Laak Boorndap, an immersive landscape planted entirely on an elevated deck will help to reshape Australia’s Melbourne Arts Precinct with one of the most richly layered planting designs of any public garden in the world.
Designed by Hassell in partnership with New York’s SO-IL, world-renowned horticulturalists Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough, and plant expert Jac Semmler from Melbourne company Super Bloom, Laak Boorndap (pronounced Lark — Born — Darp) forms part of the Victorian Government’s Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation Project.
An 18,000-square-metre, biodiverse garden, the new public space will link the venues across the precinct and support community well-being and connection. It will wrap around the new The Fox: NGV Contemporary, NGV International, Arts Centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall and Theatres Building (under the Spire), along with adjacent The Primrose Potter Australian Ballet Centre.
Laak Boorndap — a Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung name bestowed on the garden by Traditional Owner, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elder, Aunty Gail Smith — is unique in the world in its scale, planting density and climate resiliency.
Laak Boorndap will be a new type of public space for Melbourne – a place for people to be immersed in nature and to connect with each other, art and performance.
Designed to foster biodiversity, the highly dynamic, multi-layered garden will add vital natural space to the heart of one of Australia’s most densely populated urban areas.
An ever-changing landscape, Laak Boorndap will be made up of a diverse mix of local Victorian, Australian and international plant species, marking a bold and unique approach to naturalistic planting that focuses on climate resilience.
ENHANCING COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
Built over Sturt Street between City Road and the back-of-house facilities for the NGV and Arts Centre Melbourne, the garden will feature a vibrant array of sculptures, installations and creative activities. Visitors can expect a dynamic space offering a blend of culture and nature in the city’s heart.
Laak Boorndap and its new amenities promise to revitalise the area, benefiting visitors, residents, businesses, and the numerous arts organisations that call the broader Melbourne Arts Precinct home.
Works on the new urban garden are scheduled to start in 2026, and the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project is expected to be completed in 2028.
We’re creating a clearly identifiable, distinctly new Australian urban landscape that’s layered and varied, changing not just with the seasons but also from week to week.
CLIENT
MAP Co / Development Victoria
LOCATION
Wurundjeri Country
Melbourne, Australia
STATUS
In progress
YEAR
2028
SCALE
18,000 sqm
COLLABORATORS
SO-IL, James Hitchmough, Nigel Dunnett, Super Bloom, Arup, Charcoal Blue, Jensen Hughes, G & M Connellan Consultants, Northrop, Philip Chun, Purcell, Steensen Varming, Vipac, Waterforms, Waterproofing Compliance, WSP
DESIGN TEAM
Ben Duckworth, Jon Hazelwood, Sharon Wright, Susie Quinton, Zafira Abidin, Suchaya Chindakul, Emma Haberman, David Harrap, Ben Horne, Amie Mason, Alex Sawicki, Lucia Simbana, Yi Song, Stephanie Tame, Stephen Tan, Anthony Thevenon, Sam Travers, Hanley Tsang, Hong Lee, Michael White, Nathania Widjanarko, Sarah Willats, Zoe Yue Lu, Samantha Peart, Alison Potter, Sian Willmott
IMAGERY
Darcstudio
CONTACT US
Isabel Tang
Media Relations
T +86 21 5456 3516
E itang@hassellstudio.com
Thomas Xu
Business Development
T +86 21 5456 3525
E TXu@hassellstudio.com
See more Hassell culture projects.
