A wide paved pedestrian laneway lined with eucalyptus trees and native grasses. Two people walk ahead toward a red steel structure and historic brick buildings. A woman with a backpack walks in the foreground.
Dense native grasses and wildflowers in the foreground, with a curved corten steel garden bed and dark spherical bollards partially visible behind. Eucalyptus trees and a historic red brick building in the background.
Two people sit on timber-and-steel chairs beside a low concrete bench seat, surrounded by native grasses and young eucalyptus trees. A third person walks nearby along a bluestone-paved public space, with city towers visible in the background.
An elevated riverside promenade along the Yarra River on a sunny day. Crowds of people walk, sit at picnic tables, and lean against railings. A ramp with metal handrails leads down to the waterfront deck, with bicycles parked along the rail. Princes Bridge and the Melbourne city skyline are visible in the background.

Design Excellence Pocketbook

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Architect/Designer: City Design, City of Melbourne and various key project collaborators.

Description

This self-guided stroll along the Swanston Street spine towards open spaces in the City’s south invites people to reflect on how the city has carved spaces of respite and reciprocity over time. Whether big, small or incidental, Melbourne has made a deliberate effort to find spaces to give back.

This tour celebrates the design of spaces in between buildings that are a testament to Melbourne’s public realm, acting as urban living rooms that invite participation without barriers.

By actively managing, rethinking and negotiating a changing public realm, the places outlined in this walking tour demonstrate that a generous city is a deliberate design choice, and great public space should reflect a commitment to prioritising community participation, diversity and inclusion.

What's On

Considering the diverse tapestry of Melbourne’s urban gathering places, we celebrate a range of newly completed public spaces along the Swanston Street spine. Starting at the newly completed City Square and making your way down to Greenline Project at Birrarung Marr, Dodds Street Linear Park and Rocks on Wheels, we’ll highlight the community and City’s role in creating new places for people and our living landscapes.

We invite you to see our open spaces as deliberate acts of care that foster reciprocity and shape a more inclusive future.

Children's Activities

This self-guided pocketbook is suitable for all ages, in particular children and families interested in how cities are shaped.

Images: (1-2) Dodds Street Linear Park. Photos: Elizabeth Campbell. (3) Southbank Boulevard. Photo: Diana Snape. (4) Greenline Project: Birrarung Marr Precinct Site 1. Photo: City of Melbourne.

Important Details

Tour/event summary information

Collect the Generous City Pocketbook (while stocks last) from the Open House Melbourne Info Hub across the Weekend (24–26 July).

Open House Melbourne Info Hub Open Hours
Friday 24 July 9am—6pm
Saturday 25 July 9am—6pm
Sunday 26 July 9am—5pm

Accessibility

All ages, Accessible bathrooms

The route includes some uneven ground, kerbs, and steps or level changes at certain points. Comfortable, flat-soled footwear is recommended. Public toilets are accessible along the route.

What's on nearby

Explore Precinct
A historic multi-story building on a street corner, featuring ornate architectural details and a flag on top, surrounded by trees and modern skyscrapers in the background.
Melbourne Town Hall—Art and Heritage Collection Store

Saturday 25 July, Sunday 26 July

The first image shows three people inside an ornate room with intricately carved ceilings, wooden paneling, and brown marble columns
Melbourne Town Hall

Saturday 25 July, Sunday 26 July

The title of the exhibition layers over the top of a building. The image is black and white.
City Gallery: Viva Gibb’s Portrait of North and West Melbourne

Saturday 25 July, Sunday 26 July

A library interior with shelves filled with books and a desk with computers in the foreground.
Melbourne Athenaeum Library: A Hidden Gem

Friday 24 July, Saturday 25 July, Sunday 26 July

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