04 // TRANSFORMING THE MARIBYRNONG DEFENCE SITE

04 //

TRANSFORMING THE MARIBYRNONG DEFENCE SITE

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

Residential Growth Zone

Enables housing growth and diversity

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.

Commercial 3 Zone

This zone will consist of STEM education, training, and employment. Potential site for VU facilities.

Figure 4.1 Proposed Site Zoning Plan

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 4.2 Proposed Site Master Plan

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.

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.