SEAFARERS REST

The park, commissioned by the City of Melbourne, will be designed by OCULUS in collaboration with developer Riverlee.

The members of the Future Melbourne Committee met in early June 2020 and endorsed the project for Stage 2 community engagement.

The park will be located adjacent to the Mission to Seafarers building on Flinders Street, echoing the building’s homage to the area’s maritime history.

The project will form a part of Riverlee’s $500 million missed-use Seafarers project, which is a new “mixed-use waterfront precinct for Melbourne that will incorporate a limited collection of residences, Australia’s first 1 Hotel, a 1000-seat function centre, dining and retail, all complemented by [the 3500sqm public park”.

There are six key areas and features:

• The River Lawns | Open lawns connecting the park to the river promenade via a series of new paths to increase pedestrian and bicycle access
• The Play Wharf | A playful space for children and adults with seating and play elements
• The Habitat Hollows | Outdoor rooms for nature play and habitat for Melbourne’s urban ecology
• The Events Deck | A flexible-use open space to accommodate gatherings and events
• The Crates | Framing the Events Deck, generous timber seating will provide a distinctive place to meet and connect
• The Urban Forest | A green haven to frame the park, complete with shaded area and dog-friendly access

“Now more than ever before we are reminded of the value of access to high-quality public space to connect people to each other and their environment,” said Claire Martin, Associate Director at OCULUS and project leader. “Melbourne’s latest 21st-century park design protects and enhances Melbourne’s maritime heritage, reinforces our relationship to the Yarra River (Birrarung) and increases urban biodiversity to create a place that couldn’t occur in quite the same way anywhere the world.”

Seafarer’s Rest aims to be opened for the public to enjoy in 2023.

Click here for more detailed information and to provide feedback on the project.

Images via OCULUS