Projects
Flinders Street Perimeter
reframing a key civic site
situation.
The rail yards at Flinders Street Station have long been
considered an underutilised space ripe for development. The
stagnant nature of this stretch of riverside land, one of the key
civic locations within the city, means that it is often felt to be
unsafe and lifeless. Beneath the rail yards are the ‘Banana Alley
Vaults’; a series of spaces that are unique but also somewhat
neglected. The majority of the vaults are currently occupied by
commercial sports clubs.
The entire site has already been the subject of several urban
development concepts. However, to date nothing has gained momentum.
Major problems include the narrowness of the space left on either
side of the rail lines, and the high cost of spanning them. Equally
significant is the challenge of finding an appropriate building
type or civic function for this important stretch of the Yarra
River.
proposal.
This project ties a number of elements together to bridge the
gap. Following the city council’s suggestion, a key component
proposed is a youth cultural centre combined with a youth crisis
centre. As sport is a valuable tool to re-engage at-risk groups
with society, the next component is an indoor sports multiplex. The
final component of this troika could be the headquarters of a major
sports company (such as Nike or adidas), whose marketing
initiatives could be enhanced by proximity to a vibrant social
sports scene, and whose public reputation could be enhanced through
sponsorship of and collaboration with the youth centre. The
co-location and partial integration of these programs enables a
range of synergetic effects.
The building is configured as two slabs running along either
side of the rail tracks. On the Flinders Street side, the youth
centre is situated in one half of a building shared with the sports
company headquarters. On the other side the public indoor sports
multiplex overlooks the Yarra. The two volumes are interlocked,
linking the different entities and user groups metaphorically and
programmatically.
Large, protruding windows frame various activities staged
within the building, creating a showcase of local Melbourne sport
and culture. These are hoisted high above Banana Alley Vaults to
enable strong visual impact and dialogue within the surrounding
environment.
conclusion.
Inscriptions of sport and youth culture are already present
in nascent form within the precinct. The project suggests how these
could by amplified through collaboration with private partners and
the catalyst of a sports branding strategy. By leveraging their
branding value for the city, social and public realm projects can
have greater breadth and potential for realisation.
poster from the exhibition placed in the sports lockers