‘Increasing density, maintaining diversity’
Responding to the goals and policies of Melbourne 2030 and the Maribyrnong planning scheme the development focused on increasing density by utilising the abundance of unused above ground space in Central Footscray.
One of the main goals of the development was also to maintain the cultural and socio-economic diversity of Footscray. This was done by creating a mix of units within the development to match the current tenancy of the area; including 30% of units dedicated to low income households and 15% dedicated as social housing.
Footscray has always been a suburb consisting of a high percentage of recent immigrants and refugees to Australia. The diversity and strong cultural influences in the suburb were something it was felt should be preserved and this was done through the use of a mixed style, cost and type of architecture.
The proposal strongly follows the theory of Belgium architect Lucien Kroll:
“Diversity encourages creativity, while repetition anaesthetises it... homogeneity makes it difficult for the users to add anything of their own.”
“New housing developments tend to be dull, unsurprising, lifeless... This should remind us that it is inhabitants who really create the city and not the planners.” Lucien Kroll, The Architecture of Complexity, 1986.
Above: design precedent ‘La Meme’, Lucien Kroll, 1969, Brussels.
Designed as part of RMIT coursework, 2009.
