Article by Steve Schutt, Director – Landscape Architecture, Hansen Partnership.
Cities are constantly evolving, and the way we use urban spaces can greatly impact the quality of life for communities. Over the years, Hansen Partnership’s Landscape Architecture team has played a pivotal role in transforming underutilised urban spaces into thriving green hubs that provide surrounding residents with a place to connect with nature in busy urban areas.
Since 2009, the City of Yarra’s Roads to Parks program has generated open space projects by repurposing existing traffic infrastructure, such as council-owned car parks and sections of roads. This initiative has led to the transformation of numerous inner urban streets into public parks, creating valuable green spaces in densely built environments.
Revisiting three standout projects: Williams Reserve, Richmond Terrace, and Charles and Mollison in Richmond, Melbourne, Australia – highlights great examples of thoughtful design in reimagining and transforming urban spaces.
Williams Reserve
Once an overlooked reserve serving as the backdrop of multi-storey apartment buildings emerging around the Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, Williams Reserve now functions as an extension of their backyard for residents in this increasingly urban environment. Following community consultation, the City of Yarra engaged Hansen Partnership in 2017 to upgrade the existing reserve with a design that recognised the reserve’s historic importance.
Inspired by the original heritage features of the reserve, this award-winning project consists of curvilinear paths and retained mature trees. Features reference the surrounding areas, such as the pavement design inspired by the nearby ‘bar-code’ retail culture and the curvilinear fence serving as a reference to the nearby Skipping Girl Vinegar sign.
Other upgrades include a new playground, picnic tables around a new barbecue area, and numerous seating areas for the enjoyment of residents, workers, and visitors.
Richmond Terrace Park
The creation of Richmond Terrace Park was facilitated through the closure of Richmond Terrace and Docker Street. Hansen Partnership was engaged by the City of Yarra as part of the City of Yarra’s Converting Roads to Parks Program to reclaim the traditional use of streets, transforming them from places for cars to places for people.
The park is located near the top of Richmond Hill, has direct views of the CBD skyline and is used by the local community to gather and celebrate events, including watching NYE fireworks. The award-winning design concept features grassed terraces for community gathering, including seating spaces, bespoke feature light boxes, and a grove of deciduous trees to improve the microclimate experience. References to the stained-glass windows of the adjacent churches are evident in the custom-designed paving pattern and in the feature light boxes.
Charles and Mollison St Pocket Park
Abbotsford, Melbourne is a densely populated urban area with little land available for recreational open space. The Charles and Mollison St Pocket Park is another example of the City of Yarra’s Roads to Parks Program. In 2016, Hansen were tasked with creating a concept plan, design development and tender documentation for the development of a pocket park at the intersection of Charles and Mollison streets. The design prioritised community needs, introducing flexible spaces that can host gatherings or quiet moments of reflection. The resulting design features the use of recycled brick laid on edge with bluestone detailing, custom corten steel planter beds and feature retaining walls, unique feature lighting, open grass areas and a striking custom-designed arbor and screen feature that references the woollen mill loom machinery which was a prominent industry in Abbotsford in the 19th and early-20th Centuries.
Why Transforming Urban Spaces Matters
Repurposing underutilised urban spaces is about more than aesthetics. It’s about creating places where people can connect and claim as their own outdoor spaces, especially when they lack access to such areas where they live. Green spaces improve mental health, encourage physical activity, and provide essential habitats for urban wildlife. They also play a crucial role in mitigating urban heat, managing stormwater, and reducing pollution – all critical considerations as cities confront the challenges of climate change.
From Grey to Green: Breathing new life into urban spaces by Steve Schutt, Director – Landscape Architecture, Hansen Partnership.
Project Locations: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Williams Reserve team:
• Hansen Partnership
• Irwin Consult
• Architecture & Access Simpson Construction
Charles & Mollison St Pocket Park team:
• Hansen Partnership
• CoDesign Studio
Richmond Terrace Park team:
• Hansen Partnership
• Cardno
• Webb Australia
• Make It Wet
Client:
• City of Yarra
Photography: Andrew Lloyd
