Green + Active Box Hill
As part of the first year master's program subject Ecological City, we were tasked with developing an ecological corridor plan to reimagine the streets of a location near our place of residence (in the midst of Victoria's COVID-19 second wave) to enhance active transport opportunity and the quality of ecological health along its length.
Being located near the Box Hill Metropolitan Activity Centre, I saw the opportunity to enhance accessibility from the train station, north past Box Hill Hospital, and along various residential roads in Box Hill North to where it would meet the Koonung Creek Trail and Eastern Freewway.
After completing a background study with other students around the same area looking at various demographic, environmental and historic factors influencing the makeup of the site (policy context, tree cover, open space, biodiversity, car use, type of roads etc.) I developed some design principles and reimagined the streetspace allocation along the corridor to best serve local residents and their accessibility to active transport to two significant destinations.
The main aim of the following interventions were to increase street tree cover, provide safe and practical space for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as thinking about new ways to use nature strips along suitable roads in the form of public gardens and urban farming.
Initial sketch of corridor from Box Hill to Doncaster