ST KILDA TRIANGLE
DRAFT MASTERPLAN
25 NOVEMBER 2015 - FOR COMMUNITY COMMENT
Contents
Foreword
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The draft Masterplan
1.2 What is in the draft Masterplan?
1.2.1 Open Space: The Esplanade, Lawn, Terrace, and Palais Forecourt
1.2.2 Landscape Elements - The Slopes, Pavilions and Ramp
1.2.3 Buildings - wrapped around the Palais Theatre and under the Lawn (including an underground carpark)
1.3 Single cultural institution
1.4 Developing the draft Masterplan
1.5 What has changed since the Interim Masterplan?
1.6 Evaluation criteria
1.7 Where we are heading?
2.0 Existing Conditions
2.1 Existing site
2.2 History of the site
2.3 St Kilda - An iconic destination
2.4 Existing connections
2.5 Existing landscape character
2.6 Existing views
2.7 Traffic analysis
2.7.1 Transport & Access
2.7.2 Access to St Kilda
2.7.3 Site Specific Transport Issues and Opportunities
3.0 St Kilda Triangle Cultural Charter
3.1 St Kilda Triangle Cultural Charter
4.0 Masterplan response
4.1 Detail of draft Masterplan
4.1.2 Character areas
4.1.3 Public space experience
4.1.4 Public space look and feel
4.2 Element A: Connections
4.2.1 Site Connections and Thresholds
4.2.2 Future Bridge
4.2.3 Jacka Boulevard
4.2.4 Cavell Street
4.2.5 The Esplanade
4.2.7 The Slopes and Jacka Plaza
4.2.8 The Promenade, Lawn and Cultural Facility
4.2.9 Palais Forecourt and Cultural Facility entry
4.2.10 The Terrace and Palais edge
4.3 Element B: Views
4.3.1 Esplanade views
4.3.4 New balcony views
4.4 Element C: Built form and land use
4.4.1 Built Envelopes
4.4.2 Breaking the Shadow Plane
4.4.3 Land use
4.4.4 Uses and Planning Scheme Controls
4.5 Element D: Carparking and the Palais Theatre
4.5.1 Carparking
4.5.2 Loading & Serviceability
4.5.3 Entry / Exit to Car parking
4.5.4 The Palais Theatre
4.6 Scalability
4.7 Staging
5.0 Single cultural institution
5.1 Single cultural institution
Appendix A – Engagement Summary
Appendix B – Preliminary Costings
Appendix C – Traffic Engineering Report
Foreword
The St Kilda Triangle will be a place that is locally loved and world admired. It will serve the City of Port Phillip community, but also be a destination and experience for Melburnians, and national and international visitors.
The draft Masterplan proposes a cultural precinct to complement the Palais Theatre – a precinct of uses and activities that recognise and support St Kilda’s continuing contribution to the cultural life and vibrancy of Melbourne and Australia.
Council continues to work with community, industry and government to realise the value and our community’s vision for the St Kilda Triangle.
The St Kilda Triangle project is being delivered in six stages:
•Stage 0 – Background: Create a vision and framework for the site and prepare technical reports
•Stage 1 – Refine Parameters: Improve understanding between Council and the community about what is preferred and what should be avoided. Understand the financial implications of these choices
•Stage 2 –Collaborative Design: Through a collaborative ‘Co-Design Workshop’ process, develop a fundable and deliverable Concept Design that is supported by the community and stakeholders
•Stage 3 – Detailing and Funding: Prepare the planning controls to facilitate the Concept Design and Delivery Strategy. Secure funding for delivery, and complete commercial tender documentation
•Stage 4 – Implementation: Preferred tenderer and delivery partner is selected
•Stage 5 – Management: site is opened and managed as per the St Kilda Triangle Cultural Charter.
Stage 2 – Collaborative Design, which is currently underway, has been designed to create the best chance of success and to build the alignment and aspirations of Council, community, industry and government through a co-design process – as no one group can solve and deliver this project in isolation of the other.
This stage will prepare:
•a Business Case that is a funding proposal to justify public and private investment
•a Masterplan Report that shows the agreed landscape, built form envelopes, uses and a staging plan. This will be developed by co-designing Masterplan Options, Public Realm Options, and Project Options; and
•a Delivery Strategy that articulates the path and decisions to secure partners to co-fund and construct the project.
The St Kilda Triangle project will be considered successful when all four stakeholder groups (Council, community, industry and government) have crossed the line together, having:
•an agreed vision and plan for the site
•activated the site during winter 2015, 2016 and 2017
•completed quick wins and a governance model ready for event and programmed activation
•a committed and funded plan for the site’s redevelopment; and
•implementation of that plan.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The draft Masterplan
The draft Masterplan establishes a framework for the connections, broad land uses, massing and location of built form on the site, and the character of the public realm.
It proposes a cultural precinct with daytime cultural anchors to complement the Palais Theatre – a precinct of uses and activities that recognise and support St Kilda’s continuing contribution to the cultural life and vibrancy of Melbourne and Australia.
The draft Masterplan has been informed by the St Kilda Triangle Design Brief (Revision 1) and through robust engagement with community, industry, Victorian Government and Council. Importantly, it builds on and evolves St Kilda Triangle 2012.
This draft Masterplan details a fundable and deliverable plan for the site, including the public space and built form massing. A Business Case has been prepared to be taken forward to prospective funding partners by the City of Port Phillip. The end users are still to be identified.
1.2What is in the draft Masterplan?
The draft Masterplan includes:
•plans, sections and images that convey where built form envelopes are and how the landscape might look
•a materials palette
•a traffic survey
•consultation summary; and
•planning direction.
The draft Masterplan provides for:
•open space of 19,835m2, which includes the Palais Forecourt, The Lawn, The Terrace, The Slopes, Garden Slopes and a Plaza facing Jacka Boulevard
•built form envelopes of up to 21,310m2 in total, comprising of uses such as:
-cultural institution/s of 14,085m2
-hotel (visitor accommodation) of 4,650m2
-other uses consistent with the St Kilda Triangle Cultural Charter of 2,575m2
•carpark and service areas of 17,100m2, which includes: 350 carparks, loading bay, service area and back of house for the cultural institution and hotel (visitor accommodation).
Three features of the draft Masterplan are:
•open space - The Esplanade, Lawn, The Terrace, and Palais Forecourt
•landscape elements - The Slopes, pavilions and ramp; and
•building - wrapped around the Palais and under The Lawn (including an underground carpark).
1.2.1 Open Space: The Esplanade, Lawn, Terrace, and Palais Forecourt
New views of the foreshore, bay and horizon are created from The Lawn. The existing views of the bay and horizon in this location are punctuated by foreshore buildings and structures. At The Esplanade, the sense of the panoramic view is maintained. The extended landscaped roof does impact the extent of bay and horizon views when viewed from The Esplanade; however, it will afford greater bay and horizon views when a person moves towards the foreshore. Below this new open space is a single-level cultural facility at ground level, which links to the cultural facility wrapped around the Palais Theatre.
Below the cultural facility is a basement carpark for 350 vehicles. The entrance to the basement carpark is from Cavell Street.
A new forecourt to the Palais Theatre is created, with terraced steps and a large plaza area proposed to be highly activated.
Two terrace areas have also been created: the first wrapping the Palais Theatre and the second at the bottom of The Slopes fronting onto Jacka Boulevard. A pedestrian crossing is proposed in this location aligning with the foreshore landscaped entry.
1.2.2 Landscape Elements - The Slopes, Pavilions and Ramp
The Slopes are retained to the northwest of the site, preserving where the views are at their greatest from The Esplanade. A pavilion is proposed at the base of the Slopes activating the new informal plaza near the current toilets. Adjacent to this plaza is a new ramp providing universal access to Jacka Boulevard from The Lawn. A second pavilion is proposed to act as a marker for an entrance to the new cultural facility, with access from The Esplanade.
1.2.3 Buildings - wrapped around the Palais Theatre and under the Lawn (including an underground carpark)
To the east of the site, there is a massing of built form around the Palais Theatre. Further built form is provided below The Lawn. Behind the Palais Theatre, there is a greater amount of built form for uses such as a hotel (visitor accommodation) and an additional cultural facility. The height and tolerance for overshadowing the foreshore needs to be further tested. Built form adjoins the Palais Theatre, with its main entry frontage respectful of the Palais Theatre and the Luna Park facade.
1.3 Single cultural institution
A landmark cultural institution, such as the National Gallery of Victoria, could develop a gallery on the site.
During the Masterplan Co-Design Workshops, there was a preliminary assessment to accommodate 30,000m2 of built form on the site. Community feedback indicated in-principle support for a single cultural institution.
The draft Masterplan includes the provision for a cultural institution of 14,085m2. Any additional area required for a larger institution could be located around the Palais Theatre and underground, but this would exceed the parameters outlined in the draft Masterplan. See section 5.0 for further information.
1.4 Developing the draft Masterplan
On 24 August 2014, Council resolved:
Council will Co-Design with our community and stakeholders a funded project for the St Kilda Triangle which creates a locally-loved place that the world admires.
Co-design is the idea that the understanding of a problem and its solutions can be improved if all stakeholders, including consumers, look and work at it together.
The draft Masterplan has been developed through a co-design process to build the alignment and aspirations of Council, community, industry and government – as no one group can solve and deliver this project in isolation of the other.
To ensure this, extensive consultation has been undertaken with all stakeholders to develop the draft Masterplan.
The City of Port Phillip undertook engagement with the community from 2012 to 2014 (Stages 0 and 1) to create a vision and framework for the redevelopment of the St Kilda Triangle. The key outputs of this consultation were:
•St Kilda Triangle 2012
•Draft St Kilda Triangle Cultural Charter endorsed by Council on 9 December 2014
•A Design Brief endorsed by Council on 9 December 2014.
In Stage 1 Council invited self-nominating members of the community to work with Council to refine the parameters, to develop a Design Brief for the project. The Design Brief was prepared to synthesise and further develop the parameters established by St Kilda Triangle 2012 and Draft St Kilda Triangle Cultural Charter. It outlined many requirements, including:
•Built form and mass be located around the Palais
•Maintain The Esplanade as a balcony to view the horizon and the bay
•Locate carparking out of sight
•Explore remolding the landscape and consider reimagining The Slopes
This stage invited community participants to understand the complexity of the project and together to learn more about the project’s drivers, and to refine the parameters and create greater certainty and direction on key questions that were unresolved in St Kilda Triangle 2012.
Completed in 2014, this stage confirmed that the community was eager for an activated and landscaped public space as an attractor of people to St Kilda.
Key principles for the redevelopment of the St Kilda Triangle established through this engagement have included:
•Any development of the St Kilda Triangle must have local support
•The site must deliver local benefits and support everyday activities
•The site should create a cultural marketplace to generate and produce culture, not just consume it.
•The site should attract visitors from Melbourne and to Melbourne.
In mid-2015, Council commenced Stage 2, with the engagement of consultants to develop a Masterplan, Concept Design, Business Case and Delivery Strategy to take forward a detailed proposal for the redevelopment of the site to prospective funding partners.
A revised Design Brief (Revision 1) endorsed by Council on 28 July 2015 provided additional or clarified working assumptions for Stage 2, including:
•the entry to any carpark should be behind the Palais from Cavell Street
•the carpark will be between 200 – 300 carparks
•the carpark will be underground or partially underground; and
•during Stage 1, closure of the Lower Esplanade was considered as a working assumption. This remains the assumption.
To guide the development of the design, a set of evaluation criteria was established from the Design Brief (Revision 1) and Draft St Kilda Triangle Cultural Charter. At each of the Co-Design Workshops, participants were asked to consider the criteria as ‘questions’ when evaluating the alternative Masterplan options, to ensure that the Masterplan produced strongly responded to the criteria. A summary of these is provided under section ‘1.6 - Evaluation criteria’.
This stage developed and tested a number of different Masterplan options with the community through a series of co-design workshops that took place in August 2015. The first two community co-design workshops focused on massing on the site, and The Slopes.
The Masterplan options showed:
•a spatial representation of the Design Brief
•a precinct overview/high level plan of site opportunities and constraints
•annotated site plans of the various options and statements of how they address opportunities and constraints
•site sections and envelope heights
•potential defined envelope sizes and locations, including public and private spaces
•circulation – pedestrian and vehicle
•impact on views of the foreshore and horizon caused by building envelopes
•critical views of building envelopes
•proposed uses; and
•indicative massing.
At Co-Design Workshop 1, delivered over two sessions, participants collaboratively developed the Masterplan Options, taking the words from the Design Brief and translating them into plans and drawings in real time as they explored ideas that built on their preferred option.
Participants assessed how well the options responded to the 12 evaluation criteria summarised from the Design Brief and tested a range of themes, including: opportunities to connect the site to the foreshore, Acland Street and Fitzroy Street; built form opportunities; access and egress points; site levels and initial site management options.
Outputs from this workshop were converted into refined Masterplan Options. These refined options responded to the elements of the initial Masterplan Options that saw most convergence, and included an option for a single cultural institution on the site.
Co-Design Workshop 2 continued evolving the three refined Masterplan Options, which have different funding options, exploring massing location and scalability, The Slopes, carparking and visual character for two of these options.
Participants indicated general acceptance for the third option - the idea of a single cultural institution. This option is being further explored by Council through a separate process.
General agreement was reached on a number of key elements such as location of built form, views, connections and design quality. Disagreement on whether The Slopes should be remolded was also captured, as were areas for further exploration with the community, such as overshadowing of built form behind the Palais Theatre and the financial implications of a pedestrian bridge over Jacka Boulevard.
Outputs from co-design workshops 1 and 2 were synthesised into an Interim Masterplan that responded to and addressed the Design Brief, showing the siting and massing of the built form and the public spaces between them, and establishing a framework for connections and land uses.
Following endorsement of the Interim Masterplan by Council on 22 September 2015, the project progressed to further test and increase confidence in the viability of built form envelopes, and to explore experience, look and feel of the public space. This next round of engagement included a third co-design workshop, one-on-one market soundings, a workshop with major event producers and a meeting with local traders.
At Co-Design Workshop 3, participants explored the pedestrian experience and the look, feel and texture of the public realm and visual character of the site, and tested these against the Interim Masterplan.
It was acknowledged at this point that exploration of the public realm could lead to further changes to the Interim Masterplan.
A key theme discussed at the workshop was the importance of creating key pedestrian connections across the site, linking St Kilda to the beach and vice versa. Additionally, a number of issues were identified for further refinement, including accessibility, the amphitheatre, the Palais Forecourt and a contemporary Catani landscape. A response to these issues has been incorporated into the draft Masterplan.
The draft Masterplan is a framework for connections and land uses. It shows the siting and massing of the built form and the public spaces between them. It is a not a building design or detailed design; and it does not change the status of the planning scheme controls.
The co-design process has meant that participants have actively considered and balanced different issues relating to the site, and accept that this site is not just for locals, but a destination for visitors from far and wide that celebrates and offers something unique and distinctive.
1.5 What has changed since the Interim Masterplan?
An Interim Masterplan was endorsed by Council on 22 September 2015. It was noted at the time of issuing the Interim Masterplan that the landscape and public space would be further explored through Co-Design Workshop 3 to further test built form envelopes.
During Co-Design Workshop 3, participants provided feedback on:
•the activities and functions that the public space should support
•circulation paths to be provided or enhanced; and