Embracing the Shadows by jessgaudry

EMBRACING THE SHADOWS: Cultivating living flows and retrofitting a resilient future for the Birrarung



Jessica Gaudry - 957984 Design with Country Studio Sem 1, 2021

TEACHERS Alex Felson

Jefa Greenaway Kirstine Wallis

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you for kindly sharing knowledge with our class (in alphabetical order): A/Prof John Rayner (Unimelb)

Alex Lee (Landscape Architect + Birrarung Council) All presentors at the Birrarung Cultural Symposium, March 2021 Andrew Kelly (Yarra Riverkeeper + Birrarung Council) Dr Hannah Robertson (Unimelb) Dr Heather Threadgold (Murri:Yul) Dr Judy Bush (Unimelb) Kirsten Bauer (Landscape Architect + Birrarung Council)) Melinda Kennedy (Murri:Yul) Paul Herzich (Landscape Architect) Professor Gini Lee (Unimelb) Reuben Berg (Commissioner, Victorian Environmental Water Holder) Uncle Bill Nicholson (Wurundjer Woi wurrung Elder)

*I acknowledge the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the Country on which this project was created. I pay my respects to their culture and all Elders, past, present and emerging. **This project is a compilation of initial ideas created in a design studio classroom environment. In a real-world situation, a working relationship would have already been fostered with the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung Traditional Custodian groups and these initial ideas for the project would be discussed, developed and co-designed with both communities. This proposal is only a starting point, a placeholder for discussion and collaboration, not a final design.

Bunjil, the creator spirit of the Kulin Nation, crafted the Birrarung. With H2O continuously cycling and recycling itself throughout space and time, the water of the Birrarung is constantly flowing, hydrologically, and also spiritually as a songline across Country. The Birrarung is a single living entity, deeply connected to Country and it’s Traditional Custodians, the Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung language groups of the Kulin Nation. Today it also shares itself with rural and highly urbanised communities.

THE BIRRARUNG IS A LIVING ENTITY Sugarloaf Reservoir Coranderrk

Upper Yarra Reservoir

ri i Mer

Merr

Birrarunga Melb CBD

Naarm Palem warren Port Phillip Bay

UNCEDED LANDS AND WATERS OF THE KULIN NATION

2.5

10 Kms

sts and

mi river of s shadow

BIRRARUNG

The word Birrarung translates to river of mists and shadows in the Woi Wurrung language. Shadows have existed from the very beginning, when the sun (Ngua) first shone and brightened our world. Nowadays shadows tend to conjure up images of darkness, fear and the unknown. In recent times culture, stories and the natural world, including the Birrarung have been forced into the shadows of our built-up city life. But as Jefa Greenaway recently said, ‘Country will always exist, even if it’s been concreted over’.

Adapting the Great Birrarung Parklands to the highly urbanised, tightly constrained city environment requires a re-framing of what public green space can be and where. The city is filled with void or unused spaces. When space is at a premium, opportunities must be found outside the typical ‘park’ typology, as a way to retrofit the constraints.

raint t s n o c n r Mode

ylin Cit

ay ew e r F

M n a rr Ya l

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T PUN RD

Birrarung H2O

Accumulated histories

Driven by the accumulated histories of the site, stories of Country and place are woven to the surface through collaboration and co-design with Indigenous Elders, to allow Country to be highlighted and recognised amongst the heavy scars of the industrial road revolution and ever growing spread of urbanisation.

Indigeno Indigenous Aust Indigenous Australia - the world’s oldest continuous living culture

BASALT

PUNT RD

PUNT RD TRA NSECT

PUNT RD

BASALT

Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

Cultural Sensitivity overlay

Fawkner Park

Existing parks 200 200

City of

Melb re

-veg

BIRRA RUNG Lower Yarra

BIRRA

ALEXA

ARiver LEXAHabitat NDRA garden AVETram 58

Tromgin Lagoon

Fawkner Park

Legend

NDRA

- Stormwater runoff treatment along urban edges - Living �loodplain park (force �looding of main drain to treat water at surface swales) - Revegetation pockets - Pedestrian bridge retro�itted to Hoodle Bridge -Punt Rd public aquisition overlay to create a linear park/canopy avenue

SANDSTONE

- Underground drainage network

Tromgin Lagoon

Melb Water Catchments 1 in 100 year flood

Cultural Sensitivity overla Existing parks

400 400 Meters Meters

0 0

100 100

200 200

Punt crossing

Royal Botanic Gardens

Fawkner Park

Helen Ballie’s houseHelen Ballie’s house (Australian (Australian Aborigines’ League)Aborigines’ League) - Stormwater runoff treatment along urban edges - Living �loodplain park expansion - Green streets + mature tree replacement strategy

Legend

Existing parks

The river has its lands

100

200

100400 200 Meters

400 Meters

100

200

100 400 Meters

200

- The river has been widened and straightened - Land has been cleared by colonialists and streets form new boundaries

1m contours

400400 Meters Meters

Golden El

A - Signi�icant urbanisation

- Freeway built along riverbank Grassy Woodland

SANDSTONE

- The river has been widened, straightened and constrained with hard edges Grassy Woodland - Land has been cleared by colonialists and streets form new boundaries

Melb r

RUNG

Punt Rd linear park extension outside river watershed

nin

CEREMONY SITE

e fre

1 in 100 year flood

100 100

1m contours

Habitat extensions through green streets linking RBG and Fawkner Park

Melb Water Catchments

Punt Rd reduced to two lanes, linear park widens

Goschs Paddock Domain tunnel City of

WSUD Green streets to Darling Gardens

400 400 Meters Meters

yli

Alexandra Ave becomes a pedestrian street

Cit

cle

SANDSTONE

Nylex site re-development

CEREMONY SITE

veg

Royal Botanic Gardens

Tram 58

Punt crossing

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200 200

cle

100 100

Existing parks

400 400 Meters Meters

200 200

100 100

cle

Cultural Sensitivity overlay

Fawkner Park

Existing parks 00

Melb re-

eg -v

Reclaim turf sports �ields for cooling habitat

DRA AV

Domain tunnel

Langhorne’s mission

Richmond train station

ain

RUNG

ALEXAN

1 in 100 year flood

Cultural Sensitivity overlay

Fawkner Park

400 Meters

on gt nin on St

-v

200

fre

100

Langhorne’s mission

1 in 100 year flood

Use existing Public Acquisition Overlay to create a linear park on the eastern side of Punt Rd

Legend

Melb Water Catchments

P rra

Tromgin Lagoon

Nylex site re-development

Legend 1m contours

Goschs Paddock

City of

ain

BIRRA Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

Elms

YARR

Tram 58

1m contours Melb Water Catchments

Tromgin Lagoon Tromgin Lagoon 0

Legend Tram 58

Legend

Existing parks

veg

-v

Swamp Scrub

Melb re-

nk yli Cit

gt in nn

o St

400 Meters

UNG RAR BIR

200

Swamp Scrub

IVER A RElms

RIV ARRA

Plains Grassy Woodland Plains Grassy Woodland

Expansion of Lower Yarra River habitat, linking river and lagoon Domain tunnel

DRA AV

Royal Botanic Gardens

Median strip canopy trees along length of Punt Rd

Helen Ballie’s house (Australian Aborigines’ League)

WSUD Green streets to Cremorne

RUNG

ALEXAN

Narrowing Alexandra Ave

Golden Elm street park expansion

y wa

100

Living Shadow Pedestrian bridge

o St

Royal Botanic Gardens

2021

storm

Link to Yarra Park

2021

Richmond train station

ain

Tromgin Lagoon

Nylex site re-development

WSUD Green streets

rra

a km

fr nk yli

fre

Floodplain

City of

BIRRA Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

River bank re-vegetation

Cit

nk yli Golden Elm

Royal Botanic Gardens

veg

Tromgin Lagoon

Nylex site re-development

Floodplain

Tromgin Lagoon

t pa

Melb re-

DRA AV

Goschs Paddock

Domain tunnel

Floodplain Treatment Park and Trail

RUNG

ALEXAN

Melb Cricket Ground Melb Cricket Ground

tide, 3˚C hotter temps

Flooding wetlands/swales next to road

cle

th City of

BIRRA Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

rra

Richmond train station

ain

veg

DRA AV

< <

< < <

Melb re-

Goschs Paddock

Domain tunnel

RUNG

ALEXAN

Cit

City of

BIRRA

Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

UNG

The river has its lands

Domain tunnel

RAR

Punt crossing

cle

a km

Langhorne’s mission

Goschs Paddock

ra ar

Phase 3 (long-term) - 0.82m sea level rise +

Phase 2 (mid-term)

1836-1900 1836-1900

Richmond train station

ain

m rk

KULIN NATION GATHERING Damp Sands Herb-rich SITE Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland Woodland

KULIN NATION Elms GATHERING SITE

BIR

Grassy Woodland

A RIVE

YARR

<< < < <<

U RAR BIR

Tromgin Lagoon

Plains Grassy Woodland

ain

cle

Floodplain

Swamp Scrub

< 1750

Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland

BASALT

Phase 1 (near-term)

2021 Melb Cricket Ground

PUNT RD

1836-1900

KULIN NATION GATHERING SITE

Evolution of Birrarung and design interventions along Punt Road transect:

< 1750

400 Meters

Phase 1 (near-term)

ANSECT

ALEXA

NDRA

Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

AVE

Tromgin Lagoon

Nylex site re-development

Melb re

-veg

ALEXA

NDRA

River bank re-vegetation

AVE

Tromgin Lagoon

Nylex site re-development

Living Shadow Pedestrian bridge

Ci ty kf lin on

Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

Narrowing Alexandra A

Royal Botanic Gardens

e-v

Median strip canopy trees along length of Punt Rd

Legend Tram 58

1m contours

Melb Water Catchments

Melb Water Catchments 1 in 100 year flood

1 in 100 year flood Cultural Sensitivity overlay

Fawkner Park

Cultural Sensitivity overlay

Fawkner Park

Existing parks

Existing parks 00

100 100

200 200

- The river is constrained with hard edges - Significant urbanisation - Freeway built along riverbank - Underground drainage network

400 400 Meters Meters

100 100

200 200

- Creating new North-South connections within river watershed - Treating stormwater flows - Infill re-vegetation - Link to City of Melb re-vegetation

400 400 Meters Meters

Tromgin Lagoon

Royal Botanic Gardens

Golden Elm street park expansion

re on

Royal Botanic Gardens

Domain tunne

RUNG

WSUD Green streets

Golden Elm

Floodplain Treatment Park and Trail

PUNT RD

PUNT RD TR

RUNG

City of

BIRRA

Flooding wetlands/ next to ro

cle

Domain tunne

rra

a dr

th pa

-veg

cle

Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

Melb re

City of BIRRA

Goschs Paddock

in ma

400 Meters

Richmond train station

lin

200

Domain tunne

a dr

ty Ci

100

Existing parks

Legend

cle

’s house Aborigines’ League)

Goschs Paddock

r Ya

in ma

Phas

Richmond train station

rossing

Evolution of Birrarung and design interventions along Punt Road transect:

2021

Fawkner Park

Phase 3 (long-term) - 0.82m sea level rise + storm

Phase 2 (mid-term)

tide, 3˚C hotter temps

Tromgin Lagoon

Nylex site re-development

PUNT RD

Melb re

-veg

ALEXA

NDRA

AVE

Tromgin Lagoon

lin re ew ay

e-v

WSUD Green streets to Darling Gardens

Habitat extensions through green streets linking RBG and Fawkner Park

Punt Rd linear park extension outside river watershed

Legend Tram 58

Legend

Cultural Sensitivity overlay

Fawkner Park

Existing parks 100 100

Tram 58

1m contours

1 in 100 year flood

Punt Rd reduced to two lanes, linear park widens

kf on

Alexandra Ave becomes a pedestrian street

Nylex site re-development

Royal Botanic Gardens

1 in 100 year flood

400 400 Meters Meters

Reclaim turf sports �ields for cooling habitat

Use existing Public Acquisition Overlay to create a linear park on the eastern side of Punt Rd

Royal Botanic Gardens

ty Ci

Narrowing Alexandra Ave

rra

Richmond train station

in ra

RUNG

Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

AVE

Melb Water Catchments

Existing parks

NDRA

City of BIRRA

RUNG

ALEXA

cle Cy

-veg

Goschs Paddock

k ar

Melb Water Catchments

Cultural Sensitivity overlay

200 200

Melb re

Expansion of Lower Yarra River habitat, linking river and lagoon Domain tunne

re kf

1m contours

Lower Yarra River Habitat garden

WSUD Green streets to Cremorne

-ve

Legend

City of

lin ty

n strip canopy trees length of Punt Rd

Domain tunne

rra

r Pa

Golden Elm street park expansion

Goschs Paddock

BIRRA

ain

Richmond train station

in ra

Living Shadow Pedestrian bridge

ex site re-development

cle

River bank re-vegetation

Floodplain Treatment Park and Trail

Flooding wetlands/swales next to road

PUNT RD

Richmond train station

ain

Evolution of Birrarung and design interventions along Punt Road transect:

Link to Yarra Park

200 200

- Creating new East-West connections within river watershed - Link to Stonnington re-vegetation - Link to Nylex site WSUD and vegetation

400 400 Meters Meters

1m contours Melb Water Catchments 1 in 100 year flood Cultural Sensitivity overlay

Fawkner Park

Existing parks 0 0

100 100

200 200

- Green streets/habitat extensions outside river watershed - Punt Road reduction - Alexandra Ave becomes a pedestrian street

400400 Meters Meters

Punt Rd linear park via Public Acquisition overlay: PHASE 1: existing 4 lane Punt Road remains (with trees planted in newly created median tree trench)

PHASE 2: existing 4 lane Punt Road remains. Existing Public Acquisition Overlay for the eastern side of the road is utilised and made into a WSUD linear park

Golden Elm street park expansion:

Golden Elm parklet, end of street reclaimed, WSUD

PHASE 3: adopt A New Normal (Finding In�inity) strategies and the number of cars is halved, reduce road to 2 lanes. Extend the linear park in the other 2 lanes. Prioritise the health of Country over road expansion

Golden Elm parklet, end of street reclaimed, WSUD

Zone of water treatment/W ecology underpass, �loatin along Birrarung

1:500 @ A1

1:500

Alexandra Ave 1:1000

Citylink fre

UNCEDED LANDS + WATERS OF THE WOI WURRUNG AND BOON WURRUNG

Alexandra Ave 1:1000 @A1

UNCEDED LANDS + WATERS OF THE WOI WURRUNG AND BOON WURRUNG

The concept of this project is to explore a new narrative in which shadows are no longer places of hiding, but places of learning and celebration; culture, stories and vegetation are seen and given room to grow, and water is valued and cleaned before it enters the main Birrarung channel.

Zone of water treatment/WSUD, novel ecology underpass, �loating wetlands along Birrarung

Phase out Alexandra Ave, re-connect Royal Botanic Gardens and river

Living Shadow Pedestrian bridge:

Floodplain Treatment park and trail (swale channels)

Citylink freeway

Freeway exit road

Floodplain Treatment park and trail - Phase 1 Site Plan

- dry conditions, El Nino, no diversion from Yarra Park Main Drain Underground Yarra Park Main Drain

GOSCHS PADDOCK

Intercepted �low of Yarra Park Main Drain stormwater

Median strip canopy trees

Surface water flows under wet conditions (normal rain event and diverted stormwater flow from Yarra Park Main Drain)

Surface water flows under extreme wet conditions (La Nina, flood flows, and diverted stormwater flow from Yarra Park Main Drain)

New canopy trees e.g. River Red Gums, Manna Gums, Swamp Paperbark Existing mature canopy trees (mainly Elms)

Road cutouts to allow water �low Swale vegetation - a mix of indigenous, native and known phytoremediating species

Elevated steel mesh path

Road runoff

D D

Lookout platform over Main Drain outlet

Recycled bluestone channel to direct intercepted �loodplain �lows

Drain grate

Cycle path

Pedestrian access to river water

Floating Pedestrain path

Living Shadow pedestrian bridge

Citylink freeway

B1 Punt Road

Legend Existing parks New canopy tree Existing canopy tree (mainly Elms) Swale vegetation

100

Meters

Through intercepting and re-directing the overland and underground flows of the Yarra Park main drain at the corner of Punt Road and Swan Street in Richmond, water can now percolate across the landscape, to be taken up and cleaned by new swale vegetation – a mix of indigenous, native and known phytoremediation species. Excess flow is directed along new channels of old bluestone and basalt rocks (a nod to the basalt flows of Bunjil buried beneath), and the clean water re-enters the Birrarung above/around the main drain outlet. These swale channels and surrounding new vegetation replace the monoculture of lawn and in turn breathe life and diversity back into the land.

By visibly addressing our waste water, we create a cue to care, to be more in tune with our environment and what it does for us and the life around us.

Lookout platform over main drain outlet

Floodplain Treatment park and trail Cutouts in road to allow surface water flow

Existing mature Elm

New plantings

Freeway exit road

Water table

Yarra Park Main Drain

UNCEDED LANDS + WATERS OF THE WOI WURRUNG AND BOON WURRUNG

The main bike and pedestrian path are separated, widened and directed briefly under the line of the freeway, with views of the Birrarung and surrounding vegetation physically framed in widescreen by the heavy concrete underpass. Viewing platforms and vantage points are created at varying elevations to enhance connection to the river and provide moments of pause and reflection.

Cycle path

Raised drain grate

Floating pedestrian path Living Shadow pedestrian bridge

Citylink freeway

B1 Main Drain outlet

1:500 @ A1 10

Water is given options.

Raised drain grate (for overflow)

C Yarra Park M

ain Dr ain

Replacement young canopy trees

D Floodplain Treatment park and trail

Existing mature Elm

Existing drain

Tactical planting design that complements all seasons and showcases the rhythm of contemporary land.

Raised drain grate

Citylink freeway

Floodplain Treatment park and trail - New young wattles in bloom amongst dormant existing elms

Living Shadow pedestrian bridge design ideas:

Pedestrian bridge sections

Example Engagement process:

Bridge shape, ballustrade, surfaces, materiality and corresponding shadows created by the afternoon sun are opportunities to reveal and celebrate the story of the Birrarung through co-design.

Living lab along pedestrian bridge and freeway structure provides an opportunity to experiement and test the potential of indigenous plants in vertical greening and dealing with polluted road runoff.

Living Shadow pedestrian bridge - place holder idea (in particular ballustrade and bridge surfaces) for collaborative design with Indigenous Elders/artists

Net gain for the inner city reach of the Birrarung

This project reclaims the shadows and scars of colonialist infrastructure, to re-discover our connection to the river and its lands.