Experts gather to discuss “city-shaping” Greenline project

Urban design experts and prominent Melburnians will take part in the City of Melbourne’s first-ever public event on its transformative Greenline Project, ahead of major works starting at Birrarung Marr.

The free From High Line to Greenline event is part of the council’s refreshed Melbourne Conversations series in 2024, which is expected to draw hundreds of people to Fed Square on Tuesday, April 16.

The Greenline project discussion will take place at The Edge, with those featuring on the expert panel to include:

• Erin O’Donnell – Birrarung Council member and water law and policy expert
• Julian O'Shea – award-winning designer, academic and video storyteller
• Kirsten Bauer – Greenline project landscape architect and director of ASPECT Studios
• Sally Capp AO – City of Melbourne Lord Mayor

Panellists will discuss the Greenline project vision and master plan, while considering the success of other world-renowned urban renewal projects like the New York City High Line.

Attendees will be able to borrow from a curated collection of related books and resources at a pop-up library onsite and can sign up for a free Greenline project walking tour in the coming months.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp, who made Greenline her signature project during her 2020 local government election campaign, said it would create “a legacy for generations to come” and that the council was keen to hear as much feedback as possible.

“We envisage this city-shaping project will become Melbourne’s answer to Chicago’s Riverwalk, London’s Battersea Power Station and New York City’s High Line – creating a legacy for generations to come,” Cr Capp said.

We want to deepen public understanding and receive ongoing feedback and ideas for this significant, city-shaping project.

The conversation, which is being facilitated by Russel Howcroft, comes as works to transform the Birrarung Marr precinct recently got under way with early works including the removal of 21 trees.

The council also noted that by early May a new project “hub” – where people can learn about Greenline and where the project team’s will be located – was set to be installed to the south of Federation Square.

The project is expected to generate $1.2 billion in economic benefits, $24 million annually to Melbourne’s visitor economy, 3400 construction jobs and 6400 ongoing jobs by 2042.

Leading urban design and architecture firms, T.C.L. and ASPECT Studios, are the main consultants for the project and have engaged seven agencies to help deliver five precincts along the river.

The multidisciplinary consortium includes engineers WSP and FCS, Capire Consulting Group, Jackson Clements Burrows Architecture and BKK Architects, as well as urban planners Urbis and Gehl.

Greenline will deliver a mix of promenades, parks, open spaces, native plantings, cultural activations and environmental renewal integrations between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge.

Design leader at Aspect Studios and T.C.L. consultant team Kirsten Bauer said the project responded to the inner-city community’s desire to connect more with nature.

“The community have said they would like to see more nature in our cities. In this conversation, we want to share how The Greenline Project will do this and the compelling ways it can draw people closer to nature,” Ms Bauer said.

Melbourne Conversations is being presented by City of Melbourne in partnership with Fed Square in 2024. Tickets to From High Line to Greenline are free, but registrations via What’s On Melbourne are essential.