At the Burwood campus of Deakin University the construction of a new Student Hub with an overhead walkway provided the team at PM&A the opportunity to reimagine this central space as a cool green ‘natural’ space for the display of public art.

Tall forest plant species turn the walkway into a ‘tree-top walk’ and complement the dominance of the surrounding large buildings, supported by water-sensitive design techniques to recycle storm water.

One challenge was to find a treatment that worked well under the structure where the dry shade made establishing plants difficult. Reinventing the area as a thoroughfare turned this to advantage with informal paths and seats protected from the sun and rain.

Cleverly, by diverting stormwater from the walkway overhead into drainage swales below, tree ferns and other shade- tolerant plants were able to be planted. Wattles, Banksia, Lilly Pilly, Pomaderris, Mint-bush and other species typical of a wet sclerophyll forest were used, extending the ecology of the adjacent Gardiners Creek with ‘green fingers’ of habitat integrated into the campus.

Careful siting of large sculptures by Brigit Hellier and John Kelly in consultation with staff from the Deakin Gallery, ensured that these works are visible and complemented.