Burnley Living Roofs
Landscape Architecture
Hassell
20.03.13
Green infrastructure, including the installation of plants on under-utilised urban surfaces, can provide significant benefits for our cities. These green interventions can cool the urban environment, reduce energy consumption, mitigate flooding and increase habitats for biodiversity. They provide an opportunity to evolve the way we develop the built environment, to maximise existing infrastructure and lower the need for costly upgrades.
The Burnley Living Roofs at the University of Melbourne's Burnley Campus is a world-class research and teaching facility – and the first of its kind in Australia. The University has established the facility to demonstrate to the wider community how green transformations can be achieved in our cities, aspiring to lead through example.
Designed by HASSELL in close collaboration with the University's leading academic green roof technology and urban horticulture researchers, the Burnley Living Roofs provide purpose-built facilities for the University to continue their pioneering research. They also enable the University to carry on providing information and independent advice on green infrastructure technologies that is practical and deliverable in the Australian climate.
The design is unapologetically bold and captures attention. It seeks to gain exposure by attracting interest from the design community, stakeholders in sustainable development and the media to promote discussion and education on green infrastructure and living buildings.
The design process for the project involved a true collaboration with the University. Their specialist knowledge and the outcomes of their previous research projects greatly influenced the HASSELL design approach and the overall project outcome.
