Greening The Greyfields - Design Guide
Type: Research, Urban Strategy
Location: Maroondah, Wurundjeri Country
Client:
Maroondah City Council
Status: Complete 2023
Greening the Greyfields is a visionary initiative designed to transform the redevelopment of Australia's middle suburbs by shifting away from standard lot-by-lot subdivisions, which have historically produced car-centric environments that exacerbate urban heat and reduce tree canopies. To combat these suboptimal outcomes, the project advocates for the amalgamation of abutting land parcels to create larger development sites capable of delivering genuinely sustainable, affordable, and accessible housing.
Recognising this untapped potential, Maroondah City Council engaged LIAN Architects to analyse current industry practices and develop a comprehensive design guide. This resulting document features simple, scalable, and replicable architectural typologies, adaptable frameworks that respond to site-specific constraints,that prioritise resident wellbeing, serving as a practical reference manual designed to sit seamlessly alongside statutory planning documents to drive more effective residential housing outcomes.
Rigorously tested for financial viability and environmental performance, these typologies were refined through council collaboration and developer feedback. The resulting Design Guide now serves as the definitive blueprint for all future developments within the precinct.
Collaborators:
Maroondah City Council
Lisa Garner
Andrej Vodstrcil
Cameron Gordon