OPEN DINING AREA
RESIDENTIAL ENTRY
OPEN SPACE BETWEEN THE GALLERIES
INTERACTION BETWEEN THE GALLERIES WITH THE PEDESTRIAN FOOTPATH
THE SQUARE
PEDESTRIAN FOOTPATH
ACCESS TO THE TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE
GLIMPSE OF THE STREET
PROGRAMS IN THE AREA
The aim of the design is to transform the area into a secondary Tourist Hub of City of Greater Geelong - the place where people will gather to dispatch to the destined tourist spot, as done in Federation Square, Melbourne as well as be a destination on its own to bring in the people and community together.
The site is close to bus stands of both the routes which gives easy access even to the people without their own cars and use of the area is unrestricted by any poor transport options. For the residents, the pedestrian entry is maintained from the High Street, but is separated from the public activities. Considering the fact that the bus stand is right in front of the residence, this is a convenient option for residents not using their own car. However, to maintain the dignity of the pedestrians and to avoid street jamming in front of the residence, the vehicular entry to the residence is proposed from the Church Street.
To maintain the authenticity of the Belmont region, the material palette has not been changed to a great extent, and the red brick look is maintained. However, facade design has been changed slightly, but the uniformity is maintained. As can be seen in the Tourist Information Centre and the gallery spaces, they have the same facade design to understand that functionally they are one entity. And, the other built forms have pretty much the same facade design, with a few having the addition of green facade. However, the common factor among all of them is the transparency between the indoor and the outdoor spaces.
In addition to that, a few “Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper” techniques are also introduced to get the community engaged. They are - 1. Community Board for Community Suggestions, 2. Community run and maintained Native Vegetation Garden, 3. Urban Picnic Spot and 4. Community BBQ Area. The Native Plants Garden will also be of educational value for the community and the local schools to learn about the local plants and vegetation.
