Grimshaw and Greenaway Architecture have been appointed to design a $16 million environmental research and ecotourism facility in a regenerated wetland in Melbourne’s west.
The Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre will be located at the HD Graham Reserve in Altona Meadows, near the Cheetham Wetlands – ecologically significant wetlands covering 420 hectares of former salt works land – and other biodiversity hotspots.
The multifunctional centre will include a field studies centre, classrooms, connected walking trails, boardwalks and nature play areas, along with offices and a café.
Grimshaw is designing the centre in partnership with Greenaway Architecture, McGregor Coxall, Greenshoot Consulting, Integral Group, Bollinger and Grohmann, and Slattery.
Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre by Grimshaw with Greenaway Architecture.
Image: Grimshaw
The design team is also working alongside the Traditional Owners, the Bunurong Land Council.
“The purpose-built Wetlands Centre is set within the unique, natural habitat of Melbourne’s inner western suburbs, amidst a transforming, largely industrial landscape,” Grimshaw notes in a design statement.
“The design vision celebrates this significant setting through a proposal that incorporates regenerative, climate resilient and biophilic design principles within a range of facilities and services oriented towards the needs of health and recreation, and natural environment education, research and conservation.”
“The design principles are supported by ephemeral wetland and landscape features, connecting visitors to the adjacent Truganina Park and Cheetham Wetlands in order to create a unique visitor and learning experience.”
“Considered visitor journey experiences and connections throughout the site celebrate the landscape as the primary element, while the architecture of the proposed Visitors Centre, Lookout Platform and Research Cluster, support this approach and the transformation of the site into an economically beneficial eco-tourism destination for Melbourne’s west.”
The parties behind the proposal are the Hobsons Bay Council and the not-for-profit organization Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre Inc., who have together entered a memorandum-of-understanding partnership with Deakin University, Melbourne Water, Greater Western Water, Ecolinc, Cirqit Health, Birdlife Australia.
They are seeking funding from the state and federal governments.
