The site is in Thomastown; a ‘middle ring’ suburb approximately 15km north of the Melbourne CBD.
Registrations will close on Thursday 13 April 2023 - 5pm UTC.
Significant cultural diversity in the area reflects the suburb’s post-war manufacturing origins as does the predominantly low-rise, lowdensity housing. Locally, there are pockets of social and economic deprivation. The Edgars Road shopping centre is the economic base of the Hub. It is 1.3km from Thomastown station. Extensive community services (schools, recreation facilities, open space) are located along Main Street. The 357 bus runs along Main Street and Edgars Road, connecting the shopping centre to the train station. The Edgars Creek Trail provides an important active transport connection. The Hub has been chosen as a site for this competition due to its potential to become a 20-minute neighbourhood. The aim for the site is to; Create a welcoming, sustainable and resilient, ‘Hub‘ precinct with safe and easy access, to serve as a destination of choice in the local area via;
Reinvigorating the local shopping centre and surrounding public spaces through sustainable design, built form and destination mix; creating a distinct ‘place’ identity that caters to all ages, cultural backgrounds and abilities and acts as a drawcard for locals.
Building safe and accessible active transport connections to the broader area including Thomastown Station.
Exploring opportunities to sustainably diversify the housing stock to support the viability of the precinct while protecting the preferred neighbourhood character.
Incorporating local Aboriginal cultural values into the environmental planning for the Edgars Creek area.
Approx. site area
20 ha.
Key Information
Thomastown is split evenly between residential and industrial areas. Most of the housing was built post-war (1950-70s) for immigrant manufacturing workers relocating from the inner city and is nearing end of life.
Priority areas & main expectations
Precinct planning: to meet current and
future community needs and support a
thriving 20-minute neighbourhood.
Connections: to provide safe access for all
facilities with sustainable transport
options.
Design: to create a distinctive, inclusive,
safe, and vibrant public realm.
Ecological and cultural values: to
enhance Edgar's Creek corridor via
suitable ecological/built form
interventions such as urban greening,
biodiversity management, design, and
interpretation signage.
The Team-up contact form is now available. Click here to connect and team-up with other participants who are interested in the same site/city. The contacts provided can be found here.