link will be insufficient on its own to ensure public transport is the prefered mode for out of site trips. To maximise public transports mode share, a series of new tram routes are required to link the site to neighbouring employment hubs, activity centres and train stations.
Upgrade existing PT service with extension of tram R57
R57 and R82
Figure 6.5 Proposed Public Transport Infrastructure R57 Defence Site - Flinders Street Station R82 Footscray - Moonee Ponds
Direct connection into the heart of Highpoint. New services to Footscray Station and Melbourne CBD via Flemington and new service to Sunshine station Ballarat Road
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Figure 6.6 shows three key employment hubs we have identified as likely to employ future residents and thus key destinations for improved public transport links. It can also be seen how little public transport is available in western Melbourne. Whilst an extensive bus network is present, we have omitted it because they are often uncompetitive with cars due to their indirect nature and are often slowed by road congestion. Development of the Quarter has just as much potential to be city shaping as Docklands and Fishermans Bend. Both these projects recognised the need and provided direct and reliable public transport to desirable destinations. Docklands ensured the site was accessible by building two new tram lines into the site at the time of development. Both of which linked back to the Melbourne CBD. Fishermans Bend will also provide two new tram lines through both connecting to CBD Whilst the Quarter is considerably further from the CBD than either Docklands or Fishermans Bend, improved public transport connections still need to be made as it is a key employment hub. Not all residents will work in the CBD and thus tram routes need to connect to north to Airport West and Tullamarine, and, south west to Sunshine and the West State Significant Industrial Precinct. New east west routes on the north and south flanks of the Quarter will provide easy links to Melbourne's Metro rail network.
Figure 6.6 Important Employment Hubs
Providing these routes is not simply about achieving the best development outcomes for the Quarter. It is also an equality issue. Melbourne's west is significantly underserved by trams compared to its north, see figure 6.6. Thus the new routes, which will discuss further, should be provided as part of a western Melbourne Public Transport plan designed to provide direct, reliable and frequent public transport which competitive with cars for both local trips and cross melbourne trips, even those not heading to the CBD. 40
Sybil Craig Quarter to Footscray Station Footscray is a key activity centre in the west and is a desirable destination. It’s primary importance though is that it is a key interchange station for metropolitan and regional railway services at only 4km from our site. R82 already runs from our site to Footscray. However it operates in mixed-traffic which means it is prone to road congestion, particularly along Ballarat Road. The current journey takes 22 minutes on average. We propose a new route which would utilise the parkland along the Maribyrnong River to operate in its own right of way. There are points where the route would need to use the road network. In these instances we propose that trams operate on road but have barriers which prevent cars from travelling in the tram lane, as is currently the case along most of R83. This new route would have the advantage of being faster, possibly taking 10 minutes on average, and connecting directly to Victoria Universities Footscray campus which R82 poorly serves.
Avondale Heights to Essendon As mentioned previously, the Quarters transport needs could justify improved public transport in the western suburbs. Ensuring easy metro connections will minimise car dependency of residents in the Quarter. Craigieburn Line is the closest metro service however it is only accessible by bus on the north side and a slow tram on the south. We propose upgrading these services to light rail services with car free road space to minimise the disruption road congestion will have on providing a reliable and quick service.
Sybil Craig Quarter to Melbourne Spencer Street Melbourne CBD is a major employment and lifestyle destination. R57 currently runs between the Quarter and Elizabeth street in Melbourne CBD via Ascot Value and North Melbourne. R57 also operates in mixed traffic condition resulting in the journey on average taking 37 minutes. A new route is proposed between the Quarter and Spencer Street in Melbourne CBD via Highpoint, Flemington, Kensington and North Melbourne. The service will share the new Maribyrnong river alignment with the new Footscray service before diverging to follow the river around Flemington Racecourse, then using ROW B along Smithfield Road, Epsom Road, Macaulay Road, Dryburgh Street (stop close to new Metro Tunnel North Melbourne station), and Spencer Street. Due to its extensive separation from cars, this service should be able to complete the journey in around 20 minutes. Implementation of this service is particularly important due to the heavy overcrowding on R57. An already overcrowded route will not be attractive for the new residents plus the overcrowding is resulting in R57 developing a reputation as unsafe for women due to high rates of sexual assault in the crowds (XYX labs, n.d.).
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Sybil Craig Quarter to Tullamarine and Airport West Tullamarine and Airport West provide a variety of light industrial and big box retail employment. This region is served by buses and a tram, R59, links Airport West to Flinders Street station. These existing public transport is not suitable for our suite though. We have proposed extending the tram network north from the Quarter connecting in with the existing R59 Keilor Rd via Hoffmans Road. We also propose extending R57, on the southern edge of the Quarter, northwest into Avondale Heights. From here a Express bus service is proposed to service industrial area around Tullamarine before meeting the tram at Airport West. Whilst the tram will offer a frequent service throughout the day, the express bus will be designed to provide convenient services for peak travel periods which reliable pulse timetables off-peak. This will require liaison with the employers to understand shift patterns and to define appropriate peak and off-peak periods.
Sybil Craig Quarter to Sunshine and the State Significant West Industrial Precinct South west of the Quarter is Sunshine. Sunshine is a key activity centre identified in Plan Melbourne. It is also a major interchange station between metro services and regional rail services. The stations importance will grow in the future when Airport Rail to Tullamarine and the Suburban Rail Loop are completed as it will become a major interchange station. . 10km south west of the Quarter is the West State Significant Industrial Precinct (West SSIP). This region has been identified and protected by the Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning to ensure sufficient room in Melbourne for large scale manufacturing. Light Rail is unlikely to be justified into the West SSIP. As for the Airport region, we propose three express bus routes, timetabled to be convenient for shift patterns in the precinct.
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STRATEGY 2.2 // Schools // In the 20-minute neighbourhood, kids should not have to walk more than 800m to their local school. According to the Grattan Institute (Goss, 2016), more than 200 new schools will be needed between 2016-2026 to fulfill the requirements of establishing 20-minute neighbourhoods in Melbourne. An additional concern is the lack of walking and cycling access to schools. The number of kids walking or cycling to school has been plummeting since the 1970s, from 8 out of 10 to 2 out of 10. With 1 in 3 kids being obese in Victoria, it is important that they get encouraged to get physically active (Cancer Council Victoria, 2018). The majority of parents says to prefer active modes of travel to school, but are constrained by social, policy and environmental factors (Garrard, 2019). Prahran High School and South Melbourne Primary School, both pictures on this page, are Melbourne’s newest vertical schools. The aim of the Sybil Craig Quarter is to give all children the opportunity to safely walk or cycle to school within 10 minutes. As the masterplan on page 24 outlines, three primary schools and two state secondary school will be established on the site, including a STEM school. The schools are strategically located to serve an as wide as possible community.
Figure 6.7 South Melbourne Primary School
Figure 6.8 Prahran High School 43
STRATEGY 2.3 // Health Care & Sports // Action 2.3.1 // Health and Well-being Facilities // Access to primary health care has changed under COVID-19 circumstances. The Victorian Government has published a draft ‘General Practitioner Practice Plan’ which outlines the rules health clinics now have to follow (Victoria State Government, 2020). To suffice healthcare demand in the region, the Sybil Craig Quarter aims to deliver a 24/7 bulk billing healthcare service in the neighbourhood activity centre. This service will fulfill the underlying principles of 20-minute neighbourhood, COVID-19 and inclusivity as it will be available to both residents and non-residents in the neighbourhood.The plan also provides an aged-care facility on the site (building 1, figure 6.10). This facility would house senior residents that cannot live independently. This facility provides accommodation, 24/7 personal care, and mental and physical wellbeing services. Figure 6.9 Elderly getting exercise classes in their courtyard
Action 2.3.2 // Sports Facilities //
2
Victorian adult obesity rates have increased by 40% over the past 20 years. Two-thirds of adults and one in four Victorian children are overweight or obese due to a poor diet and physical inactivity (VicHealth, 2020). The Sybil Craig Quarter will provide plenty of indoor and outdoor sports facilities to encourage people to get active. The main part (figure 6.10) will cater for indoor sports in building 2, alongside outdoor tennis courts and badminton and netball courts. The park and the green space along the Maribyrnong river will provide for more than 5 kilometers of walking, cycling and running trails. The central park will also provide free outdoor fitness equipment and water taps.
3
In order to be inclusive, special consideration should be given to low-income households that might not be able to afford sports contribution. The sports clubs in the Sybil Craig Quarter are required to register with the Active Maribyrnong Grants Program. This program gives children the opportunity to join a club at very low costs. Besides, women should be encouraged to get physically active. One in two girls in Victoria stops doing sport at the age of 15, compared to 30% of the boys. Partnerships with VicHealth and the City of Maribyrnong are important, as they have campaigns targeting women to get involved in sports, such as the ‘This Girl Can’ campaign (VicHealth, 2020).
1
Figure 6.10 Proposed Green Space, Sybil Craig Quarter 44
STRATEGY 2.4 // Lifelong Learning // Action 2.4.1 // STEM-school // A key component of post-covid economic recovery is the up-skilling and training of existing and prospective employees. An important part of the job market which has been identified as a gap in the Australian education sector is the provision of STEM learning (Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematic). The number of students studying STEM has flatlined at 10% or less in most secondary schools, and around 40% of Australia’s year 7 to 10 mathematics classes are taught without a qualified maths teacher. In contrast, its predicted that jobs requiring skills in STEM will more than double in the next few years (Department of Education, 2020). The education precinct within the Sybil Craig aims to close this gap and better equip the next generation of workers.
Action 2.4.2 // Community hub with library //
Figure 6.11 Bargoonga Nganjin North Fitzroy Library
Community centres play an important role in bringing people from around the neighbourhood together. At the same time, it recognises and celebrates culture and local identity. Spaces like flexible art studios and amphitheatres encourage social interactions and creative activities. The Sybil Craig Quarter will have 3 community centres; one utilising the existing centre on the southeast side, one in the central park (building 3, figure 6.10), and small satellite centre in the north. The central community centre will be a multi-storey sustainable structure inspired by the Bunjil Place in Narre Warren where different uses have been brought together in one large community hub. The other 2 centres will be comparatively smaller in size and mainly consist of interactive spaces for public gatherings. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the system of education and employment, whilst at the same time raising questions about the current planning system. Online access to resources and facilities has been more important than ever. One function of the main community centre in the central park on the site will be a library. Besides the facility itself, it will offer an extensive digital platform for distance-learning and access to books and programs. The library itself provides plenty of study/work spaces with free access to internet. In terms of design, it is inspired by the sustainable design of Bargoonga Nganjin Library (figure 6.11), using eco-friendly construction materials and methods. The library would comprise of open, semi-open and indoor space. It will be within 400 metre radius of the activity centre, the residential zone, education and employment hub.
Key Quote // "Lifelong learning is defined as the provision or use of both formal and informal learning opportunities throughout people’s lives to foster the continuous development and improvement of the knowledge and skills needs for employment and personal fulfillment (Balsley, 2017).
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A)
20-Minute Accessibility Map // B)
Plan Melbourne's 20-Minute Neighbourhood concept defines 20 minutes as an 800 metre one way trip (DEWLP, 2020). We have applied this definition when siting our community infrastructure. Map A) shows how our three strategically placed Community Centres provide complete coverage of the Quarter. The Community Centres to the north and east, due to their position close to the edge the site, will be particularly useful as catalysts for mingalling between residents in the Quarter with those who live neighbouring the Quarter.
C)
D)
Map B) shows how our main Neighbourhood Activity Centre (NAC) is within easy walk distance. Whilst the north area does have tram access to the main NAC and small strip of shops is proposed to meet daily needs particularly food and medicine. The south eastern corner lacks coverage however, it is extremely close to the Highpoint Activity Centre and has tram access into the Quarters NAC. Map C) shows how our site education clusters provide complete coverage of the Quarter. The new cycling and pedestrian bridges we have proposed to cross the Maribyrnong River will mean many of the schools are easily accessible from the existing residential land which surrounds the site. The movement of children into the Quarter for their education will help stitch the Quarter into the social fabric which exists around out site. Map D) shows that our site is highly accessible for a range of green spaces. Comparison between map C and D shows that most green spaces are located adjacent to an education precinct. Schools will be able to benefit from the green space given theirs will be limited due to their vertical nature.
Figure 6.12 Community Infrastructure Master Plan 46
07 //
PRINCIPLE 3 // INCLUSIVITY
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PRINCIPLE 3 // INCLUSIVITY
STRATEGY 3.1 // UNIVERSAL DESIGN
STRATEGY 3.2 // SUSTAINABLE & ADAPTABLE
STRATEGY 3.3 // SAFETY FACILITATING ACCESS
STRATEGY 3.4 // CULTURALLY DIVERSE
STRATEGY 3.5 // AFFORDABLE
Built environment will be accessible for people of all needs
Site design responds to climate challenges. Building designs must implement passive design, sustainable materials and consider whole building life and including how uses can be easily changed in the future
Develop a pedestrian environment which is safe for all types of people at any hour of the day or night
Support multicultural living and open spaces; ensuring no one feels excluded based on their cultural background or beliefs
Providing a mix of affordable rent and purchase options
Action 3.1.1 // The built environment, including PT, abides by Accessibility Act 2006
Action 3.2.1 // Preference for load bearing frames rather than walls to allow easy floor plan changes in the future
Action 3.3.1 // All walking trails to be evenly lit with solar powered lightning
Action 3.4.1 // Information signs are written in multiple languages
Action 3.3.2 // Open spaces and buffers spaces have sensor lighting
Action 3.4.2 // Community centre for various cultural, health-related and knowledge-related campaigns
Action 3.5.1 // 40% of the dwellings are delivered with affordable housing providers, 40% of dwellings are delivered through ‘build to rent’ and ‘build to rent to buy’ and, 20% is ‘built to sell’
Action 3.1.2 // In addition to the regulatory standards set in action 3.1.1, all development outcomes will require thorough consultation with various disability groups to ensure universal design is current and adaptive to specific community needs
Action 3.2.2 // Sustainable building materials are to be used where possible. This is inclusive of carbon neutral bricks, sustainably sourced timber, and green thermal insulation Action 3.2.3 // Use Sponge City principles to mitigate urban heat island effect, localised flooding from stormwater and river flooding.
Action 3.3.3 // No dead ends for pedestrian access, all community spaces have multiple egress points
Action 3.4.3 // Engage a culturally diverse panel to review proposals for public space
Action 3.5.2 // 5-10% of the affordable housing to be delivered as crisis accommodation within the site Action 3.5.3 // Dwelling affordability should not come at the cost of material quality which results in reduced durability
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STRATEGY 3.1 // Universal housing //
Figure 6.0 xxx
Figure 7.0 Universal house
Universal design offers a wide range of benefits to people of all backgrounds and abilities by creating an environment where people can feel more comfortable at home. It has become a common approach in building design and construction. A universally designed home allows to easily adapt and convert a home to meet the changing needs of its owner or renter over time (Authority, n.d.). The 7 principles of Universal design will be followed: ● Equitable Use: The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities. ● Flexibility in Use: The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. ● Simple and Intuitive Use: Use of the design is easy to understand ● Perceptible Information: The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user ● Tolerance for Error: The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions. ● Low Physical Effort: The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue. ● Size and Space for Approach and Use: Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility.
STRATEGY 3.2 // Sustainable and adaptable // Sustainable design refers to the ability of a buildings and urbans forms to be energy efficient and to provide physical comfort. Adaptability refers to buildings and urban forms being able to easily adjust to changing demands and lifestyle with minimal disruption and costs. This allows people to ‘age into place’ as they are less often required to move home. An example of a sustainable design is shown in figure 7.1. The tower is covered with evergreen plants and trees. The predominantly residential 117 metre tall building contains apartments ranging in size from two to five bedrooms, as well as offices, a gym and a panoramic restaurant on its top floor. The initial renderings of the design showed that the facades projecting terraces are faced with reinforced concrete panels. The plants accomodated in these boxes are mainly coniferous trees. The trees help to trap fine dust, carbon dioxide and produce oxygen to improve air quality. Alongside 100 cedar trees, 6,000 shrubs and 18,000 plants will also contribute to green surfaces totalling approximately 3,000 square metres. Cedar was chosen because of its longevity and ability to withstand severe climatic conditions (Wang, 2015). The aim is to replicate these ideas of sustainable and adaptable design methods within the Sybil Craig Quarter.
Figure 7.1 Vertical Forest Tower in Switzerland
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STRATEGY 3.2 // Sustainable and adaptable // Action 3.2.3. // Sponge City Principles // Building the Sybil Craig Quarter will significantly alter natural water flow patterns on the site as the extensive permeable surfaces will be transformed into hard impermeable surfaces. Extensive impermeable surfaces will reduce the amount of runoff absorbed by the ground during rain and increase the ambient temperature due to the Urban Heat Island phenomenon. Extensive impermeable surfaces are also associated with increased flash flooding risk because the lack of absorptive surfaces means cities are entirely dependent on stormwater drains, which in heavy rain events can reach capacity causing them to stop draining (Myers, 2019). To prevent this from happening in the Sybil Craig Quarter we propose using Sponge City principles to increase the amount of permeable surfaces available to absorb water which will reduce the Quarters reliance on stormwater drainage. There are two core principles to Sponge Cities. Firstly, maximise permeable surfaces for water filtration to occur and second, provide space for water bodies to expand and contract with the weather. Figure 7.2 Sponge City Principles in practice Permeable surfaces come in a variety of forms including gruss gutters (swales), green roofs and walls, and even paving stones with ground cover vegetation growing between them. These strategies are easily incorporated into buildings and streetscapes and have the benefit slowing the movement of runoff into stormwater, increasing the amount of water absorbed by the ground and filtering out contaminants before water reaches any rivers. Providing space for water bodies to expand is tricker. We have purposely avoided building along the river bank in an attempt to maintain the Maribyrnong River floodplain. However, the north area of the site sits very closely, in height, to the floodplain and thus is mostly likely to be damaged by river floods. To mitigate this we propose building a wetland system across the site. The earth removed as part of this process will be used to raise the northern region of the site, with a key aim of ensuring the tram line is above the floodplain. During river floods the new wetland will compensate for the small amount of floodplain lost as part of constructing the northern area of the Quarter. During heavy rain the wetland will act as a natural filter and retention basin for stormwater to prevent flash flooding in the Quarter.
Figure 7.3 Proposed wetland and the lower lying northern site area
Figure 7.4 Example of a swale
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STRATEGY 3.3 // Safety Facilitating Access // The role of lighting is immense in supporting an active and safe streetscape after sunset. It helps changing the perception of space. It plays a vital role in all our lives and does symbolize the way lights are used in personal lives like our cultural, social and economic aspects (ARUP, 2020). Various factors are taken into consideration for providing street safety, such as ensuring an interface between the pedestrians and buildings that support the safety and amenity of the space, the scale of the surrounding buildings, managing the pedestrian path as an active public space and by maintaining clean and attractive spaces. The lighting fixtures, collection poles, and urban furniture shape pathways and open spaces, with attention to the liveability of the area and the visual comfort of pedestrian lighting.
STRATEGY 3.4 // Culturally Diverse //
Figure 7.5 Lighting design proposal facilitating safety
A system that recognizes and respects the presence of all groups in a society, acknowledges and values socio-cultural differences. It encourages and enables their continued contribution within an inclusive and cultural context which empowers everyone within the society. Bunjil Place (figure 7.6) is an example of a building that enhances community identity and values. The precinct encourages an egalitarian and democratic use by all community members, and reflects the history and diversity of the area promoting civic pride. Inclusivity is considered with the open spaces to congregate and dwell, active and passive thoroughfares and the encouragement of public gathering (González, 2017). Likewise, this proposal aims to: ● ● ● ●
Access to services should not be hindered by country of birth, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or language The demographics have helped in identifying diverse backgrounds to ensure services are targeted to the community Addressing language barriers will be of significant importance, for instance signs within Sybil Craig Quarter will be multilingual Facilitate cultural programs within the community centre. We are proposing to make people aware of the different backgrounds within the Quarter, and in turn develop programs that will bring the community together
Figure 7.6 Bunjil Place in Narre Warren 51
STRATEGY 3.5 // Affordable // A quarter of Maribyrnong’s residents experience rental stress. Rental stress is the 40% lowest income households that pay more than 30% of their income on rent (Maribyrnong City Council, 2011). People experiencing rental stress are less likely to spend money on important goods and services such as healthy food, education and employment (Troy & Martin, 2017). Some people are extra at risk of becoming homeless, such as eldery, single parent households and people living with physical or mental disability. These people are also less mobile and therefore more dependent on social connections and services in the neighbourhood. This proposal provides several strategies to supply affordable housing. One of the options is the ‘rent to buy’ model, developed by Kris Daff. This targets low to medium income earners who aspire to own a house close to their employment (Assemble, 2019). The tenant has the option to buy the dwelling after a few years. This option is part of the proposed 40:40:20 rule, which is inspired by a similar model used in the City of Amsterdam. In this model, 40% of the dwellings are affordable, 40% of the dwelling are built to rent to buy, and the rest 20% are built to sell (NG, n.d.). Ideas such as social uplift have been common in providing housing options that are affordable and inclusive to people. MGS Architects has designed a model where there is a natural progression and a variety of health and allied services on the ground floor (see figure 7.7). This helps people cruise through their journey from crisis support to securing an apartment either for short, medium, or long term benefits (Wright, 2016). A similar approach is taken in this project, where 10% of the affordable housing is provided as crisis housing.
Figure 7.7 Vincent Care social housing 52
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PRINCIPLE 4 // COVID-19
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PRINCIPLE 4 // COVID-19
STRATEGY 4.1 // DYNAMIC EMPLOYMENT
STRATEGY 4.2 // WORK-LIFE BALANCE
STRATEGY 4.3 // RETAIL & HOSPITALITY
Create opportunities for co-working spaces and promote flexible working conditions. Provide jobs and services for blue-collar workers.
Provide urban forms which improve work life balance, which have been made vulnerable by COVID-19
Integrate a vibrant local activity centre that supports safe public open spaces, and promote technology and smart city principles
Action 4.1.1 // Residents have free access to study and work spaces in Council owned community facilities
Action 4.2.1 // All properties within 400m of an outdoor space and within 800m of a space suitable for exercise and urban trails
Action 4.3.1 // The activity centre is a pedestrian friendly zone with high quality active transport and public transport connections
Action 4.2.2 // Provide built form outcomes which encourages place making and a sense of ownership. This could be inclusive of amphitheatres and co working spaces.
Action 4.3.2 // Open and semi-open seating space as a buffer for children, youth and elderly. Use landscaping and street furniture to create buffers around roads and high activity areas
Action 4.1.2 // All dwellings must have a study space i.e. niche or large bedroom. In at least 50% of dwellings the space should be a minimum of 4sqm and not counted as a bedroom Action 4.1.3 // Small, creative and manufacturing businesses are supported by the implementation of the Commercial 3 Zone
Action 4.3.3 // Provide appropriate sized public spaces and footpaths to ensure safe social distancing and outdoor dining
Action 4.1.4 // Encourage small business and start up companies by providing reduced rent for the first 5 years of tenancy
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STRATEGY 4.1 // Dynamic Employment // The new future anticipates profound societal and organizational shifts in the work culture. While most industries have made it compulsory to work from home, there are still some industries that do not have that option. Organizations of these industries have taken precautionary measures to protect the employee’s health, safety, and productivity through the provision of essential services to support the workers during this time (Deloitte,2020). As companies currently restage the return to work, their approach to understand worker’s workstyle, needs, and flexibility is reconsidered. The lockdown restrictions have made designers rethink the design and model of the current office space, work stations, and co-working spaces. The Global Coworking Growth Study 2020 estimates that, although growth this year will be slow, working in the office will rebound and develop even more rapidly from 2021 onwards, with a yearly growth rate of 21.3% (Work Tech Academy, 2020). Figure 8.0 Coworking space in St. Kilda Co-working spaces offer an alternative to traditional office leases and work formats. Hub Australia has set out new standards, procedures, and layouts to offer safe and hygienic workplaces (Hub Australia, 2020). The Sybil Craig Quarter plan offers an accessible library and educational hub with indoor and outdoor study and work spaces, providing resources such as a pantry, free wi-fi, media-studios and end-of-trip facilities. Based on flexibility, businesses and individuals could access spaces and benefit from the resources provided.
Action 4.1.3 // Commercial 3 Zone // The employment hub on the south side of the Sybil Craig Quarter aims to foster dynamic employment by using the Commercial 3 Zone (see page 23). This recently invented zone allows for offices, creative employment and small scale manufacturing and start-ups. The commercial 3 zone specifically provides jobs for blue-collar workers, that have been pushed out of Melbourne since 2000. This happened due to the rezoning of much industrial land to mixed-use residential development (Grodach, Gibson & O’Connor, 2019). The Pivot City Innovation District in Geelong (figure 8.1) forms an inspiration for the Sybil Craig Quarter as it offers affordable renting space for starting businesses while celebrating the site’s industrial heritage. Figure 8.1 Pivot City, Geelong
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STRATEGY 4.2 // Work-Life Balance // Under the current COVID-19 circumstances, many employees are working from home. This is an unprecedented time for many people, and the combination of work, caregiving and leisure all situated under one roof has been a cause of stress for many individuals. It is estimated that the current working from home conditions has resulted in a 49% rise in mental distress reported by employees (Marsh, 2020). Many households are not properly equipped to maintain productivity under working from home conditions, with many not having access to a study or an adequate space for work.The proposed housing forms in this report will ensure that all dwellings have adequate space for work and creation, as well as good proximity to green open spaces and community facilities. 50% of the dwelling are required to have at least 4 sqm of a separate study space, which is not counted as a bedroom. Now more than ever community cohesion needs to be fostered. Access to support groups and community driven activities can boost morale and help ease the mental health pressures caused by the pandemic. Figure 8.2 illustrates how current community groups in Maribyrnong could benefit from the development of our site.
Figure 8.2 Current Community Groups in Maribyrnong who could benefit from the site
Figure 8.3 illustrates the importance of meaningful green space in times of restricted mobility due to events such as pandemics. This belief that green space should be easily accessible and come in a range of types has driven our planning of green space outlined on the following page.
Figure 8.3 Northcote Golf Course During Covid Lockdown 56
STRATEGY 4.2 // Work-Life Balance // Green Space Green space is an important part of Work-Life balance as it provides a context which is, more often than not, seen as an escape from the world we are in. Whilst green space is often thought of as one thing, different activities take place in different types of green spaces. Thus we have provided a variety of green space types. We consider green space to fall into two types, those which are for ‘staying’ and those which are for ‘moving’. We have three types of ‘staying’ green space; parks, plazas and, courtyards. We have purposely provided building typologies which include shared green space through their central courts. This in addition to the private balconies and shared roof gardens these buildings will have. Plazas are provided in the employment region and recognise that grassy surfaces are not always the best surface for staying activities i.e. markets. Whilst the central park is envisaged as the main green space and would support a variety of uses including sport, aged care centre, community centre and playground, we have also provided a number of smaller local parks which would provide local meeting places and playgrounds for different areas of the suburb. Green space for ‘moving’ is principally in the form of the linear reserve along the Maribyrnong river. Returning the south bank to the community was highly desired by the community in the VPA’s 2018 engagement. In terms of ecology, sustainability and mitigating flood risk, it is most sensible for the south bank to be restored as native habitat threaded with walking trails. This will provide a significantly different type of green space for the sites residents improve the ecology of the area. Figure 8.4 Green open spaces in the Sybil Craig Quarter
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STRATEGY 4.3 // Retail and Hospitality // The retail and hospitality industry of Melbourne has been impacted severely by the restrictions that have been put into place to battle the COVID-19 virus. Many retail spaces have been forced to close and cafes and restaurants are allowed to only operate on a take away and delivery service basis. Especially Melbourne’s CBD hospitality sector is suffering, as many people have no need and are not allowed to travel into the district anymore (Lasker, 2020). More locally, some businesses have flourished. The suburban activity centre has become more important as people working from home have become more dependent on them (Rachwani, 2020). At the same time, the retail sector has been struggling even before the pandemic. Internet shopping has been growing in the past year and boomed since the pandemic. Several shopping precincts in Melbourne have been dealing with retail vacancy. Shoppers nowadays expect an ‘experience’ rather than just shopping. The Sybil Craig Quarter has one main local activity centre where residents can enjoy hospitality and shop for their daily needs. High quality urban design and mixed land-use aims to attract people and to provide them an ‘experience’. The public park will be entangled with the shopping precinct. At the same time, the activity centre is modest enough not seriously compete with Highpoint Shopping centre.
Figure 8.5 Customers getting a take away coffee in Prahran
Figure 8.6 Square in Massachusetts
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HOUSING FORMS
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The Missing Middle // For a long time, Australia’s housing choice has been very homogeneous. Urban living usually means living in an apartment and suburban living is still associated with detached single-family dwellings. Although new forms of housing have been added to the market, Melbourne’s housing stock has not kept up with changing needs. The ‘missing middle’, is all housing forms that fall between the detached dwellings and high-rise apartment buildings. They are low to medium-rise and can achieve medium to high-densities while still maintaining the neighbourhood character of an area (Ryan, 2019).
Figure 9.0 The missing middle in Melbourne
Addressing this missing middle is now more important than ever, as Melbourne is amidst a housing crisis. Housing prices have increased rapidly in the past decades and younger generations increasingly have more difficulties affording a home. In particular blue-collar workers and vulnerable people are being pushed out to fringe areas of the city with poor public and social infrastructure (Bentley & Martino, 2020). In order to limit the continuing urban sprawl, more affordable dwelling need to be build as small infill projects. The next pages will outline missing middle urban forms suitable and proposed for the Sybil Craig Quarter.
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Apartments //
Figure 9.1 Dual Aspect housing in Fairfield, Victoria
Dual Aspect // Apartments are a common form in Melbourne. We define apartments as dwellings whose open space is a balcony in contrast to flats which have access to communal, or allocated open space either on the ground or on the roof. Most apartment units in Melbourne are accessed from within the building. We propose dual aspect apartments instead, as this offers better cross ventilation (Hindocha, 2019). The open-air hallways also provide more opportunities to interact with neighbours and it is safer in terms of the Coronavirus. These buildings can be configured in a variety of ways to suit a variety of needs. These designs tend to result in a dense use of space. The designs are dependent on balconies for outdoor space.
Figure 9.2 Studio Apartments, Canada
Studio Apartments // Studio apartments have no dedicated bedroom space. The smaller the dwelling, the more creative the design process needs to be. Sometimes studio apartment buildings have open community facilities such as game areas, shared dining spaces and outdoor space. Due to their small size studio apartments can be very affordable. However, they are not suitable for all types of households because of the small space and lack of bedrooms. It is advised that studio apartments are mixed with other apartment types to ensure a mix of residents, unless the building serves a specific market such as students, elderly or starters.
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Outdoor Space Orientated //
Figure 9.3 Courtyard housing in The Netherlands
Figure 9.4 Perimeter block housing in Stockholm, Sweden
Courtyards //
Perimeter block //
Courtyard developments rarely appear in Melbourne.They are a more common urban form in Europe, Asia and South America. Courtyards can come in a variety of forms from single dwellings around a courtyard to communal courtyards surrounded by multiple dwellings. We define courtyard developments as single or multiple dwellings encompassing a communal space with direct access from the dwellings to the communal space.
Perimeter block developments are different to courtyard developments in that residents do not have direct access from their dwelling to the communal space. Access is via public passages. Perimeter blocks have similar communal and social benefits as courtyards but can accommodate more dwellings. This is because they are flats and thus do not have direct access to the public space but still have the right to use the public space. When designed well, dwellings in this typology benefit from natural cross ventilation and good, even levels of natural light. The corridor does provide a potential pandemic risk but this can be reduced by providing wide, ventilated corridors or open air corridors.
We consider this typology to be inclusive because dwellings can be a mixture of sizes and tenures which makes them accessible to a diverse range of residents. Research shows that courtyard living is highly suitable for elderly and disabled (Lee & Park, 2015). A shared central space is particularly beneficial for generating improtue conversations with neighbours. Whilst the shared space may pose some risk in future pandemics, the communal courtyard does encourage residents to engage with neighbours across the fence (Farida, 2013).
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Townhouses //
Figure 9.5 Multi-Occupancy dwelling in Utrecht, The Netherlands
Figure 9.6 Semi-detached dwellings in The Netherlands
Multi Occupancies//
Semi-attached and attached //
We define multi-occupancy housing as dwellings that appear to be one, but in fact house multiple households. These dwellings can have shared spaces, but this is not a requirement. The difference with an apartment building is that all occupiers own a piece of land and usually have multiple storeys. The benefits are the neighbourhood and low-rise character of the building, yet it creates medium-density. Planning regulations become more flexible in Melbourne to obtain a permit for subdivision of land (Buxton & Tieman, 2005).
Semi-detached housing appears more and more in Melbourne as subdivision has become more flexible over the past years. Attached housing has made an entrance to the Melbourne housing market, but is still limited. Both types of housing can reach high densities, while still being low-rise. We encourage developers to build this housing form with a minimum of three storeys and a maximum of four storeys. This is the maximum floor amount suitable for one household.
Figure 9.7 Cross-section multi-occupancy dwelling
Figure 9.8 Attached dwellings in Hamburg, Germany
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Speciality Dwellings //
Figure 9.9 Shop top dwelling in Amsterdam
Figure 9.10 Infill dwelling in North Fitzroy
Figure 9.11 Three generation house in Amsterdam
Shop tops //
Micro lots //
Adjustable homes //
Shop tops are dwellings on top of shops and businesses. They are common in neighbourhood activity centres. It draws more people into the heart of shopping districts and the mixed-use urban form encourages lively urban spaces and constant passive surveillance. Public and private space merge and boundaries are sometimes vague, yet this does not have to be an issue but rather create vibrancy.
Micro Lots are small dwellings, detached or attached, which can be built on plots as small as 20m2. They can be designed to incorporate a home office on the ground floor. However, because they are usually built on small lots they are dependent on public parks for meaningful outdoor space. Because they are located on small lots these homes are generally more affordable. On their own these dwelling types are not dense but due to their high lot coverage and infill nature, extensive use of these will create high density neighbourhoods
Adjustable homes are homes designed for multi-generational living. Each generation of the family has a dedicated living area and privacy. The design of the dwelling is flexible and can cater for different needs at different life stages. This makes this dwelling type highly inclusive. Because these dwellings are inherently adjustable, they are readily adjustable to add a home office, family study or an extra bedroom. Adjustable homes usually take the form of a multi-occupancy and can reach high densities as they house multiple households.
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Housing Height proposal //
Figure 9.12 shows the proposed missing middle housing types on a scale of height. The lower-rise dwellings such as micro-lots, townhouses and multi occupancies should have a building height of approximately 3 floors. Shop tops and courtyards can become between 4 and 7 floors. Dual aspect flats and the perimeter block can reach the maximum building height of 10 storeys in the Sybil Craig Quarter. All housing forms ensure a high density on the site.
Figure 9.12 Proposed dwellings building height 65
3D Representation // Based on the proposed housing forms, this is what the Sybil Craig Quarter would potentially look like. The low to medium-rise building blocks guarantee a human scale, however high densities are achieved on the site. The image below shows the site from an aerial south-west perspective. This shows some of the different housing forms of the site such as courtyard housing, perimeter blocks and detached housing. The larger blocks on the right bottom site are the STEM school facilities as well as many employment buildings where startups, creative businesses and small-scale manufacturing will take place.
Figure 9.13 3D View of Sybil Craig Quarters
10 //
DELIVERY
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Delivering the Sybil Craig Quarter // Development Victoria as Coordinator In section 2 of this plan (page 9) we discussed the high risk nature of developing the Maribyrnong Defence Site due to the high cost of remediation. We stated that private-public partnerships would mitigate the risk most successful because Federal and State Governments would be able to provide financial security in the early stages of the development. To deliver key infrastructure commitments crucial to the sites viability, such as public transport, private developers would deliver much of the housing, employment and 20-minute neighbourhood amenities. We believe 20-minute neighbourhood infrastructure needs to be delivered early to prevent undesirable habits, including car dependency, developing. This will require Federal and State Governments to provide much of the funding in the early stages of development, as developers traditionally do not provide 20-minute neighbourhood infrastructure until much later after revenue has been collected from completing residential developments. Governments will be able to recoup their initial expenditure in the later, residential and commercial heavy, construction stages. This master plan has been prepared for the Victorian Planning Authority however they have no legal right to develop the site. We propose that Development Victoria will be in charge of coordinating the development of the site as they are the Victorian State Government development agency and have been responsible for a variety of similar projects including Docklands and the Fitzroy Gasworks (Development Victoria, n.d). Development Victoria would be in charge of coordinating the delivery of the master plan, delivering public transport infrastructure, education and community infrastructure and some housing. Development Victoria would partner with and coordinate premium commercial real estate and residential developers to deliver a large proportion of the residential and commercial land. Development Victoria would also partner with and coordinate a variety of Affordable Housing organisations to deliver and maintain, in the long term, the affordable housing proposed for the site. A limited number of residential lots will be available for purchase and independent development subject to strict planning approval process.
Project Viability: Development Value > $400 million
Scenario A: Commonwealth sells land to developer as is
Scenario B: Government(s) bares the costs and develop the site themselves
Scenario C: Public-private partnership between government, private developers and affordable housing provides
Developer bares clean up cost potentially resulting in no community benefits
Greatest chance of maximising community benefits
Given project scale, sharing the risk makes sense to deliver community benefits
Table 10.0 Remediation Scenarios reiterated
Coordinate Delivery of the Sybil Craig Quarter
Development Victoria
Build Residential
Development Victoria Premium Residential Developers Limited number of local builders
Build Commercial and Employment
Premium Commercial Developers Anchor institutions
Affordable and Crisis Housing
Development Victoria Affordable Housing Organisations Premium Residential Developers
Table 10.1 Roles and Responsibilities
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Construction Staging // Due to the sites’ large scale we have proposed four construction stages. The staging alternates development between less expensive, and expensive construction stages. The staging also ensures construction vehicles will not have to traverse existing or freshly developed residential areas. Stage A Is purposefully small so that it is minimally expensive. It will involve building residential and employment developments.These will accumulate revenue to support latter expensive stages. Stage B Stage B will involve a mix of residential, employment, commercial, green space and community facilities and will develop the core community facilities for the Quarter. Thus it will provide many aspects vital to 20 minute-neighbourhood functionality and thus we believe needs to be developed as early as possible. Stage C Stage C is another small stage. Involving predominantly housing. Stage D Whilst this stage provides a significant amount of revenue due to the large amount of residential and employment, it has to be completed last to prevent construction vehicles damaging established areas, and the core elements being implemented too late. Figure 10.2 Construction staging of the Sybil Craig Quarter
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Project Timeline // The project timeline below provides a rough outline of the expected duration of the contamination and development of the site. The entire project is estimated to last 20 years. The first years will require a continuation of the work that has been done for this draft PSP. Site remediation should be investigated alongside establishing partnerships and engaging with stakeholders. Once a final version of the PSP has been established, the construction of stage A can begin. The following pages will go into detail of each construction phase.
Monitoring* - Also known as Construction monitoring is inspection that ensures that proposed construction is consistent with the funds that are being requested from VPA. It also verifies that work completed is consistent with plans and specifications. Environmental Evaluation* - Evaluation of environmental impacts during construction to identify the impact of construction on the environment and how to mitigate it in later stages.
Figure 10.3 Timeline development of the Sybil Craig Quarter
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Stage Details // Decontamination Stage Duration: 5 years What will happen: No work is planned to happen on site until all areas of the site have been decontaminated. Whilst decontaminating the entire site first will be a large upfront cost, we believe it will be the safest, most efficient option due to the extensive contamination which exists on the site. Whilst the actual decontamination plan will need to be developed by experts we envisage three options. On-site decontamination: All decontamination processes will be undertaken on-site with minimal movements off contaminants off-site. Off-site decontamination via road: Decontamination process will be split between on-site and off-site facilities. Road vehicles will be required to transport the material to the off-site processing facility however this is likely to have server negative consequences for the local residents because a significant number of truck movements will be required for up to 5 years. The West Gate Tunnel for example is predicted to require 460 truck movements each day to transport the contaminated soil away from the site (City of Melton, 2020). Off-site decontamination via water: If off-site decontamination is deemed necessary, the Maribyrnong river could offer a viable alternative to road transport. Contaminated soil could be pumped into barges which are then sailed to either Melbourne Waters’ Western Treatment Plant or to the Department of Defences’ Point Wilson Explosives Area. Both locations are government land, away from residential areas and have direct access to Port Phillip Bay. Decontamination would then be undertaken at one of these locations. Bridge clearances would need to be investigated.
Key partners: - Department of Defence as current owner of land, party responsible for contamination - Victorian Environmental Protection Authority as authority responsible for regulating hazardous materials and ensuring environmental and community safety - Melbourne Water are responsible for drinking water, sewerage and stormwater infrastructure - Jemena are responsible for electricity infrastructure in the region of our site.
Utility Mains Upgrades: Whilst decontamination of the site occurs it will be possible for the utility mains which supply the Quarter to be increased in capacity because they are located outside of the site. Upgrading capacity is likely to be necessary as the redevelopment of the Quarter will result in a significant number of new dwellings and business needing reliable utility supply.
Funding arrangements: This stage is highly expensive and completing it correctly is critical to the long term success and viability of the Quarter. Federal Government and State Government will have to provide the $400 million remediation cost which will be recouped as the project is implemented. 71
Stage Details // Construction Stage A Duration: 2 years What will happen: A small initial first stage designed to be done quickly and develop some financial resources through developing commercial and residential properties. Dwellings in this area will benefit from investment in the Maribyrnong Community Centre which is located on the eastern edge of the Stage and will act as the main Community Centre initially. A limited amount of employment land will also be developed so that those moving into the first stage benefit early from local employment. It is advised that an anchor institution or business is contracted to be implemented in Stage A to ensure a significant portion of the early employment is in well paying jobs with long term job security. A new protected bike lane will be provided linking Highpoint shopping centre to the Maribyrnong River to start making cycling a viable transport option early. A variety of trunks utilities lines will begin to be laid into the site. Funding arrangements: Mostly funded by revenue from buildings built during this stage. State Government could act as guarantor for developer finance. Anchor institutions will also be key funding source for the delivery of employment land.
Stage Details // Construction Stage B Duration: 5-8 years What will happen: Stage B is the largest and most complicated stage to build. Stage B provides the many of the core elements required to have a 20-minute neighbourhood including the main neighbourhood activity centre, bring trams into the site, extending the employment, opening the first schools on the site and returning the river frontage to the public. Work would begin on the wetland structure on the north fringe of Stage B and regrading Stage C. Funding arrangements: Education and public transport infrastructure will be mostly funded by the State Government with minor contributions from developers. Anchor institution will be key to development of employment land. Residential land, neighbourhood activity centre, community centre, and green space will be funded by the revenue from residential and commercial development.
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Stage Details // Construction Stage C Duration: 2 years What will happen: This stage is a purposefully small and less intensive development given the preceding large, complex and expensive Stage B. Designed to be mostly residential to recoup money spent in Stage B A small Community Centre will be provided for this distinctive sub-region. Education will also be provided and a small shopping strip. The tram line will be completed through to the new lines built north of the Quarter thus connecting the site to the northern employment opportunities. Funding arrangements: Education infrastructure and public transport infrastructure will be mostly funded by the State Government. Residential land, neighbourhood activity centre green space will be funded by the revenue from residential and commercial development.
Stage Details // Construction Stage D Duration: 2 years What will happen: The final development stage will contain residential development and the remainder of the STEM and employment hub. New education facilities will also be provided to cater for the significant number of dwellings in this stage. The final cross river link will also be built. Funding arrangements: Education and trails will be mostly funded by the State Government with minor contributions from developers. Anchor institution will be key to development of employment land. Residential land and green space will be funded by the revenue from residential and commercial development.
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Project Stakeholders // Interest vs Influence There will be a plethora of different stakeholders involved in the development of the Sybil Craig, each of whom have varying levels of interest and influence. The diagram shown illustrates how government departments inclusive of the Department of Defence, DELWP, etc will have the most influence and interest in the project. In juxtaposition, community service providers such as childcare and aged care providers will have the least level of influence and interest.
Figure 10.4 Stakeholder Analysis
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11 //
SUMMARY
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Housing Delivered // On The House set out to develop an inclusive, 20-minute neighbourhood for the Maribyrnong Defence Site, which would reflect lessons learned from Melbourne's experience with COVID-19. On The House has a vision to create a low to mid-rise, high density masterplan which strikes a middle road between the low-rise greenfield developments and the high-rise CBD city centre developments. Our plan proves that with building heights no taller than 10 storeys, the Sybil Craig Quarter can accommodate 9,483 new dwellings equating to approximately 24,655 residents. This is roughly 70 dwellings per hectare, well above the VPAs recommended 30 dwellings per hectare. These residents will live in one of five key housing typologies which have been arranged to be respectful of the existing urban form and to develop distinct urban character in various areas of the site whilst providing dwellings suitable for restricted living in future lockdowns.
Recouping Remediation Cost // If the entire cost for remediation ($400 million) is to be covered entirely by residential sales then, on average, each dwelling price would need to convey $42,180 to recouping the remediation expense. We believe that the Federal Government, as the contaminator of the site should contribute to the expense to reduce the burden on land sales to cover remediation. We also believe the Federal Government should cover the share for each affordable housings as this is necessary to funding the large number of affordable using dwellings proposed.
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20-Minute Neighbourhood Facilities Delivered // We have delivered a significant number of 20-minute neighbourhood amenities into the Sybil Craig Quarter. The high number of dwellings is complemented by 21.6 Ha of employment and 5.1 Ha of local shops. A healthy work-life balance is supported by the provision of 28 Ha of green space suitable for a variety of activities and lifestyles. Lastly lifelong learning and ageing in place is supported by 4 early learning centres, 3 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, 3 community centres and 1 aged care centre. What we have provided ensures residents can live and work locally and healthily now and in the advent of future pandemics. It also ensures the increased residential population in the area will not be a burden on existing education and community infrastructure.
Recouping Remediation Cost // Given our master plan has a range of land uses, remediation cost recovery should be built into the sale price of all land uses. 26.7 Ha of land is available for commercial and employment use. If the commercial and employment land can recoup a significant amount of the remediation cost, it will significantly reduce the amount needed to be recouped by dwellings. Reducing the amount dwellings need to recoup will lower the cost of each dwelling significantly improving their affordability.
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Evi
Sushmitha
Stewart
Emily
Lipi SYBIL CRAIG QUARTER, AN EXERCISE IN A NEW VISION FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN MELBOURNE
11 // BIBLIOGRAPHY ARUP. (2020). The role of lighting in supporting town centre regeneration and economic recovery. Retrieved from: https://www.arup.com/perspectives/publications/promotional-materials/section/the-role-of-lighting-in-supporting-town-centre-regeneration-and-economic-recovery Amabile, M., Hargrave, J., Clark, G., & Simunich, J. (2019). Cities Alive designing for ageing communities. Retrieved from: https://www.arup.com/perspectives/publications/research/section/cities-alive-designing-for-ageing-communities Assemble (Producer). (2019). Kris Daff in discussion with Development Ready. Assemble. Retrieved from https://assemblecommunities.com/kris-daff-in-discussion-with-development-ready/ Associates, S. (n.d.). Passive design. Passive design. SRIKO Associates , Chennai Australian Government (n.d.). Defence Site Maribyrnong History, Heritage, People, Places. Department of Defence. 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