Victorian Sites
Royal Park, Melbourne
Royal Park Competition
design competition sponsored by the Melbourne City Council
in conjunction with the AILA.
A statement from the Jury
originally published in LANDMARK/Landscape Australia 1/85
THE COMPETITION PROCESS
Council, in seeking a design masterplan for Royal Park, could have chosen to select a landscape architectural firm from the number already available within Melbourne or from interstate. The firm could have been selected on the basis of its past performance - its demonstrated design skills and ability to implement design concepts with the reality of successful built work.
However, instead, Council initiated the process of a national design competition. This could have attracted entries from established design firms and from others either generally unknown or even not actually functioning as landscape architectural practices.
The point of the process would be to create the opportunity whereby a design of special quality may be obtained. Conducting a design competition of this nature does inevitably involve expense and effort beyond the norm of engaging an established firm in a typical commissioning relationship.
The Royal Park competition has resulted in a winning entry coming from a composite group with varied professional backgrounds. The jury believes that this entry does demonstrate special qualities in terms of design inspiration, particularly on the basis of a thoroughly considered and convincing design philosophy.
THE SELECTED DESIGN
Following completion of the final stage of the competition, the jury has pleasure in confirming that the Laceworks Landscape Collaborative is the winning team.
In reaching its decision, the jury has responded to a philosophical and design approach which is generated by the unique qualities of the Royal Park landscape, specifically its generous space, hilltop image, broad vistas, and the traces of a generous indigenous vegetation cover.
The design develops these whilst also providing the facilities which are considered essential for optimum use. It especially proposes enhancement of the subtler elements of the landscape in order to generate greater use of the park for passive recreation. Zbward this end it also modifies vehicular access into and within the park and modifies the active recreation component as suggested in the issued brief.
The jury recognises that the conceptual masterplan constitutes an early stage in the design process and that there is much refinement necessary, further to discussions with the community and under the direction of Council, in order to achieve a comprehensive detailed masterplan. The jury emphasises however, its strong support of certain vital components of the winning proposal:
- the creation of a landbridge to link the north and south-east sections of the park;
- the part and full closure of Poplar Road and Marconi Crescent;
- the improvement of the entrance arrangements to the Zoo;
- the rationalisation of parking throughout and around the park;
- the relocation of part of the tramway;
- the stimulation of a recognisable indigenous character and structure to the park through its co-ordinated planting policy;
- the continued co-ordination with local resident and user groups in providing the necessary neighbourhood parks and sports facilities.
The jury commends the clarity of structure and philosophy which the design proposes. It also commends the thorough commitment to that philosophy and its physical expression, which the designers have demonstrated in all aspects of their planning and design development.
Finally, the jury also wishes to commend the quality of the submissions of all four finalists, who demonstrated in their work a recognition of the complex demands on the park and its significance to the City of Melbourne and its people. It is fair to acknowledge that some of the favoured elements of the winning submission were common to other final stage design entries.
SUBSEQUENT STEPS
A good deal of work will have to be done to establish the mechanics of implementation. This will largely be the work of Council, along the following lines:
- In consultation with the designers,establish a pattern of development stages
consisting of: (a) on-site development work/expenditure (b) design development stages synchronised with and pre-empting constructing stages
- Prepare a detailed brief to cover the overall design requirement and individual briefs to relate to the separated design stages.
- Include in the first stage design development the preparation of an overall detailed master plan, plus documentation of stage 1. construction work. The overall master plan should be sufficient to commit the winning concept design scheme to at least a 1:1000 scale level of development, covering the whole site and the entire development program.
- Each subsequent design stage should be defined (as far as possible) as a selfcontained development package able to stand alone.
Steering Committee:
The jury recommends the formation of a steering committee made up of representative members of the jury, to assist Council in the ongoing program of design development. This committee could be part of a general process designed to maintain continuity of the adopted concepts, as well as being a monitor of progress able to advise Council accordingly, and could also be of assistance to the consultant team.
BACKGROUND TO THE JURY
The jury consisted of three Councillors representing the Melbourne City Council and four professional members. The three Councillors were selected by Council to represent the people of the City of Melbourne, and to enforce the public input from the various community groups involved within the City. Councillors selected for the jury were Councillor Malcolm Cameron, Councillor Lecki Ord and Councillor Lorna Rolfe.
The four professional representatives were selected to guide Council in the process of setting up the competition, the staging of the competition, and the assessment of the submissions.
Professor Michael McCarthy of Melbourne University has been involved with the project from the initial stage to developing a design brief, along with representatives of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects; Ms Catherin Bull, current President, and Mr Bruce Mackenzie, past President. The fourth professional member of the jury, representing the Royal Australian Institute of Parks and Recreation was Mr Trevor Arthur, past President.
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