Context
The COVID-19 lockdowns and movement restrictions in Victoria led to a significant decline in the utilization of commercial spaces and car parks, particularly within Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD). This downturn was primarily due to reduced foot traffic and a widespread shift to remote working arrangements.
Site Information
The car park is situated in Melbourne's legal precinct, characterized by a mix of office buildings, legal institutions, commercial and residential.
Brief
The Melbourne City Council needs a project that will transform on this now empty parking lot into a project that functions to make the CBD a more activated place in the short and long term. The project also needs to align with the considerations / issues raised in City of Melbourne COVID reactivation plan.
Design Proposal
The Urban PlantScape project seeks to restore an undersued parking lot in the midst of COVID-19 lockdowns. It introduces nature and community back to the city. The entire project is managed by the Melbourne City Council and accessible to the general public. As space in the city increasingly becomes occupied by concrete and asphalt, this project reclaims The Royal Mint Carpark and offers it back to the residents of Melbourne as additional space to grow food, flowers, fruits and trees.
