Peripheral Living volume II Urban Architecture Laboratory
Peripheral Living Urban Architecture Laboratory, RMIT The Black Saturday bushfires wreaked most of their damage in the north-eastern hinterland of Melbourne’s greater metropolitan area. The advent of the fires drew attention to a region that is intertwined with but also in many ways outside the culture of the city. The communities of Kinglake, St Andrews, Flowerdale, Healesville, Yarra Glen, Marysville and others in Melbourne’s north-east are neither truly rural nor urban, but exist in an overlap zone of low-density peri-urban settlement, physically detached from and culturally distinct from the city, but still reliant on the metropolis for jobs, services and visitors. The affected region plays a number of roles on a regional and urban scale. The north-east ranges are Melbourne’s primary water catchment, with their high rainfall and dramatic topography providing many weekend tourism destinations, alternative lifestyle options, and fundamental water infrastructure supporting the lives of millions. As such, the forests, watercourses and other infrastructure of the region are important not only to local communities but crucial to the functioning of the city as a whole – a point made clear by the recent political and land/ water-rights controversy of the Sugarloaf pipeline. The work started with a series of questions, galvanised by the tragedy of the fires: What is the periphery? On whose terms? What does the annual cycle of fire-danger mean in terms of sustainable (endurable) living in such places? How can we plan better and more strategically understand our inextricable relationships with each other and with the city as a whole? How could we broadly re-think the limitations and possibilities of real community life on the fringes of our cities within such bush environments? As architects and landscape architects, our field of research is always connected to the physical: where should we build? How should we plan? How can we live spatially together? How can we both move-with and respectfully-control this wonderful and powerful landscape, which has the ability to both entrance and destroy us? How can we think in a contemporary way about community interaction, the sustainable provision of services, and shared life in a region of low density and sparse, scattered settlement? Research started by looking at what exists: how land has been used and settled in this area over time, the types of infrastructures and landscapes (formal and informal) that have developed to support private and community life. In this case we were also literally looking at what remained after the fires: scarred bushland, concrete floor slabs and remnant infrastructure, emergency housing around football ovals, temporary buildings and makeshift town centres; all imbued with a strong sense of community resilience. Ultimately this work was about rethinking the role of the rural periphery and its relation back to the city, from a personal to a regional scale. Design projects ranged from landscape interventions on the scale of a township to architectural strategies for individual properties and structures.
Rutger Pasman proposes re-grouping and strategically connecting neighbouring properties to better work together in times of emergency. A careful analysis of existing landscape and settlement practices in the area around St Andrews allows a series of small but focussed interventions to change the way this scattered community relates and grows over time. This proposal raises the potential for shared emergency infrastructure to double as smallscale accommodation and recreational facilities in non-fire times. Viet Tuan Pham explores intensifying and making more strategic the use of existing community facilities clustered around football ovals in small towns - and considering these as a network of support centres throughout the region. The existing public space is augmented by a range of adaptable programmes and structures, enabling different events to take place during emergency, transitional and permanent phases of living. Simon Venturi develops a housing model on the edge of existing farms, utilising the farm’s existing infrastructure (dams and sheds) as community collection points in emergency situations, and connecting new residents to the local knowledge of the farmer. This model is based on the co-existence of residential and productive uses of land, seeing new development as potentially contributing to the endurance of other land uses, in a mutually-dependent relationship. Lan Tian takes a landscape systems approach and maps the water infrastructure around the region of Healesville. An alternative water collection and distribution system is proposed which links landscape and infrastructure to community space, also considering the potential for shared resources on the scale of residential development.
This project was undertaken in the second half of 2009 by Master of Architecture by Research candidates within the Urban Architecture Laboratory research unit, in conjunction with Architecture and Landscape Architecture professional degree students at RMIT University. We would like to thank all students for their many insights, and for their commitment to contributing in some way in the wake of the tragic events of February 2009. Nigel Bertram and Gretchen Wilkins 1
re-Group, St Andrews! rutger pasman
studies of an architectural precedent
YOU ARE HERE
study Yarra Valley 2
With the recent catastrophic bushfires of February 2009 the opportunity comes to relook at the Melbourne periphery as an entity of its own. We quickly think of Treechange, National Parks and recreational facilities. Further investigations tell of a deeper and more diversely layered landscape at the edge of the Metropolitan area. By looking at different sources and examples of similar areas globally we can test different strategies and revaluate the area in its significance to Melbourne and the state of Victoria. The ideas coming out of this study could be applied here or in similar conditions globally. The bushfires therefore generated, however disastrous their effects, a new point of looking at the city.
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On; scale
A
B
C
a scale comparison: A typical suburban quarter acre block B typical peripheral block (15 acres) C typical rural block (15 acres +)
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Studies for a peripheral living typology 4
5m
On; community I
These sketches question if we can think differently about the notion of properties, borders and boundaries. Like a Japanese temple can we make a philosophical shift instead of a physical one? The current plot boundaries are unseen and usually only visible on cadastral maps. Therefore
can we reposition ourselves by thinking about the obvious clearing that is so common in the periphery? We can then consider using and strengthening a shared infrastructure such as access roads, dams, etc to redefine the safety (from natural and human influences) and community aspects. New
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informal networks can give a new dimension to living here.
a scenario
new informal networks 6
continues next page
further explorations in four ideas 7
continued from previous page
further explorations in four ideas (contn.) 8
On; community II
shared paths, safer places & new infrastructure
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On; community III
The reality in the greater Melbourne metropolitan region is that the periphery is always under threat by new developments. The ever greater pressure on the city is commonly absorbed at it’s edges. In looking how and where we could build within this region one should always question the impact on it’s social, cultural and economic values. Aside from protection and maintenance how do we deal with the harsh realities of the Australian landscape?
peripheral scenario in 2056
potential developable land around St. Andrews 10
Study Area
plan 11
reorganising the habitat
existing
The scheme looks at how we commonly live within the periphery. By building and layering new ideas upon the current infrastructure of the region we should not only be more protected against nature’s will but also strengthen the social, cultural and economic values. The scheme creates small additions to the existing landscape, like
paths and objects, and looks at reoganising the habitat of that landscape through the extended use of clearings and their infrastructure. With the slowness of time this reorganisation can be achieved through planning and create stronger, safer and a more dynamic set of communities. By using planning as a device to reorganize the
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physical aspects of these communities we can protect the habitat from the stresses of the metropolitan area and create an additional natural landscape of refuge.
rutger pasman
a network of clearings and minor infrastructure around which new and existing dwellings are organised.
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Transitional Habitation viet tuan pham The scheme tests the possibilities of public spaces in peripheral areas in Melbourne. The football oval is a significant public space in the town of Marysville. It is a gathering space for community with a variety of events changing according to time. The periphery of Melbourne is the transitional area between the city and the countryside. People living in these zone are seeking a close-to-nature lifestyle but still rely in many ways on the urban infrastructure of the city. After the fire disaster in February 2009, the town was almost destroyed. The rebuilding of the town should provide new and extra community services and public spaces which have the ability to enhance the everyday life of people and also respond to emergency events. Most importantly, the model of the oval in Marysville could become part of a network of community hubs acting as a regional strategy and providing a new model of civic amenity for contemporary peripheral living.
Melbourne
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Marysville
Site location 15
region of investigation in relation to Melbourne
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Alexandria
The combination of community services and sport venue in oval site creates a regional strategy which could respond to emergency, transitional and permanent events. The example of Marysville could be applied to other ovals. They foster the liveability of peripheral Melbourne.
Taggerty
Buxton
Marysville
Narbethong
Network of ovals as a regional strategy Scale 1/10.000
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Bacchus Marsh
Hurstbrigde
Hurstbridge
Healesville showground
Kilmore
Kinglake West
Healesville
Lancefield
Marysville
Woori Yallock
Yea
Wallan
200 M
Kinglake Centre
Oval Typology Studies 18
These fire paintings by Yves Klein provoke thoughts on the nature of fire and the edges of the oval.
The Burning Man festival in Nevada is an experimental project on temporary community. People camp around a strong centralized space.
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The oval proposal takes into account surrounding context such as access to the primary school, access to street and visibility. The edge of the oval could contain several layers of programs.
The oval is like a ring which contains a big void in itself. The edge of the void can be a fire barrier zone. However, the oval should also be connected to the surrounding landscape.
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camping primary school football oval sport club
community hall swimming pool
tennis court
community garden
art gallery caravan park
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100m
proposal in context of existing Marysville
Public Publicownership onwership
Oval
Temporary Housing
Evacuation point
Emergency Services
People back to home
Sports
Community Services
diagram of programs changing over time 21
The primary school becomes the first aid center and emergency services offices.
The community hall becomes a communication hub and emergency operation centre.
Fire trucks have direct street access to the swimming pool.
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Oval used as camping area for fire fighters and local emergency accommodation.
The sports club becomes public shower facilities and cafeteria.
Temporary accommodation and recreation.
Covered communal space
Large carpark becomes fire truck and service vehicle depot/ short-term caravan and trailer accommodation
Emergency phase 23
The community hub in a transitional stage becomes a great gathering space to share resources such as internet, radio, clothing and food. It can also be used by the adjacent primary school.
Swimming pool can be used by local residents or tourists on a daily basis.
Community garden.
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Camping site for events such as Great Victoria Bike Ride, music concerts and sports competitions.
The sports club becomes transitional housing for people who lost their homes. Basic furniture is provided for quick settlement.
Temporary caravan park for local residents or displaced people, and car park for watching football matches.
Transitional phase 25
peripheral living
a rural mixed use micro community prototype simon venturi a scheme exploring a rural mixed use community prototype located on the redundant edges of existing farms on the periphery of Melbourne.........new dwellings providing housing for local residents displaced by the recent bushfires and those moving from the city (permanent residents) as well as short stay and bed + breakfast accommodation (temporary residents)........supporting Marysville’s existing tourism and farming industries........ ........a series of mixed use micro communities combining housing (temporary and permanent) and recreation (golf course and walking tracks) while maintaining the operation of existing sheep and cattle farms in a reciprocal relationship........residents new to the area rely on the farmer’s ongoing local knowledge and existing infrastructure (water, road and shelter) in emergency situations........ ........a network of emergency collection points, located centrally within each micro community, for use in emergency situations such as the recent bushfires........residents rely on the farmer’s knowledge, farm clearing and existing infrastructure (water and shelter) as short term self sufficient collection points for protection as well as the assistance of surrounding residents in united action and access to additional escape paths if required....... ........single and semi detached dwellings exploring the character and experiential qualities of the periphery.......the nature of inhabiting a site on the periphery of melbourne, the periphery of marysville and the periphery of the farm..........making use of the underutilised edges of existing farms, embracing the winding tracks, clearing edges, direct connection to vegetation, valley slopes, isolation and scale of the rural landscape........ dwellings hugging and burrowing into the slope of the land located along a common road with shared spaces between properties defined by vegetation........communal spaces shared by residents in the same way united action is required in emergency situations........
Marysville cattle farm shed
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road cutting through landscape en route to Marysville
view of farmhouse from road
roads cut into the side of hills
Marysville sheep farm house
Marysville cattle farm shed
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Marysville journey visibility diagram showing areas visible and partly visible from the main road
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dwelling property boundary studies
dwelling and communal road relating to the slope of land
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farm clearings in relation bushfire strategy diagrams to edge of vegetation
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farm house as community community ‘b’ organisation centred around existing farm
farm house as coexisting buildings
s cwater and roads
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faproperty boundaries
farm house as community community ‘b’ property diagram showing adjoining shared spaces
fasite contours
vegetation clearing
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marysville combined structure
bushfire strategy diagram showing network of collection points
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farm shed as community collection point 35
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model photographs showing Marysville’s existing infratsructure in black + proposed road and dwellings in red
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Informal water Lan Tian Mappings of the water infrastructure and landscape elements in the Healesville region
reservoirs and catchments
water pipeline infrastructure
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creek direction and Sugarloaf pipeline
water management boundary
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superimposition
roads and water
significant landscape and catchment
erosion and inundation
subdivisions to be restructured 40
heritage and water connections
erosion and water bodies
tree cover and wildfire management overlay
flood-prone areas 41
composite map of greater Healesville landscape
Yarra Glen
Lilydale
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Healesville
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er
ma ro on da hr es
ir
Thinking about bushfire is inextricably linked to isuues of water and drought. In Healesville, metropolitan water infrastructure comes into direct contact with local topography and environment. How can we better intergrate the interstitial and informal public spaces of water catchment, flood protection and inundation with daily life?
Potential water retention wetlands and informal public space between the water catchment and built up edge of Healesville
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Kilmore East-Murrindindi Complex South fire in relation to Melbourne metropolitan edge february 2009 47
supported by the RMIT Design Research Institute
Design Research Institute
The Urban Architecture Laboratory was established in 2002 with the specific aim of providing a specialised research environment for intensive and focussed architectural research that engages with contemporary urban issues. The UAL is part of the School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University. Semester 01 /august - december 2009 Supervisors: Nigel Bertram Gretchen Wilkins Simon Whibley Guest Critics; Sue Anne Ware Peter Elliot Sand Helsel William Lim Richard Black
Studio participants: Urban Architecture Laboratory Master of Architecture (research) Rutger Pasman Viet Tuan Pham Simon Venturi Lan Tian Master of Architecture (coursework) Bo David Chu Danielle Douglas Xiang Li Tatjana Lukovska Lucy Maplestone Sergey Pochevskiy Yongpeng Shen Harvey Sy Dayne Trower Ngoc Ton Vu Wolfgang Werschnig Cynthia Yim Brenton Beggs (landscape architecture) Chloe Edwards (landscape architecture) Tristan Smith (landscape architecture)
Studio Details Title: Peripheral Living Tutors: Nigel Bertram & Gretchen Wilkins Pole: Urban Environments Date: Semester 2, 2009 This and other documented examples of design studios run as part of the RMIT University Architecture program can be found on issuu.com