Last updated: October 2021
In 2018, a new annexe building to the Parliament of Victoria was built to host the increased number of municipal employees. The new building is located in the heritage garden that surrounds the parliament precinct of which one hundred per cent of the footprint has been crowned with two new flourishing rooftop gardens that merge the building into its extraordinary landscape setting (1). The new garden is one of the biggest rooftop gardens in Melbourne and accommodates 300 mostly native plant species that characterise the Australian meadows with wildflowers, grasses and shrubs (2). During the construction of the annexe building and the landscaping of the rooftop garden and the connected sunken courtyard key elements of the heritage garden were protected as touchstones for example a Federal Oak planted in 1890, a Norfolk Island Pine and a camphor laurel ( 7). The garden encourages greater biodiversity within the dense urban context, provides thermal insulation to the new building and creates social spaces for events, announcements and contemplation (2).
Source: https://tcl.net.au/projects-item/parliament-of-victoria-annex-landscapes/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green roofs
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Institutional green space
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Real estate development
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature
Project objectives
- Creation of a rooftop garden on the new annex of the Parliament building that merges the building into the original heritage garden landscape (1)
- Cover 100% of the footprint the building took from the landscape with new flourishing gardens (1)
- Building of the new parliament annex around protected heritage trees (3)
Implementation activities
- Construction of the new annex building of the parliament precinct with the green roof on the top (3)
- Landscaping of the sunken open courtyard in line with the natural green cover of the heritage garden and with event amenities (1,2)
- Plantation of native shrubs, grasses and wildflowers (1)
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Department of Parliamentary Services, Parliament of Victoria wrote a tender for the building and landscaping of a new annex to the parliament building in Eastern Melbourne (1). Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design have designed a new Members Annex building while the rooftop garden and green area were designed by TLC (Taylor Cullity Lethlean). During the planning and construction, several horticulture and green roof specialists were consulted as well as heritage experts (1, 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
No
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public regional budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Increased spread of native/heirloom/open-pollinated seed
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1) TCL. 2018. Parliament of Victoria: Member Annex Landscapes, TCL. Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
2) Holmes, D. 2018. Victoria’s Parliament House transformed with garden-enveloped extension. World Landscape Architect, Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
3) Cheng, L. 2018. New Victorian parliament offices embraced by landscape. Source link, Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
4) Backhouse, M. 2018. The new look for Parliament House's garden. The Sydney Morning Herald, Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
5) Williams, N., Oke, C. and Sargent, L. 2020. Greening our grey cities: here’s how green roofs and walls can flourish in Australia. The Conversation. Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
6) City of Melbourne. n/a. Green Our City Strategic Action Plan. City of Melbourne. Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
7) Gardening Australia. n/a. Plants and Pollies. ABC. Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
8) Gonzales, M. F. 2018. Parliament of Victoria Members' Annexe / Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design,
Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
2) Holmes, D. 2018. Victoria’s Parliament House transformed with garden-enveloped extension. World Landscape Architect, Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
3) Cheng, L. 2018. New Victorian parliament offices embraced by landscape. Source link, Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
4) Backhouse, M. 2018. The new look for Parliament House's garden. The Sydney Morning Herald, Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
5) Williams, N., Oke, C. and Sargent, L. 2020. Greening our grey cities: here’s how green roofs and walls can flourish in Australia. The Conversation. Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
6) City of Melbourne. n/a. Green Our City Strategic Action Plan. City of Melbourne. Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
7) Gardening Australia. n/a. Plants and Pollies. ABC. Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
8) Gonzales, M. F. 2018. Parliament of Victoria Members' Annexe / Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design,
Accessed on 27 May 2021, Source link
Source: https://tcl.net.au/projects-item/parliament-of-victoria-annex-landscapes/
Source: https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/33379-2/
Source: https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/33379-2/
Source: https://theconversation.com/greening-our-grey-cities-heres-how-green-roofs-and-walls-can-flourish-in-australia-139478