Act of Place

This project seeks to explore the current nature of place-making and the mechanisms within it. It asks the questions: “What if our planning instruments were based on something else other than the current formal and zonal requirements?” “What if it prioritized a specific need or objective to engender a qualitative outcome?” “What if it we reframed our planning instruments based on ecology and a natural landscape?”

Framed within the context of Cremorne, Victoria, the project proposes a landscape schema to engender an opportunistic vision for the suburb – that of which is derived from the suburb’s low-performing market indicators. Within the schema are design principles that range from a wider urban strategy to the smaller finer details which seek to reframe our planning schemes in order to realize the landscape. These mechanisms that extend from the suburb, the street to the building place this vision with a directive outcome to affect the quality of life.

This project recognises our voice as architects to engender a vision for a place. By redirecting our focus towards seeking opportunities, rather than restrictions, that actively improve the nature of our place, we can start a broader discussion on the mechanisms which allow us to define our place.