FINDING THE WAY TO
Design with Country: Resilience Studio ABPL90430
BIRRARUNG Liying Tang 825665
To understand what does “Birrurang is a Living Entity” means, we have to acknowledge the perception of Country based on Wurundejri perspective. They see themself as a part of the integrated landscape. They take the responsibility to look after the land as their well-being correlates intimately with the land. Their relationship with the landscape is sustainable as they lived in a lifestyle that had a low impact on the environment.
However, from European Settlement in 1835, the surrounding landscape of Birrarung had experienced dramatic changes since from European Settlement in 1835. Their perception of the river and its landscape is defined as Utiliratian. It results in land degradation for the whole river landscape, which would have devastating impacts on the Wurundjeri people’s health and wellbeing.
Birrarung as A Living Entity Caring for Country: Birrarung as a Living Entity
We should acknowledge that protect the river’s health and its ecosystem is important to build a more healthy and sustainable living environment for all of us.
River Red Gum
River Red Gum
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Soil Moisture Level
Vegetation Type
Burgan
Black Wattle
White Tea-Tree Kunzea ericoides
Acacia mearnsii
Murong
Yam Daisy Microseris lanceolate
Campground
Grassy Woodland
Plain Grassy Woodland
Riparian
Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland
Low
High
“...an ancient philosophy was destroyed by the completely unexpected, an invasion of new people and ideas. A majestic achievement ended. Only fragments remain...We have a continent to learn.” _ Bill Gammage, 2011:323
Legends
Legends
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Legends
Europrean Settlement: Utilitarian Ideology of Land Function
“As Wurundjeri people travelled by foot from site to site ‘singing country’ following the marker tree routes, their cheerful voices informed the Tikilara spirits of their peaceful and respectful arrival at a place. - Manningham City Council, 2020.
Soil Moisture Level
Vegetation Type
Burgan
White Tea-Tree Kunzea ericoides
Black Wattle Acacia mearnsii
Murong
Yam Daisy Microseris lanceolate
Campground
Grassy Woodland
Plain Grassy Woodland
Riparian
Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland
Low
High
Main Yarra Trail
Social Acitivity Human Impacted
Cultural Significant (Wurundjeir)
Theatreand Fauna
Theatreand Plant
Flooding-Prone Area
Remnant Native Vegetaion
Residential Development
Built
Europrean Settlement: Utilitarian Ideology of Land Function History Timeline
Batman’s treaty with the aborigines at Merri Creek, 6th June 1835, by John Wesley Burtt, c.1888
Coode Canal The construction of the Coode Canal led by Sir John Coode
Herring Island In the 1930s a new river channel was cut at Burnley,
1945
This drawing by J. H. Wedge (1835) shows women digging roots of the Yam Daisy.
1891
John Cotton, Aboriginal camp on the banks of the Yarra, c.1845
1928
“...an ancient philosophy was destroyed by the completely unexpected, an invasion of new people and ideas. A majestic achievement ended. Only fragments remain...We have a continent to learn.” _ Bill Gammage, 2011:323
1835
untry
Brunley During the 1960s the construction of the Eastern Freeway further altered the course of the river. Liying Tang 825665
Urban Morphology in Transect 8 From Burnley Train Station to Birrarung
An interface typology by Kim Dovey Studying the different urban interfaces on the transect helps to understand the spatial sense from the human’s scale. Different land-use functions affect the interfaces with different attributes based on accessibility and visual permeability. Generally, this transect is dominated by massive residential districts, railway infrastructure and massive green spaces. For example, the fence along the railway tracks and Burnley Golf Course’s edge prevents people from walking across, but people can see the inside. And the front yard at residential housing acts as a setback to define the boundary between public and private. And the wall of industrial warehouses is impermeable in accessibility physically and visually. It shows key characteristics of the transect, and it is a tool to map and analyse one dimension of how the city works and how it might be managed and transformed. Such as permeable wall provides space for mural arts. Liying Tang 825665
Key Challenges_ The Lost Way to Birrarung Main Traffic Flow
Concrete Barriers
In this transect, it is an important and busy transit zone between Melbourne CBD to eastern Greater Melbourne. The train travels from the city all the way to Glen Waverley which is a busy route in Melbourne. Same as the Citi link freeway across along the riverfront which delivers a massive traffic volume for commute.
The road infrastructures of railway and freeway make this area congested with transportations. And there is lack of walkability and connectivity between the train station to the riverfront. And the south part of Burnley has been fully developed as a residential area; the dense building blocks are also considered as a barrier.
Finding Missing Links
In this case, it is demanding to improve connectivity in this area through finding the missing links based on existing trails. To make this area more walkable and cyclable for pedestrians and cyclists, which building a greater access to Birrarung and a culture consciousness of “Country’
Cross Section on Existing Site Condition Swan Street
Burnley Train Station
Residential District
Residential District
Freeway
Birrarung
Residential District
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Indeginous Wayfinding Strategy
River Red Gum as A Direction Tree
River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) is an iconic Australian species with cultural significance and highly ecological values. It is an essential element in aboriginal society to sustain its cultural life. Indeginous people used it as a irection tree to help them find the way. And the Mature specimens provided habitat and shelter for native animals in the many holes and hollows that characterize their trunk and branches.
River Red Gum in Aboriginal Society
(Yingbeal Songline from Heide Museum of Modern Art) How does Melbourne’s geology affect river courses and other landscape features that led to the movement of our human history? It led to the decisions how Indigenous people lived on this land before European settlement and what is the attribute for contemporary land use, and the way we live on this land today.
Aboriginal Uses: The river red gum was like a one stop shop for indigenous people. - Flowers were soaked in water for a drink and used for decoration; - Sap and seeds were eaten. - Gum was used to treat burns and diarrhoea; - Leaves were used to cover wounds - Bark was used for containers, shields and canoes; - Wood was used for clubs and shields - Termites and grubs that lived in the wood were eaten, while bees produced honey. - Possums were hunted for meat and fur, while eggs could be collected from bird nests. - Fallen branches could be used to construct shelter. Liying Tang 825665
River Red Gum Motif
Tree Log for Sapling Planting
River Red Gum as a Leading way
Street Facilities intergrated with Indigenous Public Artwork
Dead Tree Trunck as a Insect hotel to provide ecological values Liying Tang 825665
Phasing Plan for Future Development Short-term Conceptual Plan_2030
• Upgrading existing trails and improving the connectivity
Existing Red Gum Trees 35 New River Red Gum Trees 100
• Integrating with Indigenous arts • Revegtaing for new River Red Gum along the trails to Birrarung to build trees along the trails as a beacon and provide ecologically values up a culture consciousness
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Phasing Plan for Future Development Long-term Conceptual Plan_2050
ng
ti ec to ek re rC ine rd Ga jec
r Po
• Promoting neighbourhood housing incentives to invite more indigenous artists in residence
nn
• Integrating with a green street strategy to improve urban ecology biodiversity
Co
• Building a partnership with different stakeholders, especially with the Kulin nation, tells the story of “ Country” through public art installations
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Site Detail Design Indicative River Red Gum Trail A
• Reclaiming back more street spaces for pedestrians and cyclists Adam Str eet Gibdon Str eet
A’
Stawell Str eet
reet
Burnley St
• Improving street facilities and amenities by integrating with indigenous artworks to create cultural experiences through walking on the trails
Madden Grove
• Promoting wayfinding strategy to improve connectivity between Burnley train station to Birrarung Barkly Av
enue
• Installing WSUD to manage stormwater on the site Loy’s Paddock
• Promoting River Red Gum planting program to increase urban ecology biodiversity
• Building a partnership with indigenous artists, local community and other stakeholders
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Madden Grove Improvement
The street design strategy is to reclaiming more space occupied by vehicle back to pedestrians and. Due to low traffic volume on Madden Grove and surrounding connected streets can provide an alternative option for vehicles to move. It leads to a design decision to change Madden Grove into a one-way road and keeps some car parks only for local households. The new street design extends the pedestrian walkway on the side of the residential housing, and it provides more space for community uses.
Before
After Liying Tang 825665
Madden Grove Perspective Tree Log Planting River Red Gum Motif Street Art Installations
Pavement Inspired by Indeginous Art Raingarden
River Red Gum Motif House Number Plate
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A
Section AA‘
From Burnley Train Station to Golden Sqaure Park A’
River Red Gum Motif Shading
Goldden Squre Park Madden Grove
Underpass with Indeginous Mural Art
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Wayfinding Signage Strategy
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Wayfinding Signage Strategy
Identification
Directional
Orientation
Informative
Examples
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Site Plan for Wayfinding Signage System There [is] no separation between mind and environment, between perceiving and knowing; wayfinding [is] a way that we directly perceive and involves the real-time coupling of perception and movement- The Sience of Wayfinding by James Gibson
However, today the built urbanised environment makes us walk in a concrete jungle, it separates us between mind and environment, between perceiving and knowing of “Country” It raises a question: “Learn from the science of indigenous wayfinding, how can we develop the connectivity to Birrarung and use a wayfinding strategy to create a sense of place, the ‘Country”.
The key design element is based on the existing river red gum trees on the site and design interventions are developed to interpret aboriginal culture and history and provide programs for educational purposes along the developed trail.
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Urban Ecology Strategy
Understorey Planting for Indeginous Vegetation
Indicative Planting Structure
River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra
Golden Wattle Acacia pycnantha
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Upgrading Golden Square Park to an Indigenious Park
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Revegetation for River Red Gum
Partnership with Neighborhood
Maintenance by Community
Shfting to Proposed Sites
Each household can allocate one sapling tree of Rriver Red Gum
Invite local community to particpate the program of River Red Gum revegetation
Moving juvenile trees to the proposed planting site for capacious growth space
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Stormwater Management
Raingarden Planting Diagram
Raingarden Plant Selection
Feature Tree
Banksia Marginata
Primary Species
Callistemon viminalis
Callistemon salignus
Eucalyptus leucoxylon
Secondary Species
Ficinia nodosa
Carpobrotus modestus
Juncus flavidus Themeda triandra Goodenia ovata
Myoporum parvifolium
Hardenbergia violacea
Lomandra longifolia
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