Introduction

Revitalising Canning City Centre – A Water Sensitive Perspective

The revitalisation of Canning City Centre was explored from a water sensitive perspective in a two-day design charrette in August 2015. The design charrette was hosted by City of Canning and facilitated by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (CRCWSC).

Individuals from the following organisations contributed their knowledge and ideas through the design charrette:

  • City of Canning
  • CRC for Water Sensitive Cities
  • The University of Western Australia (UWA)
  • Monash University
  • Department of Housing (now Housing Authority)
  • Department of Parks and Wildlife
  • Department of Water
  • Water Corporation
  • Essential Environmental
  • SERCUL

The purpose of the design charrette was to:

  • Explore the interface between the built form and the public realm (with a focus on urban streams and constructed waterbodies) to help guide desirable forms of development.
  • Inform design parameters for future urban streams and constructed waterbodies within the revitalisation precinct.
  • The design charrette also provided an introduction and foundation for two UWA and Monash University initiatives:
  • A semester-long urban design studio for 4th year students from the University of Western Australia (UWA) School of Architecture and Design to explore imaginative urban design proposals that incorporate the creative use of water (Semester 2, 2015). The design studio included a one-week mini-studio for Monash University students from the School of Architecture, Design and Arts.
  • A two-semester-long engineering design project for 3rd/4th year students from the UWA School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering (Semester 2, 2015 and Semester 1, 2016). The outcomes of the design project are documented in the report: Water Sensitive Urban Design Considerations in the City of Canning (UWA and City of Canning, 2016).

This document provides a compilation of key outputs from the design charrette and includes a selection of design concepts developed as part of the urban design studio and engineering design project.

The engineering design project included the development of an environmental management plan for Cannington Swamp.

Citation

CRC for Water Sensitive Cities and City of Canning, 2016. Revitalising Canning City Centre: A Water Sensitive Perspective. Melbourne, Australia: Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities.