URBD5804 Urban Design Studio 1 Unit and Studio Coordinator: Dr Rob Cameron ‘Mount Lawley ECU Redevelopment’
PARKER WAI ‘Community Chest’
The vacuum caused by the ECU campus relocation needs to be filled. Community are concerned that the connections to the facilities and the place will be lost. The site is located in an area where major centres are far away, and services cannot be delivered in proximity. A Community Chest is where individuals contribute and put their trust in the welfare of the community. This project takes this idea and translates it into the philosophy of this development. It urges people to put effort into placemaking, to be grassroots and to be participatory. The project is guided by life, space, buildings; design for diversity; grassroots support; and transit-oriented development. It has taken lessons from Vauban and the streets of Denmark to deliver a vibrant and diverse neighbourhood. One of the Community Chest ideas focuses on delivering an artistic environment that can both celebrate the history and support the artists live on site. But there are too many art precincts nowadays. Art has been commodified in branding of development. Its value has been reduced to a market gimmick. Thus, the Community Chest encourages the model of co-housing, participatory planning, and urban acupuncture to address the affordability issue and foster grassroots development. Art is from the bottom-up. The vision for the Community Chest is of establishing a unique role fitting in the surrounding area. It delivers high quality and vibrant public spaces. It provides housing mix and services to the diverse needs of the growing Perth communities. It is highly walkable, liveable, and enjoyable for residents and visitors during both night and day.
Image: Isometric of masterplan. 268
