Site Planning and Design Studio
Melbourne School of Design
Master of Landscape Architecture (300 pt), Semester II
Coordinator/Lecturer: Dr Scott Heyes
Tutor: Tom Richards, Landscape Architect

In semester 2, I coordinated a 300 pt graduate studio subject in the Melbourne School of Design called Site Planning and Design. This was a new subject that centred on design and small-scale planning opportunities for the seaside town of Inverloch, which is located in the Gippsland region of Victoria. Tom Richards, a landscape architect from VicRoads was engaged as the tutor. The studio was supported by the Bass Coast Shire Council. Martin Gill, the strategic environmental planning officer from the Shire Council was instrumental in engaging the community for the studio project.

Students conducted a series of surveys in Inverloch over a period of three days. They met with several key members of the community when in the field. A landscape analysis and inventory report was submitted to the Bass Coast Shire Council at a public presentation in the last week of semester. A summary of the studio design projects that were explored throughout the semester were included in the report for the community’s consideration. The public presentation in Inverloch was well attended by the community and key personnel from the Shire Council.

A number of guests provided key lectures for the studio. These included Adjunct Professor, Graeme Hopkins, Principal Urban Designer for Planning SA, Government of South Australia; Bryn Davies, DPCD; and Sally Jeavons, Recreational Planner, Principal from @ Leisure.