Charles & Mollison St Pocket Park

The Charles St & Mollison St Pocket Park in Abbotsford project shows an appreciation of the demand for open space in inner urban areas of Melbourne. Through a process of careful and considered design, balancing respect for the views of immediate residents with due consideration for the need to provide open space for the broader community, the completed project creates a peaceful open space.

Hansen Partnership was engaged by the City of Yarra to prepare a concept plan, design development and tender documentation for the development of the pocket park.

Hansen Partnership worked in close collaboration with Co Design Studio through the concept design phase to undertake further community consultation and direct stakeholder engagement with the adjacent residents to ensure transparency and support an ‘Inquiry by Design’ approach to the project.

Hansen Partnership created a design in response to community concerns, the two most common being noise and privacy for the neighbouring residents. Through the design, noise concerns were abated by designing a passive space to relax and unwind amongst lawn, plants and trees. Whilst privacy concerns of visual access into apartments from the park were abated by the installation of the custom designed arbour which orientates away from the adjoining properties. The arbour provides screening and privacy for both the residents and those enjoying the park space.

The resulting design features includes visually-striking custom-designed arbour and screen feature that references the woollen mill loom machinery which was a prominent industry in Abbotsford in the 19th and early-20th Centuries. The varying angles of the individual posts visually interprets the kinetic movement of the apparatus in a static way, with the tensioned wires invoking an impression of wool fibres whilst simultaneously providing a climbing support for plants.

The design reflects the diversity and contemporary character of the surrounding area, recalls and celebrates its industrial history and provides a safe, sustainable, accessible and comfortable open space for the community.

Construction of the project commenced in 2018 and completed in March 2019. Hansen Partnership was engaged to manage the contract administration.