Greenaway Architects is part of the design consortium led by Lyons for the redevelopment of the New Student Precinct for the University of Melbourne. The primary design forcus of Greenaway Architects is the new Murrup Barak centre (the University’s Indigenous development unit) and the adjacent Welcome Ground, a landscaped area that will become a focal point and the main access of the redevelopment.

The New Student Precinct is a Signature Project for the University of Melbourne’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP 3). It embodies the University-wide commitment to improve the lived experience of the University’s Indigenous community by shaping the physical environment and promoting cultural awareness and recognition. It offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the campus-based student experience through the co-creation of a vibrant space that will be a centre of activity where all students have access to social, cultural and community opportunities.

A series of workshops with Indigenous stakeholder groups were conducted to review and provide comment on the design of the Precinct. Tailored engagement strategies are developed to align project and organisational strategy to the people and communities that these strategies intersect.

A unique consulting approach is developed to enable the fusion of architectural design and engagement consulting methodology to support genuine co-creation. It includes cross-cultural vision and strategy design, and culturally responsive stakeholder engagement to support architectural project design and delivery.

The eel and water story uncovered and researched during the engagement process became an important narrative and symbol of resillience and connection to Country, that informed the design of the precinct, including the Welcome Ground.

For more details of this project, visit: https://students.unimelb.edu.au/student-precinct/the-project/a-respectful-precinct