Melbourne

A 150 year old White Oak collapses on the lawn of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, a victim of climate change stresses. Photo courtesy RBG

How the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is saving flora from climate disasters

By Jo Russell-Clarke — February 19, 2020

Prahran Square is a new kind of purposeful space for a suburb that previously had little public, open space.

Paved for the people: In Melbourne, a parking lot has become a public square

By Jo Russell-Clarke — February 6, 2020

The Australian Institute of Landscape Architect's International Festival of Landscape Architecture – the square and the park – was held over two days in October to a capacity audience. Photo: David Hyde

The square and the park: a festival review

By Michael Smith — October 31, 2019

Winner of The Future Park design competition – The Gap by Marti Fooks, Claire Winsor, Suhas Vasudeva and Jacqueline Heggli.

The Power of Parks

By Foreground — October 17, 2019

Jordan Lacey, ambisonic recording in preparation for COLD. Photo: Alban Mannisi

Sound in the City: Translating Ambiance

By Tracey Clement — September 13, 2019

The Dystopia vs Utopia immersive reality experience at EKKA will reveal possible streets of Brisbane in 2050. There are good and bad possibilities in how we use new technologies and deal with hotter, drier climates.

The Foreground five: our most-read stories for August

By Foreground — September 5, 2019

The federal government has updated the National Cities Performance Framework Dashboard, including new measures for major city transport infrastructure performance. What do these tell us of Australia's urbanity? Photo: Trent Szmolnik

New infrastructure performance measures for Australian cities questioned

By David Levinson, Hao Wu — August 19, 2019

Like other cities, Melbourne is growing. How will its squares and parks continue to provide for a fast-changing population? Flagstaff Gardens is one of a series of 19th century parks at the edge of central Melbourne. Photo: Bob T

The square & the park: an international festival

By Foreground — August 8, 2019

Local residents enjoy public recreation facilities designed by Aspect Studios enabled by elevated rail. Photo: Peter Bennetts Photography

When it comes to urban infrastructure, big doesn’t have to mean bad

By Tahj Rosmarin — August 1, 2019

The exemplary campus design of Taylor Cullity Lethlean's Eastern Precinct Landscape received an Award of Excellence in the 2019 AILA Victoria Awards. Photo: Will Salter

These five campus designs are changing the way students value university

By Foreground — June 27, 2019

Politicians call for governance review for Fed Square as Apple fails to secure place for Flagship store. Photo: virginiam Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

“Public space should not be managed as a business”

By Foreground — April 29, 2019

The 'upside-down' Yarra River / Birrarung flows through a city of 5 million people. New efforts aim to clean up its reputation along with its water.

Detoxing the river: toward a swimmable Yarra

By Sally McPhee — March 1, 2019