A consortium led by Oculus has been appointed to develop an updated master plan for the invigoration and protection of Exhibition Reserve, a key public precinct in Melbourne’s inner north suburb of Carlton. The site of Exhibition Reserve encompasses the grounds surrounding the Melbourne Museum and the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building, constructed in 1880.
The reserve combines significant heritage buildings and gardens, civic and event spaces, architectural icons and institutions, including Museums Victoria, the custodian of the Royal Exhibition Building and grounds.
The updated master plan will seek to enrich opportunities for public engagement with a mix of integrated landscape treatments, interpretation installations and spaces for temporary structures to support commercial and civic events. It will form part of the review of the Royal Exhibition Building/Carlton Gardens World Heritage Management Plan, currently underway.
The public space must be able to balance day-to-day recreation by locals; heritage and museum engagement by visitors; and active programming by Museums Victoria and event hirers. It also needs to serve as a public thoroughfare for pedestrians and cyclists moving between Carlton and Fitzroy, as well as vehicles servicing events on site at the Royal Exhibition Building and Plaza. A press release from Oculus states that a particular focus of the masterplanning process (in accordance with current World Heritage practice) will be to invite First Peoples’ participation in the process and development of the document.
“Exhibition Reserve presents an unprecedented opportunity to create a dialogue about Australian identity,” said Oculus associate director, Claire Martin. “The development of the master plan will be as much about reframing and connection as it will be about structures and objects.”
The consortium led by Oculus includes Arup, Buro North, Conservation Studio, Finding Infinity, Greenshoot Consulting, Plancost, Right Angle Studio and Warren and Mahoney Architects.
The draft master plan is due to be released to the public later in 2021.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
