Morgan Court | Glenroy, Australia| Enlocus – World Landscape Architecture

The design of Morgan Court, Glenroy has been developed with careful consideration of the long term objectives included in the Glenroy Activity Centre Structure Plan and an in depth local consultation process. The key objectives for the design of Morgan Court arose from the many conversations with the community and stakeholders, undertaken as the cornerstone of the project. Following these informative conversations the focus has been on changing perceptions about the value of the space; how can the community’s appreciation be strengthened through an integrated and vibrant approach to this retail area?

To revitalise Morgan Court the public space has been maximized and pedestrian movement has been prioritized with the aim of increasing visitation, occupation and community ownership of Morgan Court and central Glenroy. The revitalisation, treatments, seating, shade, exhibition and subsequent upgrades to retail spaces will add value, increase passive safety and effectively improve the community’s engagement with this precinct. Opening up the view lines through Morgan Court and to the existing retail shop frontages, improving lighting, adding exhibition and projection opportunities will increase visitation and reinforce a local identity and contribute to the vibrancy in this space.

The improved space will provide an enticing, comfortable and safe environment with programs, exhibitions and ‘in residence’ food stalls adding to the Morgan Court experience during twilight and evening hours. Reinvigorating Morgan Court and increasing participation with evening attractions will shift the space from being a daytime-only thoroughfare to a valued and active local destination into the evenings.

The proposal includes simple and bold forms which allow for local exhibition, performance, projection and art each of which are designed to continually evolve, reflecting the community and its changing demographic over time. These innovative features will create opportunities for activity and entertainment, enticing the community to frequent Morgan Court to connect and engage.

A number of bespoke concrete and steel blocks are repeated throughout Morgan Court and when arranged form robust structures and spatial configurations. Each repeated block formulates the framework for multiple programs, types of occupation and scale of gathering. Using a minimal number of block types (3 types) reduces cost through mass production while still allowing for limitless multiple bespoke arrangements and configurations. As Morgan Court will be delivered over multiple stages and years of funding the blocks allow a level of freedom for the future stage designs while maintaining a consistent identity. As the design ages and the future stages are delivered, consideration from observed use and occupation will direct how the future arrangement will be delivered. This adaptability will be achieved by simply un-fixing to reconfigure the blocks and alter the associated function.

The proposed materials and forms for Morgan Court are robust and have the ability to receive integrated infrastructure. Each block has a series of voids that allow for lighting, electrical and data to be integrated into the seating wall formation. The walls and the fixing mechanism has the capacity for easy future additions of seating and exhibition boxes. The structures have allowance for projection, audio, exhibition and food preparation facilities to be integrated into the arrangement of the repeated block forms. The design aims to maximise the function of all elements of the space, creating multiple arrangements and spatial opportunities that allow the community to explore and determine their own interaction and occupation of Morgan Court.